Last week I took the family to San Quintin with hopes of hooking into some nice fish.
As indicated by my post about that trip, I didn't get to fish much...
...this week I decided to try something different...
I took off for my first solo trip to Baja. I left Wednesday morning around 3am. Arrived
in SQ around 7:45 and headed out to the point via my 4x4. I really didn't want to
paddle 8+ miles again (like last week).
Light wind and tide pushed me to the point at a nice pace, while I made bait and enjoyed
a couple of whales.
-
until they got awfully close.
This whale came within 20 feet of my kayak.
I decided I had enough bait and paddled to the point. Trolled live bait for over an hour while
the wind steadily increased.
I decided to get closer to the shore to avoid some wind and try for some 'butts.
I found this little 5+lb. guy within the first few minutes.
Eventually the wind got too much, as it was blowing over 20kts. I paddled against
the wind for about 1 hour and 40 minutes until I made my way
back to my car
on the east point and crashed for a couple of hours.
At the Old Mill, I ran into Adam. I helped pull him out of the sand at LJ one morning and
he must have recognized my truck. He stopped and said hello and we decided to
fish together in the morning.
That evening, I did some recon work to find a different spot to fish than the point. I found some thick kelp
and decided I would fish there in the morning.
In the morning, the wind was calm and the surf was small, so I launched out to the kelp.
After about an hour of trolling different lures and live bait rigs, I got hit.
Immediately, my lines were tangled, but I was able to free the active line quickly. The line
when slack, and I was bummed for a second, but then realized I was still hooked.
I was getting towed and the feel was different, so I was hopeful for the right kind.
I still don't have the FF hooked up to the new yak, so I didn't know what was below
me. I kept a light drag and let him run, as I've lost fish with an overtightened drag.
After 3 or 4 deep runs and 2 360s, I brought this guy to color.
Easily, my happiest single moment fishing.
I've finally broken the WSB barrier - this was my first WSB.
Now the problem is that it'll be a tough one to beat.
This weighed in at 48.8 lbs. on the OEX Certified Scale.
This trip was a personal best for me - 1st WSB, 1st fish close to 50lbs., biggest halibut.