La Jolla Surprise - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Mike K. · 07-15-2006, 11:55 AM

Launched at dark A.M. and hit the pier for bait. Water seemed colder and bait not in the shallows. Went out to the second can in 55ft. and found plenty of green backs. Saw a few puddlers and a few meter marks. Threw iron top and bottom but no go. Rounded the last can and notice a bunch of smaller sharks cruising the surface...couldn't tell type...dorsal fin rounded at tip and size about 3-4 ft. Notice a good sized swirl/disturbance in the water and watched it for a while. Threw an iron over the top and retrieved right on top of it and the rod loaded up. Sizzling run straight to the bottom in 130ft. Once he was down I couldn't get an inch on him. Kelp???no way, bottom's clean out there so I buttoned down the drag and felt a little give. Kept doing this inch by inch and then, off on another ripper nearly pulling me over. Slowly over the next hour I inched the thing up and got it to color...a HUGE bat ray. I had snagged him in the butt on the retrieve and had been flying this huge underwater kite. Tried grabbing the tip of the tail...big mistake...pissed him off and down he went...again back and forth (anyone know if these things have barbs). Got him to color a few more times but I was SPENT and couldn't figure a way to safely retrieve the jig..didn't want to gaff it and get into a wrestling match with it. It was easy 4-5 foot across. Ended up cutting it off. So if anyone sees a big bat ray with a blue neon and white jimijig hanging off its ass, I want it back.

Finished up the morning with a large school of white sided dolphins breaking water very nearby...something I usually only see at the nine mile bank or the islands... and a sore upper body.

steveooo · 07-15-2006, 01:48 PM

Dang, that is always heartbreak when you think you have just fought the fish of a lifetime, and then you see wings. :x

Fishin Phil · 07-15-2006, 04:29 PM

The Bat Ray or the Jig? LOL

roto · 07-17-2006, 12:07 AM

Had the same surprise a couple months ago before I bought my kayak. Fishing on my Seadoo chasing the crashing birds on the outside, I sent my jig right into the mele and hooked up solid...Based the tail beat on the rod I was hoping maybe another 50+ lb YT like Larry caught a while back. Real long and slow beats. Fought it for an hour+ and finally this GIANT Batray surfaces with my jig in the very end of his wing tip (thus the long slow "tail beat"). Took me another 15 minutes just to get the jig out. His stinger looked about 6 inches long and flying all over the place, stinging at my jig, scratching the crap out of my Seadoo and coming waaay too close to my leg not to mention my hand and pliers trying to get in sync with his tail.....By the end of that fiasco the action had stopped.....Aaarrrgghh!

Wonder if they really taste like scallops

Johnp · 07-17-2006, 06:55 PM

Caught a smaller one on a plastic swimbait on the bass rod on sat.

I've been told to make them edible you need to pound them and then cook them a long time.

07-15-2006, 11:55 AM	#1
Mike K. Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 29	La Jolla Surprise Launched at dark A.M. and hit the pier for bait. Water seemed colder and bait not in the shallows. Went out to the second can in 55ft. and found plenty of green backs. Saw a few puddlers and a few meter marks. Threw iron top and bottom but no go. Rounded the last can and notice a bunch of smaller sharks cruising the surface...couldn't tell type...dorsal fin rounded at tip and size about 3-4 ft. Notice a good sized swirl/disturbance in the water and watched it for a while. Threw an iron over the top and retrieved right on top of it and the rod loaded up. Sizzling run straight to the bottom in 130ft. Once he was down I couldn't get an inch on him. Kelp???no way, bottom's clean out there so I buttoned down the drag and felt a little give. Kept doing this inch by inch and then, off on another ripper nearly pulling me over. Slowly over the next hour I inched the thing up and got it to color...a HUGE bat ray. I had snagged him in the butt on the retrieve and had been flying this huge underwater kite. Tried grabbing the tip of the tail...big mistake...pissed him off and down he went...again back and forth (anyone know if these things have barbs). Got him to color a few more times but I was SPENT and couldn't figure a way to safely retrieve the jig..didn't want to gaff it and get into a wrestling match with it. It was easy 4-5 foot across. Ended up cutting it off. So if anyone sees a big bat ray with a blue neon and white jimijig hanging off its ass, I want it back. Finished up the morning with a large school of white sided dolphins breaking water very nearby...something I usually only see at the nine mile bank or the islands... and a sore upper body. __________________ drillfish

07-15-2006, 04:29 PM	#3
Fishin Phil Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 288	Want it back? The Bat Ray or the Jig? LOL

07-15-2006, 01:48 PM	#2
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Dang, that is always heartbreak when you think you have just fought the fish of a lifetime, and then you see wings. :x

07-17-2006, 12:07 AM	#4
roto Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nado Posts: 2	Had the same surprise a couple months ago before I bought my kayak. Fishing on my Seadoo chasing the crashing birds on the outside, I sent my jig right into the mele and hooked up solid...Based the tail beat on the rod I was hoping maybe another 50+ lb YT like Larry caught a while back. Real long and slow beats. Fought it for an hour+ and finally this GIANT Batray surfaces with my jig in the very end of his wing tip (thus the long slow "tail beat"). Took me another 15 minutes just to get the jig out. His stinger looked about 6 inches long and flying all over the place, stinging at my jig, scratching the crap out of my Seadoo and coming waaay too close to my leg not to mention my hand and pliers trying to get in sync with his tail.....By the end of that fiasco the action had stopped.....Aaarrrgghh! Wonder if they really taste like scallops

07-17-2006, 06:55 PM	#5
Johnp Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 106	Caught a smaller one on a plastic swimbait on the bass rod on sat. I've been told to make them edible you need to pound them and then cook them a long time.