Coulda, Shoulda, But I didn't
 

I know what a lot of you guys are thinking when you see a post made by The Kid. You are probably thinking, “This guy is a hater of all other species other than yellowtail.” While this might increase my standards, and limits what I catch out there in La Jolla I will say, with firm belief that there is nothing, NOTHING like sight fishing in La Jolla especially when the tool of choice is a surface iron. I don’t care how good a seabass might taste to some or how appealing searching for a brown crap stain on the ocean floor is to others. When it comes down to it no one can make an argument to show that either of those two are more fun than sight fishing yellowtail and picking them off with a surface iron (please try in your response below).

Anyways I’ve been ragging on the gambling souls in this year’s WCW for its awesome turn out for searching for a slam. I will say right off the bat, that if you achieve a slam within a set time period your abilities are phenomenal as a fisherman. But for me, it is simply not appealing to chase the two other prized species in any way other than wide open white seabass bites or a wide open halibut bites. With so much time on my hands I was debating whether to join the WCW on the evening 5/30/11. If I am going to fish every other day at least (unless the surf looks like it does right now) I might as well and give WCW submitters and especially The Darkhorse some hell.
But I didn’t! Why? I need the money!

Joe: “But it’s just $25”.

Ya ,$25 I can’t afford to let go! So with that in mind I launched the yak with my buddies Cowboybill and R&B into some sinister looking surf. It was not the most fun launch I have had, but I wasn’t soaked. I continued to the outside picking up baits here and there. There wasn’t much bait at all and continued outside and draggin’, and on my way to grab a celebratory beer from deepdvr.

And here we go! A nice school shows and all quality fish. They were definitely my kind of fish. Watching and waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger, I do the kayak side shuffle and I see R&B checking me out. Pick my moment toss my jig of choice and all I see is a white flurry, I feel a bump bump, but no hookup. “What the f***!?”, I yelled in my head as the b*****ds followed me all the way to the yak. “Alright here we go!” pulled up to them make the money shot, a white wash of yellows with a skipping jig. “Mother f*****! Eat it you dirty, yellow belly, sons of………………..” well you get the point. Once again side shuffle make the cast white flurry and wait what, “Oh ya!” as I sank that jig deep into the yellow’s jaw. 2 minute fight on the Ulua and bled out in 3, nice size ‘bout 25.

Strap that fish down, sip on my newly acquired Sapporo, thanks to the dvr, and peddle my butt back around. Cowboybill is on my right Whizzbang on my left and right in between them, more hungry brute yellows. “Bill they’re right behind you,” I yelled as I grabbed my Ulua and flew that jig over the lead fish and watch the mass devastation occur. Two blow ups, tossing my jig out of the air and skipping it on the water let it gather itself. Burn the jig and here she comes! Queen Latifa opened her mouth as wide as she could like the jig was the last Snickers on Earth and the ride began. She runs nearly 100 yrds straight out, I reel like a tweeker spinning a bicycle tire and get straight up and down. Do the grind, gaff sank 2 min 33-35 lb. Well satified i finish my heavenly nectar and continue the search. Should have joined the WCW, but I didn’t.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/p...&pictureid=671
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/p...&pictureid=672

The strikes came 5 min between each other, and might have continued to produce but Mother Nature is fickle. This is the fishing I love and rarely will I spend my time doing any other kind of fishing. Surface irons are where it is at and no one, NO ONE, can sway this notion away from me. Rarely will I post, but for the sake of surface iron fisherman out there, they can appreciate what I am saying? As I say a lot, “There is nothing like a surface iron fish. NOTHING!!!”:jig::D

Wish I had that problem:D

Truly amazing KID. Congratulation on a fine catch.
We fish without fish finders and paddle 12 miles+ a day, for a minimum of 8 hours, on average, which we've been doing for 6 years now off of La Jolla. We've had our successes, all the more gratifiying knowing we fish old school. Julie is so hard-core, most people can't believe what she's done.
We've spotted yellows on the surface a few times.
But, other than one situation like yours, when Iceman nailed 2 nice yellows on an iron, we've been waiting for days like yours. He assured us, of little compensation at the time, that the yellows were very fickle, although boiling all around us. Having fished 40 years on the ocean I knew he was right. I couldn't believe I couldn't hook up. I was using a Blue/White 6x Junior (not really a surface jig). I think the Ice told me he was using the same only with the mackeral pattern.
Besides his obvious expertise at kayak fishing, our inexperience with kayak fishing at the time, it seemed to make the difference, as he boated two to our none. We'll go with that theory of fickle/pattern being the difference, the bastard.
I later took photos of his nice catch, and felt honored to do so.
Sure, we've seen the breezing schools go by, we keep our eyes out hoping for the day when we can throw the iron, which we both have ready to chuck. I have had some luck when solo, Julie not yet on the iron.
We'll get our day, and glad when any kayaker get's theirs, like you did. Again, congrats.
Old school days seem to be gone at La Jolla. But, until they're gone completely, we won't give up hope for the day that the yellows show and suck down our irons.
Not trying to steal your thread. Just reminiscing.
Thanks for a good story.

Nice fish and story!!

GBF

Quality stuff Kevin!!!! :cheers1:

Watching you fight that first one on the Ulua was something else. Using a famous Scally term, you were definitely doing some serious 'donkey roping'. With a 10' jig stick nonetheless. I think the real reason you don't like fishing for WSB is that you would pull every hook fishing a biscuit that way. From the way you fought that thing, I swore you had a dog on your ass. Taking out a little aggression eh??? :biggrinjester:

How did our conversation go the night before? Me, 'blah...blah...blah'. You 'blah...blah...blah'. Me, ' you know your going to catch a yellow tomorrow, you might as well join WCW and make the darkhorse sweat a bit', You, 'I know but.....fill in the excuse'.

It seemed like every time I took my focus off my WSB death march you were either hooked up or yelling about something you saw. Way to go on that double. I know you hate my 'honest' scale but you're right, that fish did look heavier than what it tipped out at.

Great job Kevin! :luxhello::you_rock::luxhello:

Par Excellence!!
 

Congratulations Kevin,
Very nice fish. Hoping to get my shot soon. :sifone:
Chris

Well done sir kid- on the prose and the fish:cheers1:

I'm with you. being tied off to the kelp with their macs pinned on iron for 8 hours at a time is worse than halibut fishing!

Killler tails Kid. Way to stuff the plug.

Nice fish Kevin, the Iron is where it's at! I learned that real quick being a paddler without a fish finder myself! Keep those eyes peeled. Good job man!:jig:

Excellent story Kevin, it was a pleasure to read. I can only imagine what a 3 minute fight on an ulua would look like, you must have some serious guns. And though I far from an expert on the subject, I most certainly agree with you, nothing comes close to watching an iron get swallowed by a yellow moving at mach 10, NOTHING. Well, the massive tug of war after that is pretty cool too.

Nice fish. I bet that Sapporo was delicious. :cheers1:

Great job Kevin!!!

Great read, those are beautiful fish.

Toby

Absoultely, Kid! There is nothing like surface iron fishing! Nice fish! :cheers1:

You write as well as you fish.......a good read, thanks.

Second to the last paragraph is hilarious...
Glad I came in ten minutes before that .......
well done :cheers1:

Very cool. Nice write up Kevin. I just got a new jigstick and I'll be out there with every other Tom, Dick and Harry on Saturday trying to get one too. When it happens it will be my first surface iron yellow. From your description, it sounds pretty fun!

see if you had a halibut instead of the pair, you would be posing with the sorority girls! :D

Surface iron, makes my heart pump like no there.........EAT IT!!! #$%#%^&

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/p...&pictureid=672

Nice fish! The huge bait tank and bait rigs and sonar in the pics don't express a lot of confidence in the surface iron but the results are still awesome!

The Kid is not a one trick pony! That is him in the pic with Queen Latifa after all!

Well Done!!! What Kevin doesn't mention is that the wind was beginning to pick up along with the swell when he sighted the second Yellow's school (or the same school again) upwind, awesome cast given the conditions, and your placement in relation to those fish. Kevin also neglected to mention that he waited for DeepDvr and myself to come in given the surf conditions at the launch and I greatly appreciated his help when I got sideways. Again, well done and thanks for the hand.:cheers1:

awesome double! I am most envious!!!

I HATE wearing my prescription glasses, but the surface iron/sight fishing is making me change my ways....next on my check list are a pair of polarized prescription sunglasses. Who knows how much I have missed!

Solid Fish! :jig:

Kid....The best long report Ive read in some time!!

.....and the 1st one in weeks that didnt make me want to slit my wrists after reading the scripted post.....

Nice Tails....Nicely Hooked on the End of A Treble Where they Belong!

Legit Post!!!!

and you're right...
there aint no argument for that!

well done!

Nice Job Kid, Give me a call on my challenging reel
 

Smile a bit with those nice tails. Just because you don't have all those little girls surrounding you doesn't mean you can't be happy about your iron madiens.



Kurtfish

Nice ones Kid! :sifone:

Nice
 

I agree with the Kid. :yt:+:jig: cannot be beat.

Awesome tails on the grind. I like your style.

Still looking for my first off the tupperware. I'd be stoked with one 1/2 the size of the smaller one. :doh:

You da MAN..I mean da KID..Nice fish.

Awesome story and fishes!
:cheers1:




Here's an offer for you Kevin,
I will pay your entry fee for the WCW
you can pay me back when you get your check in April 2012

Way stoked for you my brother. A few months back I fished my 1st afternoon sesh at LJ with Yani and had the pleasure of shooting the shit with you and Josh just before sunset. Pumped to see you and Josh still killing it. You guy's are both class acts for giving up a few pointers to a guy that rarely gets the opportunity to fish down your way. Kinda bummed the surf has been so good in my neck of the woods because I really want to get back down there and use some of that knowledge you guys were so cool to give to this LJ rookie. And a big thanks to Yani for introducing me to some of the coolest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Kelly

:cheers1:

So... what's a surface iron? :biggrinjester:

Kinda like a waxwing but doesn't swim as good

:redface: only if you don't know how to find swimming irons.

waxwings are for guys who can't pick jigs. lol just kidding:biggrinjester:


what up Rik haven't heard from you in ages!

Good job, Junior...
 

Few things in this world are as cheap as entering WCW; talk is one of them :D.


Oh yeah, I'll be dropping off three more reels with smoked drags tomorrow. I've been pinning an iron to the back of my friends Tundra while he peels out in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Because we all know... there's no fish in La Jolla!

great post
 

Nice fish! What is your favorite iron, and color?

Lol.... I was hoping to get more of a reaction......:sifone:

Nice fish mang!! Way to slay um. I would agree that catching a yt on a "lure"'is hard to beat. Although, when a wsb bites ambit that's been soaking for a while several hours the change of energy level is pretty dramatic......I would imagine it only gets better when you actually land it.....

Every jig has it's place. BUT........... I like me Tady Irons overall in particular a really good swimming 45. BUT............ I throw 'em all at some point.

See its not that i can't catch one lol. :sifone:

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/p...&pictureid=677

It just doesn't satisfy me like a surface iron tail.

Thats an absolute beauty!!!

What did that WSB weigh? I guessed 41.5 at the beach, thinking it should probably be more like 39.5 from the photo. :D