Trip Cancelled... PB Fish still caught - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Denis_Ruso · 06-20-2016, 08:38 AM

6/15 - Spend all night wiring and rigging a bait tank and packing from the 2.5 day Mothership trip.

6/16 - 3 hour drive from Los Angeles to San Diego, get there at 1pm. boat doesn't start loading until 6pm. I go to OEX and buy a timer switch for my bait tank. I stop by West Marine and buy a VHF radio to communicate with the Mothership when I'm out at the Island. Then drive over to the landing to eat dinner and drink lots of beer so I can sleep on the ride out to the island.

6:00 PM - Kayak and all my gear being loaded in the Islander.

6:30 PM - More beer at the landing.

8:00 PM Islander crew announce that the trip is canceled due to weather.

8:05 PM Unloading gear and kayak from the mothership.

9:00 PM Sobering my ass up to make the drive home, sleeping in the back of my truck.

6/17 At the risk of wasting my precious vacation days taken for this trip. I was going fishing!

12:00 AM - 3 hour drive back to Los Angeles

3:00 AM - Sleep

4:30 AM - Time to fish. Drive to Malibu and launch at one of my favorite spots.

5:30 AM - I feel like I haven't slept, slightly hung over, I pull up to my launch spot. with 3-7 foot swells breaking. Some peaking close to 10 foot faces. Timed my launch, got out past the breakers. And began paddling into the distance.

The sunrise was beautiful, the smog lingered above the city as the sun rose with a show of vibrant red and orange over a glassy ocean. The ocean amplified the beauty as it reflected all the color to double the effect of the sunrise. Todays was worth it just for that moment. Not a single soul out on the water this morning.

Now to the fishing. The day started off slow. I threw some 5" swim baits for no love. But I was seeing calico spines. The calico would boil every 5 minutes or so inside the kelp. As the calico would boil they would penetrate the surface of the kelp and I would see their spines slither back down into the patty. But I couldn't get them to bite. So I tried something new... I paddled up to a visual boil, and I started dipping my swim bait into the holes in the kelp. HOOOOKUP! First fish is an 13" Calico which I pulled directly out of the kelp. Now I have the confidence for the rest of the day.

The bite is slow for the next hour or so, but I decide to paddle out deep towards some diving birds. I get some crazy fish finder readings. 75 ft depth and there is bait for 60 ft of it. Football field size schools.

I make bait.

I make my way to shallower kelp 50-60 feet and finally find my wide open calico bit. For about 2 hours I get a consistent but of 10-14" calico almost every cast. I ended up landing 10 that day and had about 30 bites. I would watch as wolfpacks of calico would come up and fight for my swim bait. I ever watched one bite the tail of my swim bait as I has another calico on it.

Towards the end of the bite I get one nice cast in and get absolutely Nailed! Feels big. I get it close to the boat and it a perfectly hooked calico but not any calico. Biggest calico I have seen on the water. I get him up on the boat and the sheer power of this fish reminded me a lot of grouper. The fish is approximated at 6 1/2 to 7 lbs and measured in at 20 1/2 inches and also my new PB calico.

goletaslim · 06-20-2016, 09:04 AM

way to make the best out of the cards your were dealt!!

YTHunter · 06-20-2016, 09:10 AM

Great story! Love that smile in the last photo.

Reiner · 06-20-2016, 09:11 AM

Great report and you really deserved that big Calico.

no sleep , hung over, big surf, AHOY FOCKERS, drop the mic

Deamon · 06-20-2016, 09:16 AM

TOAD! Awesome story, great job. Jim

Denis_Ruso · 06-20-2016, 09:47 AM

Thanks guys.

Forgot to mention, all calico was released safely and swam away healthily to be caught by one you fellas.

cell128 · 06-20-2016, 12:35 PM

Nice!! Must be this guy's twin I caught at Dana a month ago also my pb kayak calico

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Ivanrat · 06-20-2016, 02:15 PM

Glad you made it all the way there and back safe and somewhat sober LOL. That's a great day of fishing!

SmokinBass · 06-20-2016, 02:22 PM

Awesome story! Way to stay after it!!

King Saba · 06-20-2016, 02:42 PM

Way to make a bad trip into a good one! Congrats on the PB! If I'm not mistaken, Calicos are a part of the grouper family.

iethinker · 06-20-2016, 05:08 PM

Your determination led to a great catch! But how was the landing?

2-Stix · 06-20-2016, 06:13 PM

Bummer on the trip cancelation...glad you made some lemonade when you are given the lemons. Good work Dennis.

EastLosYaker · 06-20-2016, 06:17 PM

PBS fish on your home turf and a big refund going back into your account. Glad it worked itself out!

Starsky · 06-20-2016, 09:11 PM

Great read and way to turn around a cancelled trip! Congrats on the PB

momo fish · 06-20-2016, 09:55 PM

Nice going... I know where your at

Denis_Ruso · 06-21-2016, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iethinker

Your determination led to a great catch! But how was the landing?

The landing was second scariest, that I've attempted. Something about still being in the kelp and watching the whitewash of the waves blot out the beach that gets my anxiety going haha.

But I've been playing in the shorebreak all my life. So landing was timed during a Lull. Paddled to the edge of the break, waited until there was a 2 set lull. Started paddling and rode the ridge of a breaking wave in and used it to pull me toward the beach, pulled off right before it broke. Paddled like hell in front of beachgoers who were all avoiding the water on this day. Just barely made it to knee deep water before all the water started puling me towards the next set. Hopped out grabbed the yak and I was on the sand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by momo fish

Nice going... I know where your at

If you know, you know. Should I take the extra time and crop my pictures next time?

momo fish · 06-21-2016, 09:28 AM

Chill.. Just made a nice comment about seeing an area I been to..

Denis_Ruso · 06-21-2016, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momo fish

Chill.. Just made a nice comment about seeing an area I been to..

Yah, im chilling, I hate how things get read online sometimes lol. wasn't meant to sound like that.

I just seriously considered cropping some of the pictures to protect the spot more but like I was saying, if you know it, you know it.

momo fish · 06-21-2016, 10:22 AM

No worries... Even if you did most don't have the balls to even attempt it most days.. Nice going on releasing the toads...

JohnMckroidJr · 06-21-2016, 11:09 AM

Good report and pictures

06-20-2016, 08:38 AM	#1
Denis_Ruso Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 571	Trip Cancelled... PB Fish still caught 6/15 - Spend all night wiring and rigging a bait tank and packing from the 2.5 day Mothership trip. 6/16 - 3 hour drive from Los Angeles to San Diego, get there at 1pm. boat doesn't start loading until 6pm. I go to OEX and buy a timer switch for my bait tank. I stop by West Marine and buy a VHF radio to communicate with the Mothership when I'm out at the Island. Then drive over to the landing to eat dinner and drink lots of beer so I can sleep on the ride out to the island. 6:00 PM - Kayak and all my gear being loaded in the Islander. 6:30 PM - More beer at the landing. 8:00 PM Islander crew announce that the trip is canceled due to weather. 8:05 PM Unloading gear and kayak from the mothership. 9:00 PM Sobering my ass up to make the drive home, sleeping in the back of my truck. 6/17 At the risk of wasting my precious vacation days taken for this trip. I was going fishing! 12:00 AM - 3 hour drive back to Los Angeles 3:00 AM - Sleep 4:30 AM - Time to fish. Drive to Malibu and launch at one of my favorite spots. 5:30 AM - I feel like I haven't slept, slightly hung over, I pull up to my launch spot. with 3-7 foot swells breaking. Some peaking close to 10 foot faces. Timed my launch, got out past the breakers. And began paddling into the distance. The sunrise was beautiful, the smog lingered above the city as the sun rose with a show of vibrant red and orange over a glassy ocean. The ocean amplified the beauty as it reflected all the color to double the effect of the sunrise. Todays was worth it just for that moment. Not a single soul out on the water this morning. Now to the fishing. The day started off slow. I threw some 5" swim baits for no love. But I was seeing calico spines. The calico would boil every 5 minutes or so inside the kelp. As the calico would boil they would penetrate the surface of the kelp and I would see their spines slither back down into the patty. But I couldn't get them to bite. So I tried something new... I paddled up to a visual boil, and I started dipping my swim bait into the holes in the kelp. HOOOOKUP! First fish is an 13" Calico which I pulled directly out of the kelp. Now I have the confidence for the rest of the day. The bite is slow for the next hour or so, but I decide to paddle out deep towards some diving birds. I get some crazy fish finder readings. 75 ft depth and there is bait for 60 ft of it. Football field size schools. I make bait. I make my way to shallower kelp 50-60 feet and finally find my wide open calico bit. For about 2 hours I get a consistent but of 10-14" calico almost every cast. I ended up landing 10 that day and had about 30 bites. I would watch as wolfpacks of calico would come up and fight for my swim bait. I ever watched one bite the tail of my swim bait as I has another calico on it. Towards the end of the bite I get one nice cast in and get absolutely Nailed! Feels big. I get it close to the boat and it a perfectly hooked calico but not any calico. Biggest calico I have seen on the water. I get him up on the boat and the sheer power of this fish reminded me a lot of grouper. The fish is approximated at 6 1/2 to 7 lbs and measured in at 20 1/2 inches and also my new PB calico. Attached Images __________________ 2018 Hobie Outback 13 I do not fear the storm as it will teach me how to sail my ship. Last edited by Denis_Ruso; 06-20-2016 at 02:35 PM.

06-20-2016, 09:10 AM	#3
YTHunter Carlisle Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 206	Great story! Love that smile in the last photo. __________________ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTOZ1JOXUkQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

06-20-2016, 09:16 AM	#5
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	TOAD! Awesome story, great job. Jim __________________ Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S"

06-20-2016, 09:47 AM	#6
Denis_Ruso Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 571	Thanks guys. Forgot to mention, all calico was released safely and swam away healthily to be caught by one you fellas. __________________ 2018 Hobie Outback 13 I do not fear the storm as it will teach me how to sail my ship.

06-20-2016, 02:15 PM	#8
Ivanrat Junior Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 5	Nice One Glad you made it all the way there and back safe and somewhat sober LOL. That's a great day of fishing!

06-20-2016, 09:04 AM	#2
goletaslim Junior Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Goleta Posts: 16	way to make the best out of the cards your were dealt!!

06-20-2016, 09:11 AM	#4
Reiner Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 71	Great report and you really deserved that big Calico. no sleep , hung over, big surf, AHOY FOCKERS, drop the mic

06-20-2016, 12:35 PM	#7
cell128 lizard king Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Lakewood Posts: 520	Nice!! Must be this guy's twin I caught at Dana a month ago also my pb kayak calico Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

06-20-2016, 02:22 PM	#9
SmokinBass Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Marcos, CA Posts: 61	Awesome story! Way to stay after it!!

06-20-2016, 02:42 PM	#10
King Saba Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: SGV Posts: 848	Way to make a bad trip into a good one! Congrats on the PB! If I'm not mistaken, Calicos are a part of the grouper family.

06-20-2016, 05:08 PM	#11
iethinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Inland Empire Posts: 370	Congratulations Your determination led to a great catch! But how was the landing? Last edited by iethinker; 06-20-2016 at 05:19 PM.

06-20-2016, 06:13 PM	#12
2-Stix Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 376	Bummer on the trip cancelation...glad you made some lemonade when you are given the lemons. Good work Dennis.

06-20-2016, 06:17 PM	#13
EastLosYaker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: East Los Angeles Posts: 220	PBS fish on your home turf and a big refund going back into your account. Glad it worked itself out!

06-20-2016, 09:11 PM	#14
Starsky Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Lancaster Posts: 187	Great read and way to turn around a cancelled trip! Congrats on the PB __________________ Sal

06-20-2016, 09:55 PM	#15
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	Nice going... I know where your at

06-21-2016, 09:28 AM	#17
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	Chill.. Just made a nice comment about seeing an area I been to..

06-21-2016, 10:22 AM	#19
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	No worries... Even if you did most don't have the balls to even attempt it most days.. Nice going on releasing the toads...

06-21-2016, 11:09 AM	#20
JohnMckroidJr Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,932	Good report and pictures