Monday La Jolla report. STRONG current

[blitzburgh]

Thanks for the report . Definitely good advice!

[FISH11]

I was there and the current and wind got really strong. I had thought after making bait I would head South along the kelp edge and head back north before the wind was too bad. That was a mistake because before I know it I was down by the border to the South La Jolla State Reserve and went to a little deeper water before heading back. It was a washing machine out there and the wind kept picking up and the current was also going somewhat south. It made the return a huge pain. I did not get to the launch till 4:15 pm, had launched at 6:20 am. Spent almost 6 hours pedaling against the wind and current. Every time I stopped to change the bait, grab another beer or bring in one of the two Yellows I got yesterday, I would drift back what took me 15-20 minutes to cover while trolling and going into the wind. The GPS showed a normal pedal was only gaining me between .5 to 1.3 knots, on flat water that's about 3 knots. Both Yellows were smaller, the first was the best fight but when I had it close to the Kayak I had the gaft ready but I could see it was under 22 lbs so I decided to release it. I estimated it to be about 18 lbs the second was caught closer to the cove and was a rat about 8 lbs, just added a picture front the front mounted Go Pro of the rat. Both got a picture and a kiss to grow bigger on. It was fun to pull on a Yellow and hear the clicker scream and the drag sing again after 5 weeks, bait and rock fish just aren't enough to get the juices going.

[OCPhisher]

Originally Posted by FISH11

I was there and the current and wind got really strong. I had thought after making bait I would head South along the kelp edge and head back north before the wind was too bad. That was a mistake because before I know it and was down by the border to the South La Jolla State Reserve and went to a little deeper water before heading back it was a washing machine out there and the wind kept picking up and the current was also going somewhat south. It made the return a huge pain. I did not get to the launch till 4:15 pm, had launched at 6:20 am. Spent almost 6 hours pedaling against the wind and current. Every time I stopped to change the bait, grab another beer or bring in one of the two Yellows I got yesterday, I would drift back what took me 15-20 minutes to cover while trolling and going into the wind. The GPS showed a normal pedal was only gaining me between .5 to 1.3 knots, on flat water that's about 3 knots. Both Yellows were smaller, the first was the best fight but when I had it close to the Kayak I had the gaft ready but I could see it was under 22 lbs so I decided to release it. I estimated it to be about 18 lbs the second was caught closer to the cove and was a rat about 8 lbs. Both got a picture and a kiss to grow bigger on. It was fun to pull on a Yellow and hear the clicker scream and the drag sing again after 5 weeks, bait and rock fish just aren't enough to get the juices going.

Nice screenshot! Are you on a Revo 13? How are you attaching the catch bag?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[FISH11]

Originally Posted by OCPhisher

Nice screenshot! Are you on a Revo 13? How are you attaching the catch bag?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Yeah it's 2016 Revo 13, I installed 6 plastic hooks to meet the D rings on the bag and also next to the middle hook on each side I installed an eyelet so I can use a small locking carabiner on each side to make sure the bag can't come off even in a roll over. Because you know those never happen, right.

[MITCHELL]

Saturday, when I was close to PB....
To put my sail up and head in to mission bay....
If anybody wants to do that....pm....me next time there's a north wind<-------)

[bolocop]

Good advice! However, how I see it is practicing how to re-enter the kayak in a pool or a bay is different than when the current is ripping. The only way to learn is to intentionally jump out and practice in a ripping ocean.

Do you try to flip the kayak (assuming it flipped over) against the current or with the current?

I've never practiced, but I've watched some videos and set up the kayak with a rope on one of the grab rails on the PA. Thinking is that I'll throw the rope over and right the ship with the help of the rope. I've also added a step ladder contraption to the back of the PA so I can re-enter by the bait tank.

I also saw recently that Kevin Nakada dove in after he dropped his cell phone and re-entered from the front hatch.

So my question is how do you really practice in real world conditions?

[Baja_Traveler]

Originally Posted by bolocop

...I've never practiced, but I've watched some videos and set up the kayak with a rope on one of the grab rails on the PA. Thinking is that I'll throw the rope over and right the ship with the help of the rope. I've also added a step ladder contraption to the back of the PA so I can re-enter by the bait tank.

I also saw recently that Kevin Nakada dove in after he dropped his cell phone and re-entered from the front hatch.

So my question is how do you really practice in real world conditions?

When I got my PA14, one of the first things I did was see how difficult it would be to get back in. One of the mistakes people make is going out on a nice day in their swim trunks and trying it out. I was in full fishing gear with fishing PFD on (you dont realize how bulky and in the way a PFD can be until you are trying to re-enter a kayak - it wants to catch on everything). By far the easiest, and for me the only way to get back in is either over the bow, or over the transom - if you dont have a bait tank, even easier. Having a rope loop tied to the rear grab bar that you can use as a stirrup to lift yourself up makes it a piece of cake - especially with a bait tank in place.

Now the Solo skiff with its long stiletto pointed bow makes it easy to slide right under you, then work your way back to the hatch and just sit up straddling the bow. then inch your way back to the cockpit. Had to figure that one out in real time down in Gonzaga...

[DanaPT]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

When I got my PA14, one of the first things I did was see how difficult it would be to get back in. One of the mistakes people make is going out on a nice day in their swim trunks and trying it out. I was in full fishing gear with fishing PFD on (you dont realize how bulky and in the way a PFD can be until you are trying to re-enter a kayak - it wants to catch on everything). By far the easiest, and for me the only way to get back in is either over the bow, or over the transom - if you dont have a bait tank, even easier. Having a rope loop tied to the rear grab bar that you can use as a stirrup to lift yourself up makes it a piece of cake - especially with a bait tank in place.

Now the Solo skiff with its long stiletto pointed bow makes it easy to slide right under you, then work your way back to the hatch and just sit up straddling the bow. then inch your way back to the cockpit. Had to figure that one out in real time down in Gonzaga...

So any risk of that solo getting away from you?

[Orca Winfrey]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

When I got my PA14, one of the first things I did was see how difficult it would be to get back in. One of the mistakes people make is going out on a nice day in their swim trunks and trying it out. I was in full fishing gear with fishing PFD on (you dont realize how bulky and in the way a PFD can be until you are trying to re-enter a kayak - it wants to catch on everything). By far the easiest, and for me the only way to get back in is either over the bow, or over the transom - if you dont have a bait tank, even easier. Having a rope loop tied to the rear grab bar that you can use as a stirrup to lift yourself up makes it a piece of cake - especially with a bait tank in place.

Now the Solo skiff with its long stiletto pointed bow makes it easy to slide right under you, then work your way back to the hatch and just sit up straddling the bow. then inch your way back to the cockpit. Had to figure that one out in real time down in Gonzaga...

Great advice about self rescue with a PFD on. I rolled soon after I started yak fishing. I couldn't get back into my yak even though I had watched lots of vids on re-entry. None of them mentioned that a PFD will hang up on the edge of the yak. King Saba had to stabilise my yak so I could re-enter.