Who's gettin' salty?!?!?!?!

That was a great intro to the salt.  Thanks guys for getting it set up. 

I caught so many fish that my fighting arm is killing me today!  Well, that is probably partially because of of the rod I was using. 

I think I caught more keeper sized fish yesterday than all of last year! 

Things are looking up for this year for sure.

I am also glad to know that I do not get seasick, at least not on a day like yesterday. 

Way to kick off the season!  Did anybody venture over to the far side of the reef?

-Spot-

Noah, thanks for hanging nearby while I battled that beast.  I didn't have a radio, but I've got one on order for next time.  The head shakes weren't really intense, but the general pull on the rod was really really strong as you could see.  Please post some pics or a video because I have some skeptics I'd like to show them to.  That thing was like nothing I've ever hooked into.  I had the 30lb test at it's limit most of the time, but whatever it was went for one last run that basically melted the line in my rod guides.  Next time out I'm going with 65lb test.  I'm sure it's overkill for ling, but I'd at least like to get a look at something big if I happen to have a repeat.  Also, It'd be great to land a halibut when they're in season. 

Rawkfish, Noah and others, thanks again for introducing me to what was likely my best day of fishing ever.  I made it back all the way in to shore right side up.  One of the guys in our group didn't make it to shore with his boat and got picked up by some free divers in a power boat.  Glad he made in back to shore safely.  Looking forward to next time. 

Noah, thanks for hanging nearby while I battled that beast.  I didn't have a radio, but I've got one on order for next time.  The head shakes weren't really intense, but the general pull on the rod was really really strong as you could see.  Please post some pics or a video because I have some skeptics I'd like to show them to.  That thing was like nothing I've ever hooked into.  I had the 30lb test at it's limit most of the time, but whatever it was went for one last run that basically melted the line in my rod guides.  Next time out I'm going with 65lb test.  I'm sure it's overkill for ling, but I'd at least like to get a look at something big if I happen to have a repeat.  Also, It'd be great to land a halibut when they're in season. 

Rawkfish, Noah and others, thanks again for introducing me to what was likely my best day of fishing ever.  I made it back all the way in to shore right side up.  One of the guys in our group didn't make it to shore with his boat and got picked up by some free divers in a power boat.  Glad he made in back to shore safely.  Looking forward to next time. 

They are uploading as we speak I'd really stick with 30 lb test. 65 lb you will have one hell of a time breaking off, if you can get it to break off at all. Maybe a bit bit bigger reel and rod might have helped. I really like being able to thumb a level wind. Plus I think it makes it easier to pump the rod up and reel down. Then again, maybe that was a 300 lb butt and nothing would have helped 

Curious about the situation where the kayaker needed assistance getting back to shore??

Curious about the situation where the kayaker needed assistance getting back to shore??

I was thinking the same thing...?

sounds like a great day of fishing! great reports

OK, thanks Noah, I'll follow your advice on line and reel.   

Curious about the situation where the kayaker needed assistance getting back to shore??

I was thinking the same thing...?

sounds like a great day of fishing! great reports

Curious about the situation where the kayaker needed assistance getting back to shore??

Waterman(Kyle) and I were already back on the beach, & while we were talking we spotted a blue Outback floating upside down in the surf.  At first glance we didn't see anybody near it, so that immediately worried me.  We looked around in the breakers for someone swimming/standing, but didn't see anyone.  It wasn't until we looked out to the very outer edge of the breakers that we could see someone wearing red floating around. It was Willbd.  I ran out into the surf to grab his yak, while Waterman went and asked a surfer who was on his way in to go out and help him, which he did.  While the surfer was with Willbd, we asked a couple of spearfishermen who were launching their zodiac to give them a hand, since it seemed like they weren't getting anywhere quickly.  They immediately motored out, picked him up, and took him back to shore. 

On a side note, he managed to hang onto one of his rods through the whole thing, and had it in his hand when he got to shore!

Rawkfish & I had another awesome day today, we both lost count of the number of keeper lings we caught & released, but the bite was hot all day.  We got out on the water around 9ish, can't remember what time we headed back in.  The surf & swell in the morning was even better then yesterday's. Around noonish the wind really started blowing, so we headed to the leeward side of the rock for awhile, where the ling bite remained constant.  Here are some of the pics i took of both days. I'll edit the video I have and post some soon.

It was great fishing with all you guys this weekend!

Sounds like several hulis this weekend. i know of 2 off Sunset. We (those that didn't huli) did ok on the south end. we were gonna go to Simpson's Reef, but wind, swell & current put the kibosh on that idea. CBY & Yaksurf caught several blacks w/ YS bringing home a legal ling. I fished both Sat & Sun, w/ 4 16-19" brf each day. I was pleased with that. Yesterday caught the 1st cab of the year (19" mandatory cnr). Hooked a good sized ling on Sat that got away (same old story). Chop, wind & swell was enough to make us feel manly at day's end.

I was one of the huli monsters.   As we were heading in, I stopped outside the breakers to evaluate the run in and to secure my Mirage drive to the hull.   I was following Jammer in and he was pretty pissed off about all the items he forgot to bring, and losing a rod off the boat somewhere probably out by the rock and was just going to peddle it his butt in and hope for the best, as his fish were just laying in the tank well unsecured.  Lucky bastard, made it to the beach like it was a cake walk.

The breakers were showing to be right in the last 20 yards or so and not too big of an issue.  So, I kept an eye on the line as I paddled in.  Some big random breaker came in out of nowhere from behind me probably 100 yards from shore.  I tried to lean back and keep the nose up, but the damn thing kept getting taller and eventually drove my bow under and I bailed with my paddle in hand. I popped up behind the wave and noticed my kayak was upside down and half way to shore already.  No chance in hell I was swimming to it now.  I caught up to my fish bag, as it was floating along with my fish in it.  Actually worked great as a secondary floation. 

Learned that it's freaking impossible to swim with a paddle and fish bag so I wasn't making any speed records back to shore.  I didn't feel as though I was in any real danger, so I was going to hang on to these items and eventually make it to shore with the surf.  A friendly surfer paddled up to me and gave me his board to hop on to, and he took my paddle and fish bag.  Got my first belly mounted surfing lesson!  That's actually pretty fun. 

I need to go back and check the time on my GoPro from the time I bailed to time I walked up to it and turned it off.  It had to be 5-10 minutes, but hard to say when an adventure rush is in the happening.  I have to say, I was dressed plenty warm under my waders/drytop as I never got cold.  I took a little water into the waders, only when I leaned forward to swim.  After I was done and back at camp, I peeled everything off and had maybe 1 cup of water total down the shorts and most of it was in my right side wader bootie.  My under layers were mildly damp. 

Hindsight, I think I'm going to take a day and a friend or two and just go out and play in the surf and learn me some kayak surfing skills.  This was my first surf launch/landing in the Revo, and didn't know how it would react to the waves.  The plus side to all of this, is that my aluminum pin I made to secure my Mirage drive worked awesome.  With all the hydraulics of the ocean slamming the kayak around, it didn't even budge.  And to top it all off, I only lost my spongy towel that was rolled up in the side pocket.  Nothing broke, GoPro was still running, flag still attached, rod still bungeed to the side and all gear leashed was still leashed.

Now, there will be a change in the future for my Revo and that will be on the front hatch.  Those two bungee cords are pretty much useless to keeping water out when the kayak is upside down getting pounded in the surf.  I will be securing it with a pair of plastic buckles that are used on nearly every other kayak hatch.  For areas like surf zones, this closure detail needs to be solid, and not bungee. 

I probably won't have time to get pictures or video up for about a week, as I'm going to be away from my home computer for the rest of the week for Spring Break.

To all that went out yesterday, good times!   

Where to start….. Launch, catch fish, sea sick, huli, ripe tide, 911 called and truck stuck in the sand.

This was my first time doing a surf launch to go fishing.
I did have some issue get out. I left my normal boots at home and was just wearing my chest waders with the stocking feet. When I dropped the mirage drive in place my feet could not reach the peddles.
I could not adjust them while going thru the surf zone. I just had to paddle out.
 
Now I am out ready to fish. I am near the yellow can and getting some bites and then I start to get sea sick. I catch my first ling it getting better and I am doing ok. I hear someone call out on the radio about the current flowing north and to watch your location. I notice I am way north of the yellow can. I head south to the yellow can. I get a fish on and land it. I am drifting north of the can again. Someone calls out on the radio for me to join up with them south and west of the yellow can. My only issue was when I would try to pick up and head out to them I would get a fish. Not a bad problem but every time I would land a fish I would get sea sick.

I thought to myself it’s time to head in. I give a call out that I am heading in. This will be my first time landing in the surf. I am watching the swells and I thought I was timing it right but just like Insayn a big swell breaks behind me and I am in the water. My kayak is riding the surf to the beach and 3 breakers go over me but I am stuck in a rip tide. I have the pole I grabbed was I landed in the water in my left hand and try to body surf in. That was not working. That’s when a surfer came up to me and asked if I was ok. He told me that I am stuck in a ripe and I need to swim to the north to get out. I asked if he could help me because I was not making any headway on my own. The surfer had me grab his leach and pulled me out of the ripe. Than 2 divers in an inflatable came and picked me up and took me to shore.

When I get on the beach fire and rescue were there and asked me if I was okay but just embarrassed. My safety gear worked fine. I was wearing neoprene waders with a dry top and a helmet. I did get some water down the waders. I was never cold. I think I was in the water 15 to 30 minutes.
No panic at all.
I did lose my NWKA hawg trough and some tackle.

The huli broke my new visipole II.

Got stuck in the sand on the way out. I walked back to the NWKA guys on the beach to get them to help and when I got back to the truck there was a guy digging out the tires on the truck and he had a tow strap out. Thanks to the Jeep guy that had the tow strap and helped me get out.

I did test out my dry gear the day before on Big Cliff Reservoir by swimming in it just to get the feel of my new Stohlquist rocker pfd and how I would float.

On Monday my mother in law stopped by and we were eating the ling and she asked if I went out on a charter? I said no I caught it from my kayak! She said in the ocean? I said yes! She said I wish you wouldn’t go out by yourself. I told her I didn’t go by myself. When she asked who I went with me said…. Insayn, Jammer, Sinker, Noah and some others. Now she thinks I am in a biker gang.

Thanks to all that help me on Sunday. The list is long and I didn’t get everyone’s name.
willbd

Great story. Glad all is well. Embarrassment is okay, death is not. For your information,you're in a gang that is far worse and crazy than any biker gang.
 

Great story. Glad all is well. Embarrassment is okay, death is not. For your information,you're in a gang that is far worse and crazy than any biker gang.
 

Not embarassed at all.  More like I was cheated on a chance to get a good landing in for the day. 
I wasn't even close to landing that one.

First of all, sounds like a great day of fishing...

Second, thanks to Insayn and Willbd for sharing your stories. I'm glad everyone is ok. I'm also glad the big blue gave you back some ling to enjoy with your families.

In a past life, I was a rafting guide. But before I became a guide I had to learn how to pilot a raft. Part of my 'learning' involved breaching a boat on a class 5 and giving myself an opportunity to drown if i wanted to. This was on the Payette at a rapid where people get out to scout the rapid before they run it. Needless to say, I had an audience. But, even though I was embarrassed it happened, I learned more during that one event than in all my years rafting. I'm sure you all learned a bunch also.

Congrats on not panicking! And, nice job on the fish