my epic day (A tale of two monsters) 5-17-08 SM bay - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

radastaff · 05-17-2008, 10:52 PM

little rattler
notice the hybrid xmas tree swim bait
managed many small rock fish and bass
but no picts of em

this guy was pushing 50#
also on the hybrid xmas tree swimmy

he's got bulldog written all over his face

with a lil push
he swam back down

not before giving me a nick though

going bendo for the last hour
on what turned out to be my first
and biggest fish ever

pretty sure it was this guy

who was overhead in the chopper
living the poach life

.........

quick synopsis

went yakkin today somewhere in santa monica bay

landed a big black sea bass (45-50#?)

fought one big ass threasher shark (looked as long as my yak with tail)
broke my rod after over an hour fight
got as close as 3'(within gaffen range)

some other critters as well were managed

absolutley gorgous day

hot
no wind

lost a full tackle box too
arms are hurting
knees are sunburnt
and my reels were screaming

wouldnt trade no amount of money
for todays fun had

..........

got a slow start
was up late re-installin my exchanged fish finder
the night before

once at the spot
decided to give the perch a quicky from the surf
it was so nice i couldnt resist
no love but gave it about 20 min

rigged up and launched into the lake
calm and flat was the rule of thumb for the day
couldnt have asked for a nicer day

plan was to give everything a try
brought squid, shrimp, and 3 or 4 tackle boxes
dropped a 4" swimmy, a 3'' swimmy, dropper loop with shrimp a bit later
and a 1 oz red lead head with a whole squid

the 3" and 4" were getting nailed once i found struture
mostly small bass and olive rockys
drifted for hali and or wsb early for not

about an hour into it my whole squid gets slammed
calcutta screams while i fumble to get the rod from the holder
manage it finally but in so doing
knock one of my full tackle boxes to davey jones locker

while distracted i had let the reel turn into a very nasty rats nest
and the lead head pulled
loosing the fish and causing me much untangling grief

bout another hour after these clown like antics
the bulldog started pulling
really gave my new fluegar a nice workout
pretty much figured it was a bsb after a few min into the fight

took about 20-30 min or so to land the bsb
looke to be bout 50# or so
but never held it any farther outta the water then the pict shows

once unhooked he needed a lil push
and a resusatation tali grab
but then swam down fast and strong
depth and swim bladders wernt a prob

sumthin was chompin my squid big time
decided to put on a 6" basstrix swimmy
and it got shredded (see pict)

since all my big swimmys were in the tackle box with davey
went ahead and put on another whole squid
and started to fish the shrimp
fist up was a small rocky on the shrimp

after that a avg size queen fish
which i promptly dropped back down on the same setup
why not?

bout this time
the rig with the whole squid
started screaming and complaining
grabbed the rod and it was game on this time

during the begining of the fight
i cleared my werk space
reeling in my other rods

while winding up the queenfish on the dropper loop
it turns out he got replaced with a mack
the exact same size as the queen
this has happened a few times in the past and always amazes me

about 10 min or so into the fight with the thresher
with some serious drag screaming
the thing got fully airborn

seeing this big of a fish in the air
was one of the most awsome sights ive every seen
and brought home the enormity of my situation
my god what iam u gonna do with this big of a fish from my yak?

heh heh

never got air after that fist jump
just screaming drag runs
and some turn and rush the yak tactics on part of the shark

pretty much after the first 20 to 30 min into the fight
it turned into a tow radastaff around game
doughnuts and figure eights
foward and backward but staying in the general area for the most
part

took me a few to get the hang of directing my yak
to turn with the direction the fish wanted to go
but once i got it down it was ride on

after a bit
i noticed that we were getting closer and closer to the shore
kinda suprised me the shark was heading into the shallows
and there came a point when i had to make a decision

went ahead and free spooled the reel
after bobin over a couple breakers
and paddled out a few strokes to get outta the danger zone

renegaged and i was on again
frickin incrediable
seemed the shark was pullin steady but movnig a bit slower
so i started horsing it a bit to try and get it to surface

was just hoping at this point
to get a nice pict and just cut the line off close as i could
the fish was big

even if i had wanted to
i dont think i woulda been able to land it by myself
keep in mind my line was only 15# test
and my gaff a 2 foot jobby

i guess it might have been posable
but while horsing it for fear it would take me into the breakers again
it doubled back on me and before i could react snap

my gl2 rod snapped about midway
now what do i do?
keep fighting it with the broken rod of course
but it was only a short while after this that the game was over

with a slow but steady swim
the fish was just not getting tired
and my line was

a few times i got the fish within 3 or so feet of the yak
and got a good perspective of just how big it was
i would guess with tail 13 to 14'
and 300# or so feeling like pulling on a small car

i was at its mercy

there be monsters here

i was in epic land

paul

woolybugger · 05-18-2008, 04:29 AM

awesome a t and a black in the same day sounds like a day that will keep you coming back for more.

gary sullivan · 05-18-2008, 05:34 AM

That's quite a story. I guess I'm fishing in the wrong place. Thanks for sharing.

radastaff · 05-18-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary sullivan

That's quite a story. I guess I'm fishing in the wrong place. Thanks for sharing.

great thing about fishing
theres always another spot to check out

story a bit long winded for me
but
it was a day worth a story

p

lamb · 05-18-2008, 09:59 AM

Great day, great report!

Holy Mackerel · 05-18-2008, 10:44 AM

Cool report, I like the bendo shot!

chris

metalbob · 05-18-2008, 02:46 PM

good for you Paul!

all the chatter i heard was from Dp and beyond today, constant action. someone hauled in a 400 lbr...knew i shoulda went north. nothing but bait in O'side.

sounds like a good day.

Metalbob

steveooo · 05-18-2008, 03:26 PM

Cool Report. I like The pics

ratdog · 05-18-2008, 08:12 PM

Hey Paul,
nice report,
thanks for sharing

Rusty · 05-18-2008, 09:31 PM

Sounds like a great day and a monster T. FYI: I know a guy who converted his snapped G Loomis into a gaff...

bajadog · 05-19-2008, 05:16 AM

Nice report Paul...

radastaff · 05-19-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalbob

good for you Paul!

all the chatter i heard was from Dp and beyond today, constant action. someone hauled in a 400 lbr...knew i shoulda went north. nothing but bait in O'side.

sounds like a good day.

Metalbob

thought there wasent any fish in oceanside?.......

thanks for the gratz from all

p

Mr_PeaCH · 05-19-2008, 07:47 PM

Very cool report Paul!

Quote:

Originally Posted by radastaff

thought there wasent any fish in oceanside?.......

You got that right! It's all about SaMo, bro!

05-17-2008, 10:52 PM	#1
radastaff Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 314	my epic day (A tale of two monsters) 5-17-08 SM bay little rattler notice the hybrid xmas tree swim bait managed many small rock fish and bass but no picts of em this guy was pushing 50# also on the hybrid xmas tree swimmy he's got bulldog written all over his face with a lil push he swam back down not before giving me a nick though going bendo for the last hour on what turned out to be my first and biggest fish ever pretty sure it was this guy who was overhead in the chopper living the poach life ......... quick synopsis went yakkin today somewhere in santa monica bay landed a big black sea bass (45-50#?) fought one big ass threasher shark (looked as long as my yak with tail) broke my rod after over an hour fight got as close as 3'(within gaffen range) some other critters as well were managed absolutley gorgous day hot no wind lost a full tackle box too arms are hurting knees are sunburnt and my reels were screaming wouldnt trade no amount of money for todays fun had .......... got a slow start was up late re-installin my exchanged fish finder the night before once at the spot decided to give the perch a quicky from the surf it was so nice i couldnt resist no love but gave it about 20 min rigged up and launched into the lake calm and flat was the rule of thumb for the day couldnt have asked for a nicer day plan was to give everything a try brought squid, shrimp, and 3 or 4 tackle boxes dropped a 4" swimmy, a 3'' swimmy, dropper loop with shrimp a bit later and a 1 oz red lead head with a whole squid the 3" and 4" were getting nailed once i found struture mostly small bass and olive rockys drifted for hali and or wsb early for not about an hour into it my whole squid gets slammed calcutta screams while i fumble to get the rod from the holder manage it finally but in so doing knock one of my full tackle boxes to davey jones locker while distracted i had let the reel turn into a very nasty rats nest and the lead head pulled loosing the fish and causing me much untangling grief bout another hour after these clown like antics the bulldog started pulling really gave my new fluegar a nice workout pretty much figured it was a bsb after a few min into the fight took about 20-30 min or so to land the bsb looke to be bout 50# or so but never held it any farther outta the water then the pict shows once unhooked he needed a lil push and a resusatation tali grab but then swam down fast and strong depth and swim bladders wernt a prob sumthin was chompin my squid big time decided to put on a 6" basstrix swimmy and it got shredded (see pict) since all my big swimmys were in the tackle box with davey went ahead and put on another whole squid and started to fish the shrimp fist up was a small rocky on the shrimp after that a avg size queen fish which i promptly dropped back down on the same setup why not? bout this time the rig with the whole squid started screaming and complaining grabbed the rod and it was game on this time during the begining of the fight i cleared my werk space reeling in my other rods while winding up the queenfish on the dropper loop it turns out he got replaced with a mack the exact same size as the queen this has happened a few times in the past and always amazes me about 10 min or so into the fight with the thresher with some serious drag screaming the thing got fully airborn seeing this big of a fish in the air was one of the most awsome sights ive every seen and brought home the enormity of my situation my god what iam u gonna do with this big of a fish from my yak? heh heh never got air after that fist jump just screaming drag runs and some turn and rush the yak tactics on part of the shark pretty much after the first 20 to 30 min into the fight it turned into a tow radastaff around game doughnuts and figure eights foward and backward but staying in the general area for the most part took me a few to get the hang of directing my yak to turn with the direction the fish wanted to go but once i got it down it was ride on after a bit i noticed that we were getting closer and closer to the shore kinda suprised me the shark was heading into the shallows and there came a point when i had to make a decision went ahead and free spooled the reel after bobin over a couple breakers and paddled out a few strokes to get outta the danger zone renegaged and i was on again frickin incrediable seemed the shark was pullin steady but movnig a bit slower so i started horsing it a bit to try and get it to surface was just hoping at this point to get a nice pict and just cut the line off close as i could the fish was big even if i had wanted to i dont think i woulda been able to land it by myself keep in mind my line was only 15# test and my gaff a 2 foot jobby i guess it might have been posable but while horsing it for fear it would take me into the breakers again it doubled back on me and before i could react snap my gl2 rod snapped about midway now what do i do? keep fighting it with the broken rod of course but it was only a short while after this that the game was over with a slow but steady swim the fish was just not getting tired and my line was a few times i got the fish within 3 or so feet of the yak and got a good perspective of just how big it was i would guess with tail 13 to 14' and 300# or so feeling like pulling on a small car i was at its mercy there be monsters here i was in epic land paul Last edited by radastaff; 05-18-2008 at 06:16 PM.

05-18-2008, 04:29 AM	#2
woolybugger Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel Posts: 14	awesome a t and a black in the same day sounds like a day that will keep you coming back for more. __________________

05-18-2008, 09:59 AM	#5
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,563	Great day, great report! __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

05-19-2008, 05:16 AM	#11
bajadog I eats what I kills Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 393	Nice report Paul... __________________ Please release bill-fish.

05-18-2008, 05:34 AM	#3
gary sullivan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: spring valley Posts: 191	That's quite a story. I guess I'm fishing in the wrong place. Thanks for sharing.

05-18-2008, 10:44 AM	#6
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Cool report, I like the bendo shot! chris

05-18-2008, 02:46 PM	#7
metalbob King of Constipation Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Park Posts: 56	good for you Paul! all the chatter i heard was from Dp and beyond today, constant action. someone hauled in a 400 lbr...knew i shoulda went north. nothing but bait in O'side. sounds like a good day. Metalbob

05-18-2008, 03:26 PM	#8
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Cool Report. I like The pics

05-18-2008, 08:12 PM	#9
ratdog Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 424	Hey Paul, nice report, thanks for sharing

05-18-2008, 09:31 PM	#10
Rusty Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: LJ Posts: 201	Sounds like a great day and a monster T. FYI: I know a guy who converted his snapped G Loomis into a gaff...