4/20/Thresher shark La Jolla
 

Went out Monday evening, to cool off. Caught a few macs went to my kelp spot draging a lathargic mac stoped to settle in, saw a sea dog and thought it was after my bait. Sure enough my line took off. I thumbed the spool trying to get the dog to let go. To my suprise it came to the surface and cleared the water and was no dog,Thresher shark my attitude changed to fight mode, it was on for 30 minutes on 15 lb. mono no leader, near the kelp. Thanks to the dude on the red yak helped me bring it on board, then Jim owner of La Jolla Kayak and Matt Moyer were near by in a skiff to bleed it and gut it. Thanks Guys. It was gut hooked and not looking like it would make it,my first and last to keep.
It was the most exciting fish Caught by me to date.

Lucky Joe

Nice catch! Any idea what its weight might have been before bleeding and gutting?

You will get some nice steaks out of that guy:cheers1:. Glad to be able to help:)

Matt Moyer

Not sure, It felt like 45 or 50 lb. My yak felt it on the way in. Joe

Matt you guys saved my ass. Thanks again
I wasn't expecting a Thresher I was looking for the ghost.

why 15lb mono in the kelp? you da man 4 landing that guy!!!

Very cool

Nice catch! especially on 15lb, takes some talent to do that!

Drag ripping fun, Joe!
 

"It was the most exciting fish Caught by me to date.

Lucky Joe"



Excitement can only be measured by the eye of the beholder, but I bet that fish in your avatar was pretty exciting :).

I would have to agree with one of the previous posters with your line choice, though. No doubt, it's kick ass fishing and even more so when you land a trophy on light line. But, fishing 15 lb mono near the kelp in search of fifty pound White Seabass, with mouths full of sharp teeth, a recipe for disaster :doh:. These fish are super picky, line shy, annoying in so many ways, but that's just putting the odds a little too much in your target's favor. If your fishing deep water away from any structure and just want to get bit as some kind of experiment, fish 15 lb (it works ;)).

As far as your recent trophy, good job on the light line, Joe. That's an impressive catch (with teeth) for the line class. I would be tha last person to give you crap about keeping one, especially if you hold true and let the rest go. But, for other kayakers looking to keep their first Thresher, be selective, you will have "plenty of opportunities in the months to come".



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:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:

No worries! It was the most excitement we had all day except for my ice cold Wahoo Wheat Beer in my belly:cheers:

Your right, I had my 40 lb rig set up with iron, who knows I thought starting light just to dare a big bite. I probably woulda lost it on my 40 lb, to confident. The seabass on my avitar was the same story, Lucky rig I guess. Joe

NIce moves dude!

Tasty steaks. Nice job.
My biggest rod caught seabass (30#) halibut (26#) and calico (8#11oz) were all taken on 15 # test with a plastic and plenty of offshore tuna/dodos/YTs.