Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge - View Single Post - Post your suggestions on fishing for Mr. T

Zed · 09-19-2011, 04:06 PM

If you want to fish FOR them, I would use a heavy leader, like 80 or 100.
A nice big hook and a mackerel.

They commonly come up to feed on the slack high tide. Watch for birds and slashing tails. Fish outside, like 100' or more. Don't try and boat a green one. Let it tire out. Once you get it close you can grab the tail and then lever your foot under the belly behind the pec fin. That way if it gets feisty, you can let go of the tail quickly and it will be pointed away from you They don't swim backwards. I would suggest you have a partner to get it on board if it's 100# or more.

Dispatching it on the yak can be dicey. You can cut gills, and spike the brain, but easier said than done in rough conditions. Again a partner is a big help. Once you get it on board and dispatched get to shore fast, and get it chilled fast. Best way is to dress it (remove head, fins, tail and guts) and fill the cavity w/ ice. Once it's chilled, then finish the cleaning. Easiest is to steak it, but have a knife sharpener handy as the skin and spine will dull knives fast.

You can't shake a dead mack w/o hitting one from Dana Pt to Newport lately.

IMO, it is way more trouble than it's worth. C&Ring a couple to several in a day is much more fun than catching one, and then dealing with it for the rest of the day.

Good luck.

09-19-2011, 04:06 PM	#2
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	If you want to fish FOR them, I would use a heavy leader, like 80 or 100. A nice big hook and a mackerel. They commonly come up to feed on the slack high tide. Watch for birds and slashing tails. Fish outside, like 100' or more. Don't try and boat a green one. Let it tire out. Once you get it close you can grab the tail and then lever your foot under the belly behind the pec fin. That way if it gets feisty, you can let go of the tail quickly and it will be pointed away from you They don't swim backwards. I would suggest you have a partner to get it on board if it's 100# or more. Dispatching it on the yak can be dicey. You can cut gills, and spike the brain, but easier said than done in rough conditions. Again a partner is a big help. Once you get it on board and dispatched get to shore fast, and get it chilled fast. Best way is to dress it (remove head, fins, tail and guts) and fill the cavity w/ ice. Once it's chilled, then finish the cleaning. Easiest is to steak it, but have a knife sharpener handy as the skin and spine will dull knives fast. You can't shake a dead mack w/o hitting one from Dana Pt to Newport lately. IMO, it is way more trouble than it's worth. C&Ring a couple to several in a day is much more fun than catching one, and then dealing with it for the rest of the day. Good luck. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.