Thu LJ Report, no YT...
 

It's late, so the short story version. I had two kids to drop off for school first so one for high school football practice, 7:15 am... son #2 goes at 8:00, so we go to 24-hour fitness for our steam bath and jacuzzi.... very nice start to many days. That is how today's fishing trip started.... with jacuzzi, steam bath and shower. Nice! Evan a shave!

Anyway, too long since on the ocean, and all packed up, but get to LJ around 8:30. Cloudy, semi-windy, but still pretty warm.

I have been launching at LJ for 15 years now, and today was the wettest I ever entered the ocean.... two waves got me full from head to toe, so started soaked. But still kinda warm.

Nobody out.... no PB's, maybe one in the distance, and saw one couple on a tandem catching calicos. Later, total of two other kayaks. Veeeerrrryyyy quiet. A bit of wind, and a definite swell. But seemed fishy.

Caught many, many mossbacks, but hard to find greenies. Finally, a really nice guy in sand-colored Outback on the way in gave me his remainders..... 5 perfect Spanish macs. I'm happy. Troll around, just enjoying being on the water, hoping for something. Definitely a swell..... not for everyone.

See a few bait schools jump here and there, but tossing surface iron, nothing. Another guy heads in.... no luck. A few calicos biting is the story.

Anyway, just enjoying the trip, and realizing it is "Time on the Water" that counts. Finally, around 10:30, my first bite...... click a few times, and then a run..... yes! I had a flly-lined, and a dropper loop mac only about 30 feet down, and not far out. But as far as I can see..... nobody in sight.... not one single boat.

Fish runs, and with a circle hook on the dropper loop, I just put in gear..... and YES, it holds..... furiously trying to reel in my other line, reel fast, then pull on my fish, then reel fast, then fight the fish... getting a good sleigh ride, realizing it is not a small fish..... :reel:

Then finally when rod #2 is reeled in, I am vertical on the fish, and it gets stuck in kelp..... darn! But only for a few seconds, maybe 20 seconds of worry, then it runs again, and I gain ground.... and then, I see a big tail... hooray... YT, then closer..... HOORAY, not a YT, but a big White Sea Bass is staring back at me. Heart pounding, since it has been 2 years since a WSB joined me for dinner.... I get the gaff ready, and it just puts its belly up, and pow, perfect shot. :cheers1:

So excited. Bleed it, relax, let it die, thank my spirits for my luck and its life, and then put in hatch..... scream with joy to the skies, and head in.

I guess that is the key to WSB success.... take a jacuzzi and steam bath first, then head out! Let someone else catch the bait, and when everyone leaves, you get the fish! (ps..... my biggest WSB was 60.2 pounds, and I caught it after launching at 9:30 in the morning!)

I was back at shore early enough to rinse all my gear in the showers at LJ, and go weigh it at Dana Landing, just under 40 pounds..... thought was heavier, have a lunch on the water and pick my boys up for the drive home.

Great dinner tonight and big BBQ planned for tomorrow. Guys, we live so close to an AWESOME resource. Time on the Water paid off!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...sb_5_22_14.jpg

Wow! Congrads on great catch! And Congrads for doubling the amount of kayakers going out this weekend :)

Congrats! Looks like you have enough fish for the weekend!

Sick! That thing is a slob!

Nice!!! :luxhello::kayak-surfer:

Awesome catch. Thanks for sharing.

Fark me gently!!!! I was in the kelp diving!!


Hell of a ghost!!!

great story and great fish!!

Awesome ! Congrats and thanks for the good read

Way to Go - awesome !!!!:reeling::reeling::reeling::reeling:

SA-WEEEET!!! :cheers1:

sweet catch, and now, there goes the weekend at lj..

Nice ghost, and great report, CONGRATULATIONS.

well, let's see, several said my post would increase the crowds, and I did consider about increasing the crowds at LJ this weekend, but in defense:

1) I said I got wetter on entry than ever before in 15 years, with big waves and big swell

2) I did say, "No YT at La Jolla", none seen at all...

3) I did mention this was a one-off random catch

4) it is memorial day weekend anyway....

so, not feeling too guilty. I think a WSB in general is a lucky grab. My post was to mention the "technique" of 1) jacuzzi and 2) steambath and 3) shower before going out at 9:00 am.

One correction the "couple" in the tandem, that's my little sister hahaha(:
Very nice catch!

Great story! Congrats!:cheers1::wsb:

Awesome fish there Cliff. Thank you for the heads ups yesterday. I tried to get out this AM but have too much work to do. Let's try for next week.

As to adding to the crowds this weekend, give me a break, It is a Holiday weekend and most true kayak fisherman will be far away from La Jolla.

This week for you a :wsb: A week ago for myself a :yt:

It is going to be a great year of fishing.

Congratulations again buddy!!!!!!!

Congratulations on your nice White Cliff. A very sweet catch.

You didn't see anybody out there, but we met on the beach after landing and helped each other out with our kayaks. I launched at sunrise, met Austin (on the tandem with his sister), so there were a couple of other yakers out there.
You landed minutes after I did with your very fat Ghost.

I worked hard for 5 hours for nothing, also getting wet from head to toe on launch. I lost my kayak wheels when I was hit by one big wave. I wasn't used to using wheels, and forgot to bungy them in on the back.
I covered much ground high and low on that very bumpy ocean for nothing.

If a very few additional boaters/yakers show up because of your one WSB you mentioned in your post, so be it. Like you said it's MEMORIAL day weekend, a crowd was a given. And why should you care you caught enough good meat for a couple of months.

There are still plenty of people out there who appreciate timely reports like yours, we do, and thanks for posting it, though I won't be out for awhile until the aches work out of my system. The ones who are dismayed by your report aren't helping you out by not reporting, unless your in their private group of special ones, and get their PMs.

Keep posting, and don't feel like you need to "DEFEND" your posts. Nice once in a while to see it like it used to be...

Aaron (aka Aaron&Julie)

And you shouldn't feel guilty. For every naysayer there are 10 that just appreciate a well written TIMELY report. Good job on the ghost bud. Come on people, it's not March.