A Night Diver Dream - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Chet · 03-06-2017, 04:35 PM

Last weekend Mother Nature eased up her anger. So I made it down to SoCal for the late-season lobsters.
After work, Rudy and I drove down. We got to launch area midnight.
I saw a few people coming back empty handed. Hmmmm....not looking good.
We launched anyway. Made it closer to dive spot and we could not get pass kelp bed. It was toooooo thick. So we swim kayak in. It took about 1 hour. Now we got in the zone but I was huffing and puffing lack of sleep and tiring from swimming kayak in.
Lobsters were not crawling at all this made it very hard to get them.
After a couple hours I got 5. Looking for #6 #7.
While scanning the bottom I saw something resemble a big halibut, I am no halibut expert but I shot a handful of them, I kinda get a feeling what I thought it was. I dove down just 5ft to get a better look. Damn it! It's a "Rock Halibut".
I hurried to get my speargun, loaded, dove down and shot it in the gill plate. It took off like a rocket. The flopper didn't engage because rock on bottom.
I was pissed and kept looking everywhere for the next 2 hours, Lost not found.

About 30 sec after I shot the halibut and searching for it, a big shark swam from behind and 4ft below me. I was shaking, not lying here. Can you imagine a big shark approaching you in the dark? It turned out a Thresher shark. It kelp circling the area. I think it smells halibut I just shot.
Another cool scene but not scary when I saw about 20-30 California Spiny Dogfish Sharks. The baby is the size of a legal lingcod. I was fortunate enough to see a mother popped out their baby.
A seal later also came joining in find that halibut. It was so much live that night. I won't forget it anytime soon.

chris138 · 03-06-2017, 04:38 PM

Dang doood that's an insane night of diving. Congrats on the bugz!

Baja_Traveler · 03-06-2017, 04:40 PM

Nice trip! I've got to get the speargun off the wall, replace the bands that have rotted out, and get back into the water...

FullFlavorPike · 03-07-2017, 04:52 AM

pretty epic tale...

goldenglory18 · 03-07-2017, 05:58 AM

^ Hahaha ^

Awesome stuff, Chet!

h2ofishfo · 03-07-2017, 11:00 AM

👆🏽bahah solid

chris138 · 03-07-2017, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullFlavorPike

pretty epic tale...

ROFLMAO

jruiz · 03-07-2017, 02:30 PM

Were you or your buddy in an adventure island?

jbl_91762 · 03-08-2017, 07:38 AM

Wow nice haul, but you have major sacks for night fishing, under water and shark buzzes you. F That stuff and I wouldn't even go night fishing in ocean on my kayak.

03-06-2017, 04:35 PM	#1
Chet Junior Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 27	A Night Diver Dream Last weekend Mother Nature eased up her anger. So I made it down to SoCal for the late-season lobsters. After work, Rudy and I drove down. We got to launch area midnight. I saw a few people coming back empty handed. Hmmmm....not looking good. We launched anyway. Made it closer to dive spot and we could not get pass kelp bed. It was toooooo thick. So we swim kayak in. It took about 1 hour. Now we got in the zone but I was huffing and puffing lack of sleep and tiring from swimming kayak in. Lobsters were not crawling at all this made it very hard to get them. After a couple hours I got 5. Looking for #6 #7. While scanning the bottom I saw something resemble a big halibut, I am no halibut expert but I shot a handful of them, I kinda get a feeling what I thought it was. I dove down just 5ft to get a better look. Damn it! It's a "Rock Halibut". I hurried to get my speargun, loaded, dove down and shot it in the gill plate. It took off like a rocket. The flopper didn't engage because rock on bottom. I was pissed and kept looking everywhere for the next 2 hours, Lost not found. About 30 sec after I shot the halibut and searching for it, a big shark swam from behind and 4ft below me. I was shaking, not lying here. Can you imagine a big shark approaching you in the dark? It turned out a Thresher shark. It kelp circling the area. I think it smells halibut I just shot. Another cool scene but not scary when I saw about 20-30 California Spiny Dogfish Sharks. The baby is the size of a legal lingcod. I was fortunate enough to see a mother popped out their baby. A seal later also came joining in find that halibut. It was so much live that night. I won't forget it anytime soon. Attached Images

03-07-2017, 04:52 AM	#4
FullFlavorPike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 810	pretty epic tale... Attached Images

03-06-2017, 04:38 PM	#2
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	Dang doood that's an insane night of diving. Congrats on the bugz!

03-06-2017, 04:40 PM	#3
Baja_Traveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Table 17, Bay Park Fish Co. Posts: 943	Nice trip! I've got to get the speargun off the wall, replace the bands that have rotted out, and get back into the water...

03-07-2017, 05:58 AM	#5
goldenglory18 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Seattle Area Posts: 861	^ Hahaha ^ Awesome stuff, Chet!

03-07-2017, 11:00 AM	#6
h2ofishfo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santee Posts: 821	👆🏽bahah solid __________________ GABE<@)((((>€~~~~team ?????uuuh it's fishing

03-07-2017, 02:30 PM	#8
jruiz Large Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: La Verne, CA Posts: 1,011	Were you or your buddy in an adventure island?

03-08-2017, 07:38 AM	#9
jbl_91762 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 348	Wow nice haul, but you have major sacks for night fishing, under water and shark buzzes you. F That stuff and I wouldn't even go night fishing in ocean on my kayak.