LJ 7/12 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

taggermike · 07-12-2014, 06:53 PM

Amazing conditions in LJ today. Got on the water at 6. Warm blue water, good current, and loads of bait. I sibiki-ed up plenty of Spanish macks and headed around the corner. Lots of yaks and skiffs out but every one was cool, returning waves and mostly going slow and around those fishing. Birds were every where, but never really bunched up tight and I only saw 1 spot of fish really boiling. The dogs were relentless bait stealers today. They shadowed me every where. I don't think I trolled most of my macks for more than a few minutes before they got dogged. 1 mack lasted long enough to get eaten by a small yellow tail. Maybe 8 lbs or so. Nice to see schoolies back in LJ.

I picked up 2 wax wings last week and spent some time using them. Caught calico bass, a couple loggie cuda, 3 small bonito, and some jumbo green macks on them. Can't say that surface irons wouldn't have gotten bit too but the wings were working well enough. It's been a long time since I've caught the "3 Bs". Mike

TCS · 07-12-2014, 07:17 PM

Thanks for the report.

Widgeon · 07-12-2014, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the report. I'm heading out there tomorrow morning.

5-20 · 07-12-2014, 07:30 PM

Got out today too for my first trip out of LJ around 730. I was glad I decided to park first and haul my yak down -- some kind of big beach event had the public lot jam packed full.

I was surprised at how many seals I saw. I freelined a 12" greenback pretty much right past 3 of them and none of them seemed interested in stealing the bait. And then I thought I was in for a bit of excitement when I saw this dude battling what seemed to be a huge fish but that turned out to be a baby seal. That was interesting. A boat ran right up to the dude -- and those guys seemed disappointed when they realized it was a seal not a fish... and they left quickly enough. Oh brother.

But tell me this -- was what happened next probably one of those seals?

After 3 hours on the water or so, I had to take a leak. By chance I look up and I see this seal bounding towards me. The seal disappears. I'm still trying to finish my business. And then I realize my rod's ripping.... I was freelining that 12" greenback. And I'm fumbling with everything and trying to get the rod unleashed and the snap's stuck. But then I finally get it free and try to set the hook, but go figure, I don't have anything on. And then a seal resurfaces 50' away. Could I have had a good fish on or was it probably just that seal stealing my bait?

Well, I had a pretty good burn going on and thought it might be a good idea to get out of the sun even tho I wanted to stay out there for a couple more hours. Probably was around 2-2:30p when I decided to head in. The surf didn't look huge and I thought I timed things pretty well and would coast right in... but go figure........... I turtled in a foot of water. Yeaahh.... gotta admit it... I turtled! D-ohhhh...

But you know what... I'm quite glad I had everything secured and stowed away - even took all of the reels off my rods just in case and strapped the rods down parallel to the yak... so no harm, no foul. Almost lost my Pelagic sunglasses, but that wraparound model I have has a pretty rigid frame and they stayed on my face. Whew... coulda been a lot worse!

Pretty awesome day, all in all. Yeah, everyone was really cool out there, even tho there were a ton of boats and paddlers around in the morning.

flemdogg · 07-12-2014, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5-20

But tell me this -- was what happened next probably one of those seals?

After 3 hours on the water or so, I had to take a leak. By chance I look up and I see this seal bounding towards me. The seal disappears. I'm still trying to finish my business. And then I realize my rod's ripping.... I was freelining that 12" greenback. And I'm fumbling with everything and trying to get the rod unleashed and the snap's stuck. But then I finally get it free and try to set the hook, but go figure, I don't have anything on. And then a seal resurfaces 50' away. Could I have had a good fish on or was it probably just that seal stealing my bait?

Sounds like you got dogged.

kauaiboy04 · 07-12-2014, 07:47 PM

fun times today for me as well. got kelped on my first YT hookup. saw a nice one at the landing. go get um!

jorluivil · 07-12-2014, 08:05 PM

Cool report.

The conditions 100 miles of you were completely opposite

h2ofishfo · 07-12-2014, 08:32 PM

But tell me this -- was what happened next probably one of those seals?

After 3 hours on the water or so, I had to take a leak. By chance I look up and I see this seal bounding towards me. The seal disappears. I'm still trying to finish my business. And then I realize my rod's ripping.... I was freelining that 12" greenback. And I'm fumbling with everything and trying to get the rod unleashed and the snap's stuck. But then I finally get it free and try to set the hook, but go figure, I don't have anything on. And then a seal resurfaces 50' away. Could I have had a good fish on or was it probably just that seal stealing my bait?

.[/QUOTE]congrats your first lajolla hook up. not elusive hard to hook but always persistent stinky fur bags

467echo · 07-12-2014, 08:40 PM

Dogs were pretty crazy today, I know they ate at least 2 YT! But when they took a nap it was on!

taggermike · 07-13-2014, 08:50 AM

5-20, Sounds like you got dogged. We've been training our local sea lion population for decades and those things a pros now. I think they were targeting the kayakers over the private boaters because the yakkers had mackerel and the boaters, most likely, had anchovies. More bang for the buck so to speak. Some people have trouble with the big sports boats or resent them coming in so close but I love to see them in La Jolla. They pull the dogs to them with the free chum buffet they throw. I just stay away from the sporties and, usually, have little trouble with dogs.

It's tough to spend the time and cash, and work so hard then see a dog make off with a trophy fish. I still hate when it happens but the following thought/attitude help me, some times any way. Sea lions, all animals really, go to work every day. They work for food, every day, no days off, no vacations, , no retirement, no insurance, no help from any other creature. If they get sick, injured, week, or old they die. For them the financial equation looks like this; (Calories gained-calories used=energy for growth and reproduction). If they get a negative number on the right of the equal sign for any length of time they will die. So they will use as little energy as possible to get the greatest gain. And what's cheaper than free? Dogs are big, strong, fast, tough, damn well adapted, but they're also smart. We go to work, maybe a long drive, long hours, frustration, bills to pay, you all know what I'm talking about. But what if every day a big truck rolled down your street with money falling out the back? Don't know about you, but I think I'd follow right along scooping up the cash. Same with the dogs.

Long post, hope it was worth reading and maybe helpful. It still sucks to get dogged, but hey, Business is Business so don't take it personally.
Mike

07-12-2014, 06:53 PM	#1
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	LJ 7/12 Amazing conditions in LJ today. Got on the water at 6. Warm blue water, good current, and loads of bait. I sibiki-ed up plenty of Spanish macks and headed around the corner. Lots of yaks and skiffs out but every one was cool, returning waves and mostly going slow and around those fishing. Birds were every where, but never really bunched up tight and I only saw 1 spot of fish really boiling. The dogs were relentless bait stealers today. They shadowed me every where. I don't think I trolled most of my macks for more than a few minutes before they got dogged. 1 mack lasted long enough to get eaten by a small yellow tail. Maybe 8 lbs or so. Nice to see schoolies back in LJ. I picked up 2 wax wings last week and spent some time using them. Caught calico bass, a couple loggie cuda, 3 small bonito, and some jumbo green macks on them. Can't say that surface irons wouldn't have gotten bit too but the wings were working well enough. It's been a long time since I've caught the "3 Bs". Mike

07-12-2014, 07:47 PM	#6
kauaiboy04 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Sandy Eggo Posts: 215	fun times today for me as well. got kelped on my first YT hookup. saw a nice one at the landing. go get um! __________________ http://socalkayak.blogspot.com

07-12-2014, 08:05 PM	#7
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,855	Cool report. The conditions 100 miles of you were completely opposite __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer Last edited by jorluivil; 07-12-2014 at 08:40 PM.

07-12-2014, 08:40 PM	#9
467echo Rookie of the Month Club Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mira Mesa Posts: 483	Dogs were pretty crazy today, I know they ate at least 2 YT! But when they took a nap it was on! __________________ they are getting bigger....

07-12-2014, 07:17 PM	#2
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	Thanks for the report.

07-12-2014, 07:19 PM	#3
Widgeon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Clairemont Posts: 175	Thanks for the report. I'm heading out there tomorrow morning.

07-12-2014, 07:30 PM	#4
5-20 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 241	Got out today too for my first trip out of LJ around 730. I was glad I decided to park first and haul my yak down -- some kind of big beach event had the public lot jam packed full. I was surprised at how many seals I saw. I freelined a 12" greenback pretty much right past 3 of them and none of them seemed interested in stealing the bait. And then I thought I was in for a bit of excitement when I saw this dude battling what seemed to be a huge fish but that turned out to be a baby seal. That was interesting. A boat ran right up to the dude -- and those guys seemed disappointed when they realized it was a seal not a fish... and they left quickly enough. Oh brother. But tell me this -- was what happened next probably one of those seals? After 3 hours on the water or so, I had to take a leak. By chance I look up and I see this seal bounding towards me. The seal disappears. I'm still trying to finish my business. And then I realize my rod's ripping.... I was freelining that 12" greenback. And I'm fumbling with everything and trying to get the rod unleashed and the snap's stuck. But then I finally get it free and try to set the hook, but go figure, I don't have anything on. And then a seal resurfaces 50' away. Could I have had a good fish on or was it probably just that seal stealing my bait? Well, I had a pretty good burn going on and thought it might be a good idea to get out of the sun even tho I wanted to stay out there for a couple more hours. Probably was around 2-2:30p when I decided to head in. The surf didn't look huge and I thought I timed things pretty well and would coast right in... but go figure........... I turtled in a foot of water. Yeaahh.... gotta admit it... I turtled! D-ohhhh... But you know what... I'm quite glad I had everything secured and stowed away - even took all of the reels off my rods just in case and strapped the rods down parallel to the yak... so no harm, no foul. Almost lost my Pelagic sunglasses, but that wraparound model I have has a pretty rigid frame and they stayed on my face. Whew... coulda been a lot worse! Pretty awesome day, all in all. Yeah, everyone was really cool out there, even tho there were a ton of boats and paddlers around in the morning.

07-12-2014, 08:32 PM	#8
h2ofishfo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santee Posts: 821	But tell me this -- was what happened next probably one of those seals? After 3 hours on the water or so, I had to take a leak. By chance I look up and I see this seal bounding towards me. The seal disappears. I'm still trying to finish my business. And then I realize my rod's ripping.... I was freelining that 12" greenback. And I'm fumbling with everything and trying to get the rod unleashed and the snap's stuck. But then I finally get it free and try to set the hook, but go figure, I don't have anything on. And then a seal resurfaces 50' away. Could I have had a good fish on or was it probably just that seal stealing my bait? .[/QUOTE]congrats your first lajolla hook up. not elusive hard to hook but always persistent stinky fur bags

07-13-2014, 08:50 AM	#10
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	5-20, Sounds like you got dogged. We've been training our local sea lion population for decades and those things a pros now. I think they were targeting the kayakers over the private boaters because the yakkers had mackerel and the boaters, most likely, had anchovies. More bang for the buck so to speak. Some people have trouble with the big sports boats or resent them coming in so close but I love to see them in La Jolla. They pull the dogs to them with the free chum buffet they throw. I just stay away from the sporties and, usually, have little trouble with dogs. It's tough to spend the time and cash, and work so hard then see a dog make off with a trophy fish. I still hate when it happens but the following thought/attitude help me, some times any way. Sea lions, all animals really, go to work every day. They work for food, every day, no days off, no vacations, , no retirement, no insurance, no help from any other creature. If they get sick, injured, week, or old they die. For them the financial equation looks like this; (Calories gained-calories used=energy for growth and reproduction). If they get a negative number on the right of the equal sign for any length of time they will die. So they will use as little energy as possible to get the greatest gain. And what's cheaper than free? Dogs are big, strong, fast, tough, damn well adapted, but they're also smart. We go to work, maybe a long drive, long hours, frustration, bills to pay, you all know what I'm talking about. But what if every day a big truck rolled down your street with money falling out the back? Don't know about you, but I think I'd follow right along scooping up the cash. Same with the dogs. Long post, hope it was worth reading and maybe helpful. It still sucks to get dogged, but hey, Business is Business so don't take it personally. Mike