well after yesterdays hookup it was hard not to try again. I got up at 6 and had work at 130 so i figured i could get a few hours in. On the water by about 7 and i hit up the receiver.
Gave the guy 4$ and he stuffed my bait tube to the brim. Told him i was going to try for thresher sharks, he said "come back and show me if u get one." I go to the same spot i hooked up yesterday and drop a lively sardine down. I meter a few bait balls, so while im slowly cruising i throw a light kroc and play with the macs a bit. About 30 minutes later my rod tip was bouncing up and down and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Clicker was going hot and he took a shitload of line on the initial hit, i knew this was going to be a battle. It was pretty ugly out there to say the least, light wind with dark clouds and a bit of mist, very grim. A boat would cruise by every now and then and see me hooked up. It went down mostly and dogged me towards the bottom.
I would gain line back and he would take twice as much in a drag burning dash. I could feel his tail sawing at my 30lb mono and i started to get nervous that it was going to slowly cut through my setup.
For a few moments of the fight he started to tow me, and took me at least a half mile or so from where i hooked up. I took several breaks, just resting the butt of the rod into my gut and holding the front grip with my hand letting him pull.
Finally, I had color my first thresher
. My heart was racing, and i was excited but really didnt know what to do with such an intimidating fish next to my kayak, even tho it was a baby, id never brought something this big to the side of my yak before. Not to mention its tail was insane. I did what most people in youtube videos do and just grabbed his ribbon like tail, he didnt like that and shook out, splashing water on me and rocking me heavy side to side, he dove back down and did another screaming run, it wasnt over.
Get him back up, start wrapping a rope around his tail and he shakes out again going back down but not as far. I get him up a 3rd time and this time i get the rope around his tail, i put my hand under his belly and just tossed him on my lap with his head facing away from me, i wrestled him a bit and roped him down more.
Luckily a parasailing boat drove by with a daveys locker worker. He went down to the swim step and diced its gills for me, the first time i saw lots of blood hit my kayak cause of a fish. When i got back in a small crowd formed and congratulated me. One fellow yakker took a pic and texted it to me but i cant seem to dl it on my phone.
Took about 45 mins to an hour and it hit a sardine with a 2oz egg sinker. Oh btw it was tail hooked, and id estimate around 70 pounds including the tail. What a rush and a great milestone for me. I will probably be back out next week on tuesday and thursday to C & R another one.
the harvest
thanks for reading