LA jolla skunk
 

I headed out from lajolla yesterday to try to catch my first yellow on a kayak. Clearly didn't happen. Launched at 7am and took a pounding from the waves. Bait wasn't difficult to make although most were Spanish macks. Started out with the yoyo and dropped on any good marks. Also tried a Carolina rig with a mack on the bottom. That didn't works so I started trolling flyline outside the kelp line. Bait got nervous a few times but also nothing. Before I headed in, I spotted a bird school diving into the water. I chased it down and got a couple casts in but it turned out to be sea lions feeding on something. Can anyone explain this behavior? I've heard of sea lions throwing around thresher sharks so that might be what was happening. I got a picture but its hard to depict what is happening

Hard to tell what’s going to tell what’s going on but yea I’ve seen it in La Jolla where a sea lion was tearing apart a shark to get to its liver I believe. Same deal had birds following eating the scraps.

Can't tell from the picture, although it looks like something large that the sea lion has in it's mouth. I was out there yesterday on my Solo Skiff and tried to find the bird action, but like you the only bird action I saw was them picking up pieces of fish the the sea lions left when playing with their food by tossing it in the air. They do that a lot. The only other bird action was them following the New Seaforth when it came in closer. The large swells and wind chop made it difficult to spot any surface boils and only saw a few marks on the FF. Dropped jigs on any large bait balls or possible large fish marks for nada. Had a fly lined mac that I drifted and trolled all day. Changed out the bait several times but never got a hit or lost one to a sea lion even.

Question for you... how long did you fish that carolina rig before you decided it "didn't work"?

The pinnipeds have canine like teeth, but unlike a dog, they can't pin something on the ground to gnaw on it so they have to tear it apart like that. They will do that with anything they cant swallow in one bite.

When they do it they also raise their flipper. Solely because they lack a middle finger.

Tugged it around on the bottom for about an hour while I dropped a jig on any bigger marks

Not trying to brag, or criticize at all... but for perspective, I fished a c-rig greenback yesterday for 6 straight hours, I had one bite. That bite was a 25# yellowtail and that yellowtail is now in my cooler.

Persistence pays off, it's just hard to get that initial confidence to do the same thing all day with no success. Next time fish that c-rig ALL DAY. I mean all day. Like the first mack you catch gets sent down on it. Keep swapping them, checking them, clearing them. Drag it from 70' to 200'. mid column, bottom, whatever. Don't stop fishing it until you are paddling across the reserve line on your way in. If you repeat this every trip to LJ for the rest of the summer I guarantee that you will get one.

Its not for everyone. Many people find it much more relaxing to cast and get lots of bites on calicos, or maybe get some nice rockfish for the dinner table. You should fish whatever style you prefer. But if you really want to get that first one, and you aren't insanely lucky, you need to be ok with that skunk.

Thank you for sharing the essence of nowadays pelagic fishing. I would call it "Flying Dutchman" style.
Jackpot hunting is definitely not for everyone, and very hard for longer hours.
But Matthew7 got it - the freshest role model for beginners ...if they can keep up.

ivanwang811, there is a shortcut to success, but you have to keep your ears wide open. Once in a while yellows decide to have a flash mob party in LJ ��. Then any paddling/pedaling human can get one, or more. Lets keep dreaming that it'll happen this summer :D

How much weight do you use on your c-rig?

I use 3-4 oz sliding egg.

I clearly see a bird and a middle finger.