I took a quick trip out of the bushes to make some bait and was quickly reminded why we bring five rods on a kayak. To stay focused on the current treasures of the kelp, I've been bringing minimal gear (two spectra set-ups and a bait rod). Well, bringing minimal gear definitely helps one stick with a plan, but that feeling of not being prepared is something I've learned to avoid.
I made a decision years ago that I'd never launch without a jig-stick...no matter the season
. And yesterday I got caught with my pants down. It sucked! While making bait I ran up on a free-swimming school of Yellowtail. They were just cruising in the clear blue water, easily visible, even if you absolutely suck at sight fishing.
The first school passed like a flagellant in the wind, but I quickly tied on a surface-iron to one of my spectra set-ups. Absolutely not the right stick for casting a surface-iron, a seven foot Calstar with spectra, to a swivel with a long leader then my iron. My casting range was less than a fifth of my jig-stick...
I guess once in a blue moon, that's far enough.