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.....
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.
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!
