Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge - View Single Post - Qualifier 105: Big Hammer Skiff/Kayak Trip 5/30/08-6/7/08

Zed · 06-09-2008, 11:50 AM

Thanks. And thanks to BigHammer, Fisherman's Hardware, and EagleClaw for generous swag. And thanks to Bob and Scott, both of whom pour their own plastics too, and kept forcing them on me.

Just some more trivial stuff:
My first trip was 100% mono, and I was told I would suffer from lost gear. I did alright and didn't feel it was "necessary". The next year I had powerpro spectra on my lightest rig (AbuGarcia Record 60) and got the big yellow on that, and was generally impressed with the line. I straight tie the spectra, not messing with topshot. I didn't loose any more tackle even though the fishing was better for yt. This year I had spectra on 2 rigs. Once I detonated the Abu (RIP Abu, you served well) I went to the #2 rig and it was incredible fun to fish with. TN12 w/ 30# PP Spectra on a 700XL. That was the $hit. I was thinking I would hate not having the levelwind for the spectra, but it worked great. And I lost 3 jigheads for the entire trip. Two were cast-offs, on a borrowed calcutta 250 with some other spectra on it, and one was lost to the bottom while I was re-rigging the cast-offs. That's it for hooks, iron, jigheads. Three. I coulda brought a trout box, but no I brought everything.

I may have upped my numbers if I had some sort of mono on the end, but not by a lot. I had several times the bass would get me in the grass and not come out until I was straight over them and I could get a wrap (gloves!) and heave it straight out of the shallow grass/rocks and onto the deck. Very satisfying getting a chunk that way.

So I guess I'm fishing spectra now for inshore. We'll see how these wary SoCal bass react to the rope.

Just like every trip it wasn't long enough. 8 days is nothing. Just a blink of an eye. You could take years to get the right conditions in the right areas. I know that if you could just get the right calm, swell-less day, the N'ern weather side of Cedros would kick out a world record calico on a kayak. Nobody ever gets in tight there. But getting that day to fish that area perfectly would take an expedition.

I'm sure I'll be even more long-winded about the trip in person, so watch out Sunday.

06-09-2008, 11:50 AM	#6
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Thanks. And thanks to BigHammer, Fisherman's Hardware, and EagleClaw for generous swag. And thanks to Bob and Scott, both of whom pour their own plastics too, and kept forcing them on me. Just some more trivial stuff: My first trip was 100% mono, and I was told I would suffer from lost gear. I did alright and didn't feel it was "necessary". The next year I had powerpro spectra on my lightest rig (AbuGarcia Record 60) and got the big yellow on that, and was generally impressed with the line. I straight tie the spectra, not messing with topshot. I didn't loose any more tackle even though the fishing was better for yt. This year I had spectra on 2 rigs. Once I detonated the Abu (RIP Abu, you served well) I went to the #2 rig and it was incredible fun to fish with. TN12 w/ 30# PP Spectra on a 700XL. That was the $hit. I was thinking I would hate not having the levelwind for the spectra, but it worked great. And I lost 3 jigheads for the entire trip. Two were cast-offs, on a borrowed calcutta 250 with some other spectra on it, and one was lost to the bottom while I was re-rigging the cast-offs. That's it for hooks, iron, jigheads. Three. I coulda brought a trout box, but no I brought everything. I may have upped my numbers if I had some sort of mono on the end, but not by a lot. I had several times the bass would get me in the grass and not come out until I was straight over them and I could get a wrap (gloves!) and heave it straight out of the shallow grass/rocks and onto the deck. Very satisfying getting a chunk that way. So I guess I'm fishing spectra now for inshore. We'll see how these wary SoCal bass react to the rope. Just like every trip it wasn't long enough. 8 days is nothing. Just a blink of an eye. You could take years to get the right conditions in the right areas. I know that if you could just get the right calm, swell-less day, the N'ern weather side of Cedros would kick out a world record calico on a kayak. Nobody ever gets in tight there. But getting that day to fish that area perfectly would take an expedition. I'm sure I'll be even more long-winded about the trip in person, so watch out Sunday.