Need Help in Fish ID - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

FISH11 · 07-07-2015, 12:04 PM

Yesterday while fishing La Jolla I spent a lot of time trolling macs, wax wing and throwing an iron. While trowing a mac around in about 95' of water and about 150 yrds outside the kelp, I spotted a fin moving through the water about 40 yrds in front. I paddled closer to cut it off, the whole time I'm like OK that is not a shark or any dorsal fin I have seen before out here. As I got closer this things whas swimming casual and kind of weaving like it was looking for food. I grabbed my pole with the iron as it cut about 15 yards in front of the bow. As it moved to my right I tried to throw the iron out in front of it, unfortunately the iron grabbed the braid on my other pole trolling the mac. No need to say I not only missed the cast but lost the mac on the other line. The thing that gets me is I want to know what it was. I looked at the fish ID pictures on the CDW web page and the only thing that looks like the dorsal fin I could see was already what I was thinking. Unbelievable, but no sign of the tail and only a long pointed dorsal sticking out of the surface the whole time. It was just knifing through the water and was at least 12" out of the water and very long and pointed approx. 5-6" in width. All I could think was it must be a sword fish or marlin. I saw another guy in a yellow PA, I asked him if he saw it. He say he did but didn't say what he thought it might be. In case anybody else saw it or has an idea of what it might have been. To me it was just another one of those La Jolla fun experiences. I hope you guys can add to it. Thanks

Deamon · 07-07-2015, 12:19 PM

Keeping it simple...Mola. Although...I have heard from some old timers that marlin have been caught in the trench off the pier...can you imagine? I would be taking some time off for a shot at a beak...Jim

Zed · 07-07-2015, 12:23 PM

I chased some mola out over the canyon on the 3rd.

619-SWIM-DOG · 07-07-2015, 12:24 PM

^^^^^What he said^^^^^^

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

FISH11 · 07-07-2015, 12:28 PM

Close that was one of my first thoughts as I started to paddle closer, but when it cut in front of me, the dorsal fin seem to have a little curve to the back. Not so straight up triangular. Thanks for the input. It's still a possibility.

FISH11 · 07-07-2015, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 619-SWIM-DOG

^^^^^What he said^^^^^^

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

Thanks for the link, some of the pictures don't look like it. There is one tha has a caption "typical swimming position" that one has a dorsal fin that looks more like what I saw, Thanks for the help. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...:Mola_mola.jpg

Cadillyak · 07-07-2015, 12:40 PM

My first instinct would be mola as well.

Iceman · 07-07-2015, 01:59 PM

marlin or swordie would have seen the tail as well as the dorsal..........wishful thinking and have no doubt people will have encounters this Summer though.

FISH11 · 07-07-2015, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman

marlin or swordie would have seen the tail as well as the dorsal..........wishful thinking and have no doubt people will have encounters this Summer though.

Seeing the tail also is what I was expecting. Not having seen a mola before I wasn't sure what it was.

Caseym · 07-07-2015, 09:44 PM

Could have been Chief Brody's kids again.

Viper3173 · 07-07-2015, 10:24 PM

I've seen sea dogs just off the kelp swimming with one side fin out of the water. Looks just like you describe, tall with a little curve and no tail fin to be seen just casually swimming around. Threw me for a loop when I saw it also thinking shark or hopefully marlin....that was until I got close with my flylined mac and that little punk turned and showed his true colors

Richard Yan · 07-07-2015, 10:27 PM

Hi guys, this will be my first trip in La Jolla tomorrow morning! Please let me know if you have any suggestions, thanks! Also I have a tandem island, please let me know if someone available & want to come, I will be the La Jolla shoreline park before 5am. Thanks!

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taggermike · 07-08-2015, 08:05 AM

Sounds like a mola. Often with a mola the fin waggles or moves back and forth. Most sharks n bill fish show thier tails as well as dorsals when theyre up. Definatly seen the dogs hanging out with a flipper in the air. But you usually see the body and the flipper is brown. I used to surf in Humboldt county before I got my eyes fixed and the finning dogs used to really creep out. Thanks for sharing your observations. There could be some serious exotics out there this year. Mike

Caseym · 07-08-2015, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Yan

Hi guys, this will be my first trip in La Jolla tomorrow morning! Please let me know if you have any suggestions, thanks! Also I have a tandem island, please let me know if someone available & want to come, I will be the La Jolla shoreline park before 5am.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Start a new thread. Be careful on your maiden voyage

Richard Yan · 07-12-2015, 08:12 PM

Met a nice guy & he helped me a lot, try to get there Tuesday for yellowtails lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07-07-2015, 12:04 PM	#1
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,629	Need Help in Fish ID Yesterday while fishing La Jolla I spent a lot of time trolling macs, wax wing and throwing an iron. While trowing a mac around in about 95' of water and about 150 yrds outside the kelp, I spotted a fin moving through the water about 40 yrds in front. I paddled closer to cut it off, the whole time I'm like OK that is not a shark or any dorsal fin I have seen before out here. As I got closer this things whas swimming casual and kind of weaving like it was looking for food. I grabbed my pole with the iron as it cut about 15 yards in front of the bow. As it moved to my right I tried to throw the iron out in front of it, unfortunately the iron grabbed the braid on my other pole trolling the mac. No need to say I not only missed the cast but lost the mac on the other line. The thing that gets me is I want to know what it was. I looked at the fish ID pictures on the CDW web page and the only thing that looks like the dorsal fin I could see was already what I was thinking. Unbelievable, but no sign of the tail and only a long pointed dorsal sticking out of the surface the whole time. It was just knifing through the water and was at least 12" out of the water and very long and pointed approx. 5-6" in width. All I could think was it must be a sword fish or marlin. I saw another guy in a yellow PA, I asked him if he saw it. He say he did but didn't say what he thought it might be. In case anybody else saw it or has an idea of what it might have been. To me it was just another one of those La Jolla fun experiences. I hope you guys can add to it. Thanks __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

07-07-2015, 12:23 PM	#3
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	I chased some mola out over the canyon on the 3rd. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

07-07-2015, 12:28 PM	#5
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,629	Close that was one of my first thoughts as I started to paddle closer, but when it cut in front of me, the dorsal fin seem to have a little curve to the back. Not so straight up triangular. Thanks for the input. It's still a possibility. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

07-07-2015, 12:40 PM	#7
Cadillyak Team Get $$ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 841	My first instinct would be mola as well. __________________ The "Y" is silent 2012 Olive PA 12 2011 Papaya Outback

07-07-2015, 01:59 PM	#8
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	marlin or swordie would have seen the tail as well as the dorsal..........wishful thinking and have no doubt people will have encounters this Summer though. __________________

07-07-2015, 12:24 PM	#4
619-SWIM-DOG Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 619	^^^^^What he said^^^^^^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

07-07-2015, 09:44 PM	#10
Caseym Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Temecula Posts: 194	Could have been Chief Brody's kids again.

07-07-2015, 10:24 PM	#11
Viper3173 Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: San Diego Posts: 71	I've seen sea dogs just off the kelp swimming with one side fin out of the water. Looks just like you describe, tall with a little curve and no tail fin to be seen just casually swimming around. Threw me for a loop when I saw it also thinking shark or hopefully marlin....that was until I got close with my flylined mac and that little punk turned and showed his true colors

07-07-2015, 10:27 PM	#12
Richard Yan Junior Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 6	Hi guys, this will be my first trip in La Jolla tomorrow morning! Please let me know if you have any suggestions, thanks! Also I have a tandem island, please let me know if someone available & want to come, I will be the La Jolla shoreline park before 5am. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07-08-2015, 08:05 AM	#13
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Sounds like a mola. Often with a mola the fin waggles or moves back and forth. Most sharks n bill fish show thier tails as well as dorsals when theyre up. Definatly seen the dogs hanging out with a flipper in the air. But you usually see the body and the flipper is brown. I used to surf in Humboldt county before I got my eyes fixed and the finning dogs used to really creep out. Thanks for sharing your observations. There could be some serious exotics out there this year. Mike

07-12-2015, 08:12 PM	#15
Richard Yan Junior Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 6	Met a nice guy & he helped me a lot, try to get there Tuesday for yellowtails lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk