I had my question answered today in La Jolla

[taggermike]

I think we all have that same question you had. I've sure wondered. Good for you that your answer wasn't screaming, crapping, or running. Gotta figure that by the time you see the shark it has already seen/heard/smelled you. And if it was going to close the deal so to speak, you wouldn't see it coming. I've gotten drive bys from about every marine creature that lives in So Cal except a white. I look at that as a when and not in if. Thanks for sharing your "when" with us. Mike

[iethinker]

Two weekends ago I spotted a large black triangular dorsal fin briefly emerge from the water about 40-yards off the outer Solana kelp. It was moving south. The seal lions seemed agitated lifting their heads far out of the water looking in that direction too. I was shaking scared and paddled to center kelp and waited for a while before resuming fishing. The fin traveled only about 15-yards before sinking and disappearing.

[blitzburgh]

Cool read!

[kareem korn]

Great story.

[philr21]

If it isn't on GoPro it didn't happen.



Pretty cool sighting although one I can do without.

[iethinker]

I wonder if there is some convenient shark repellent that would be pragmatic to carry? That or just bring my 357-magnum! Might be good for both sharks and those inconsiderate full throttle power-boaters...Joke!

[cell128]

Maybe if you had a nasty burrito for breakfast it would ruin its appetite right when you crap your pants.

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[JDW]

I think I would have screamed out my butt if i saw a GWS that close. Gotta keep fishing tho!

[Aaron&Julie]

Cool story Mike, and hearing it at the launch was cool too. Too bad for both of us the whites and yellows didn't show up.
Thanks again for getting my wheels back to me.

Aaron

[fresh to salt]

Great story and glad you didnt soil your waders! I was actually talking to friends about those white sharks being out there this past weekend before we fished the squid beds is O'side. Way to KCCO!

[bigbarrels]

Had something big, wide and white swim under my yak and away from me a little over a week ago.....could not make it out but it was big .....appeared more white and I couldn't appreciate any grey on it but the water was a bit dirty.....thanks for sharing your experience

[johnnyblaze2009]

I went on a friends 24' Seaswirl overnight fishing in Mexico last year. It was like 2-3am and we were making bait in some thick fog. Anyways with the floodlights pointing in the water we see a shadow pass through about 3/4 of the length of the boat, it passed under the light and I seen it's eye looking at me. I was in awe and very nervous but glad to say that I've seen one in person, I don't know how I'd react when I see one on my kayak, but I could assume the shark would taste either poo or piss seeping through a scupper hole 😝


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[fasha]

I enjoyed the read, motivated me to share one of my encounters with the toothy kind.
In the last 15 years of yak fishing I've seen a few large fins in La Jolla but no real close ups.
Two summers ago a buddy and I went for a little scuba dive off the point, we started from the cove. Beautiful, clear water, could see 30' easy.
Got out to about 40-50', cruising through the kelp, checking out the scenery, lots of stuff to see. My buddy was behind me and out of sight as I came out of some think kelp, first thing I see is a very round, good sized shark swimming directly at me. I can't emphasize the roundness enough, grey top, white bottom and we're eye to eye about 20' from each other. It happened so fast I really didn't have time to think. It came so close I could almost touch it before it took a 90 degree angle and swam away from me.
I swam up to my buddy, shook him and pointed at the shark that he had not noticed yet. He proceeded to pull out this little 3" dive knife and held it out in front of him as the shark swam 2 big circles around us before it disappeared. I had half a tank of air left which was gone in 5 minutes. We headed to the surface and went for a long kick back in. When we we're on dry land I asked my friend what he thought he was going to do with that little knife and his reply was "if it attacked I was going to stab you and swim away". Mutha f****r. Estimate of shark was 8-9', would of rather seen it from the yak.

[FlyFishinYakr]

Originally Posted by Cbad Mike

About two years ago while fishing I saw a Great White from about 20 - 30 yards away from me swimming on the surface. I estimated it at about 14 feet long based on the distance from its dorsal fin to its tail which were both out of the water. It slowly swam like that for 30-40 seconds before it went back under. I remember being a little freaked out about it but at the same time feeling pretty excited that I got to see such a creature live and in its natural habitat that most people only will ever see on TV. It's a vision I will never forget.
As we all know, periodically someone will post a report, story, or video here about their or someone else's close encounter with a Great White while kayaking. As I read those posts I always wondered how I'd react if I saw one up close, like right next to me. Would I scream like a little girl? Would I fill my waders with mud? Would I paddle so fast back to the safety of the beach that I'd leave a wake behind me? I thought about it a few times and wondered which one, if not all of those things I would do.
WELL.........
today I got my answer!
I was in my slow relaxed paddle mode trolling a Mack. As I dipped my left paddle in the water I looked down and saw a ton of small fish right beneath the surface. I then continued my stroke on my right side but I didn't see any fish on my right. For a split second I thought that was odd and right when I was about to dip my left side in again I was looking down on my left and a Great White swam past me in the opposite direction. It was about 4 feet away from me and was BIG and FAT!!!! Its dorsal fin was about six inches under the water and I looked at it right in its eye that just looked like a black hole. It's back was dark gray and I could clearly see the separation and pattern between the gray back and white bottom because it was so fat. It looked either pregnant or like it had a seal in its belly and I'd say that it was wider than my Stealth. My kayak is 14 feet and the shark was easily 12 - 13 feet long. As soon as it passed I finished my left stroke and then as I dipped my paddle for my right stroke I turned around and saw it swim up into an on coming swell, turn, and disappear. The whole encounter lasted only about 10 seconds from start to finish but I will NEVER forget it. It is truly an experience that can never be adequately described and I have to say its one of the most amazing things that I've ever seen.
Anyway.......
My question was answered.......
I didn't mess my waders, scream like little girl, or even really break my slow paddle rhythm. (maybe because I didn't see its teeth).
And now my report,
Greenies are around were easy to get on my sabiki.
I fly lined them and pulled them all around the outside of the kelp all day for nothing. Trolling wasn't easy because there are so many floating kelp stringers to avoid. The seals were in force and ate 4 of my Macks. The water was warm and clear.
From what I saw and heard there wasn't anything caught by anyone. SLOOOOOWWWWWW!

Thanks for sharing Mike! I just lightened the load on my Yak by about 5#. Since the center area of an Outback is almost useless I was planning on bringing my "Free Diving" gear with me for when fishing is just plain SSlllooooowwwww.
But now...I don't think so! If that had happened to me, I would have Pi$$ed so hard through my waders or board shorts it would have looked like "Old Faithful" or my Kayak had sprung a leak!
I would have peddled and paddled so fast I would have left a Roostertail behind me!
Here's to you for keeping your cool.
FFY