38lb YT La Jolla
 

Got my first yellow off the yak Friday morning!! By far my biggest too. 38 lbs. hit La Jolla this last Friday at 5am, made bait super quick and started the troll. Decided to bounce a 1oz Hookup Baits on the bottom at around 85 feet just for shits and got slammed by this fella.... on my bass rod! Shimano Calcutta 201 with a medium heavy e6x g loomis rod and 15 pound test flouro.

Yay!

Yum!

Way to go!
 

Nice fish! Especially on the hookup bait I'd figure a yellow like that would bend the hook on that type of plastic jig.

I went out Sunday and did the same except the Yellowtail didn't show up for the day but the Sand Bass and Calicos were eager to jump on the 1.5 oz hookup bait I sent down to the bottom!

Daaaayyyuuuum! What a slug! And on the bass rig too?!?! Nicely done Sir :notworthy: Free samples or it didn’t happen :D

Way to go! What color hook up bait did you use? Those baits get bit there’s no arguing that.

hell of a cherry popper! :luxhello:

Great fish, my biggest landed was 37 but certainly not on a bass set up. I love those XL Yellows, I lost one that had to be 45. I know how you will remember the experience of being towed and fighting to bring up that Yellow. CONGRATS!

Way to go, that's a feat for a bass rod. Way to be patient.

WOW! Nice Job!!

NICE FISH!

Now I am Super stoked about the box I just received in the mail. A whole bunch of HookUp Baits in there. Really hoping those YT make it up to Dana Point soon. Maybe I'll just have to come down and try the LJ thing again.

Ok... what’s with the Hook up baits on the yellows?!?!? That’s the second one I’ve heard... that must have been an awesome fight!!! Small gear...That’s Sportfishing!!!!!

NICE JOB!!!!!:reel:

Not saying the HOOK UPS aren't good lures, cause I have yet to throw one. However yellow tail friggin smack Tady Jigs all day. At least the HookUps resemble a fish....lol. I'm thinking that if it is flashy and wiggles, that a yellow tail may hit it.

That's the dream right there. Congrats!!!!!

I'll get one someday, JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE....... LOL :the_finger: :biggrinjester:

Sweet fish, with girth too!

On a bass rod............................

Hook up baits use Owner hooks- they are strong!

Was using the sardine green/silver. I love using the red crab in the bay for sandies and spotties

https://youtu.be/kKuD9Q5XYMM Here’s a little edited video I made last night. Started the clip about 30 minutes into the fight.

You actually gota get out to la jolla to have a shot :the_finger:

That video was entertaining! I could feel your excitement coming right through my speakers.

On a side note: In my experience, Sea Lions are drawn to crowds and loud noises as much as seeing fish in distress. Loud noises seem to really get them excited though. I just don't wish for anyone to share their trophy fish with the dogs (their bait either, for that matter).

Congrats again on an epic battle.

AWESOME!!!!

also on a side note: since you're on a Hobie I would recommend you use the mirage drive to your advantage. When you see color I would recommend you start pedaling, this will get the fish to lay flat and keep you from having to muscle them in. Fish do not like to have their heads out of the water, they will thrash and pop the hook.

Anyway, congrats again on a nice winter time LJ YT!!!

That's one helluva nice yellowtail! And from a 'yak using 15# test? Incredible.... CONGRATS!

I'm not familiar with Hookup bait. Looked at their web site and it seems deadly for catching Calicos. I wonder if it will work on Cabrilla down in Baja Sur. I'll have to order some and give it a try.

My paranoia is taking over. Two reports of hookup bait YT in LJ, can't seem to avoid the conspiracy theory in my head that this is a well planned commercial for hookup baits. Not accusing anyone, just sayin'...

Squid bite
 

Since I was catching squid out there 2 weeks ago, im guessing they look like the squid the yellows are currently feeding on.

It's true I did catch a yellowtail with the hookup bait but if you read at the post we spent 2 hours find bait with no success. I had these lures and got lucky. But it's also true that they don't last at all, I spend so much money on them catching a variety of species but, in my case, they are only good when new. I buy them from their website and never got anything free from the them not even a sticker. Lol

Beautiful Yellowtail ! :yt: Congratulations ! Enjoyed the video.

yep just super lucky he coulda got that dead sticking a iron with squid . Schools were moving in deeper water just had to have your . Yo-yo ,mac or in this case hook up bait in the right place right time. I was out there that day it was only a 1 hour window

Pretty memorable first YT! Congrats! Nice meeting you at anglers arsenal yesterday. See you on the water!

Cheers,

Todd

I have caught a few yellows (all rats) with Hookup Baits. A couple of months ago I caught 2 rat yellows, a short WSB and 2 keeper calicos in about 10 casts. I also caught a 25" calico in November. They get bit, but they do not last.

Duckbutter, how did you catch it? Were you deadsticking it, or bouncing it off the bottom?

Baja Marty, I think the grouper will definitely bite them, but they will likely tear them apart. Also, they take a while to sink. Until recently, the heaviest one was 1.5 oz. I was stoked to see they came out with a 4 oz, but I almost fell over when I saw the $20 price tag. The Anchovy color looks like a sardina, so that would work. I caught two nice ones on an Anchovy Flat Fall. I love catching them!

Jlabs, I’m not too familiar with the terminology. I’m pretty new to everything so what is dead sticking? I was slow trolling with the 1oz bouncing it around 5 ft off the bottom. I also agree the hookups do not last but I have a lot of action on them especially with the bay bass. To me they are worth the price tag just because I’m pulling way more fish with them.

dead stick- just sitting there. standard tubes work the same and are dirt cheap

Heluva fish for a first, on 15# to boot! :cool:
:notworthy:

Congrats! That's quite a story!! Love it!!

Nice fish! You sure got your hugs in before you got home! Ha!

congrats man. nice fish.

on a side note.. for the guy commenting on the noise, smh... you obviously never fished off a pb, charter/cattle boat where everyone is sooo respectful silent and the capt isnt on a loud speaker... please keep your "advice" comments to yourself.. especially when its shitty advice.. just enjoy the clip and move on..

liked and sub'd dude keep up the good work..
already one unlike.. congrats man you got some haters.