GWS Bites Kayak - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Fiskadoro · 08-03-2010, 03:02 PM

They're around..

Posted on a LA board this week. (they were fishing on the 31st)

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9605

My brother-in-law and I hit the water early in search of some rockfish. The day was going ok to start. We had a few rockfish and one 26 inch ling to our credit when we start seeing something blow up schools of bait. We both assumed that it was a thresher and were quite excited to watch it work. After about 20 min of splashes we see a shark fining about 50 yards from us. We both agreed that the fin was much too large to be a thresher but we decided to stay and fish nonetheless. About 20 min. after that we got quite a shock. A white shark in the neighborhood of 12-14 feet came directly under my kayak!!! He was no less than 3 feet below me when we made direct eye contact. The moment seemed to last forever. I know that if the shark wanted to knock me out of my yak that I could do nothing to stop him. But that did not stop me and my brother-in-law from hauling A$$!! The part that was the most terrifying came after I had been paddling for a solid 2 minutes at full speed. The shark was still clearly following my kayak just under and behind my right shoulder. That put the shark directly between me and my brother-in-law. While the shark never bumped my kayak he came within 3 feet on multiple occasions.

Crazy stuff... could of been worse...

Now the odds of getting killed by one of these things is pretty slim.

That said I bet it's just a matter of time before a kayak fisherman get's killed in So. Cal. by a great white. That said I still think you are far more likely to die in your car on the road to the beach then in your kayak on the water.

Jim

Nic D · 08-03-2010, 03:16 PM

scary stuff. thats the only reason why I switched to a hobie

much more plastic around me for whitey to munch on before he munches on me.

TheBentRod · 08-03-2010, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Day

They're around..

Posted on a LA board this week. (they were fishing on the 31st)

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9605

My brother-in-law and I hit the water early in search of some rockfish. The day was going ok to start. We had a few rockfish and one 26 inch ling to our credit when we start seeing something blow up schools of bait. We both assumed that it was a thresher and were quite excited to watch it work. After about 20 min of splashes we see a shark fining about 50 yards from us. We both agreed that the fin was much too large to be a thresher but we decided to stay and fish nonetheless. About 20 min. after that we got quite a shock. A white shark in the neighborhood of 12-14 feet came directly under my kayak!!! He was no less than 3 feet below me when we made direct eye contact. The moment seemed to last forever. I know that if the shark wanted to knock me out of my yak that I could do nothing to stop him. But that did not stop me and my brother-in-law from hauling A$$!! The part that was the most terrifying came after I had been paddling for a solid 2 minutes at full speed. The shark was still clearly following my kayak just under and behind my right shoulder. That put the shark directly between me and my brother-in-law. While the shark never bumped my kayak he came within 3 feet on multiple occasions.

Crazy stuff... could of been worse...

Now the odds of getting killed by one of these things is pretty slim.

That said I bet it's just a matter of time before a kayak fisherman get's killed in So. Cal. by a great white. That said I still think you are far more likely to die in your car on the road to the beach then in your kayak on the water.

Jim

I was out there that day. I left because the dang thresher was so dang big. I talked to the guys who saw the GWS. I had already went back to fishing the kelp.

tony · 08-03-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

The shark held onto my kayak for 10-15 seconds, during which it seemed relaxed and was not moving

This is the part that weirded me out......considering it has the jaw power to chomp down on a kayak like it was a pad of butter...
Sort of like it's teeth were stuck or it was waiting,waiting,waiting for some kind of taste/movement to chomp down on.....Like a frikken cat and a mouse

Nic D · 08-03-2010, 04:45 PM

its only pure speculation, but Id bet that once whitey bit down on the yak, he probably realized that it wasn't food. So he just sat there figuring out what to do next... Good thing for the yakker whitey let go.

Gino · 08-03-2010, 05:05 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG5NX7fC8VM

Red is not the smartest color for a kayak. The more scared you get they can feel your hearbeating threw your kayak. even with a SOT rotomolded yak. If they sense a a change in impulses form your heartbeat, they get interested.

the guy paddling away, with the red kayak looked to the shark, like a hurt seal bleeding and strugling to swim away. so he went in for the swoop and got a mouthfull of wood.

If you paddle away fast when you see one, you could trigger an attack, the shark is checking you out to see if you might be food, if you decide to book it your giving the shark the impression your scared of it, like a Seal would be. That explains the incident where the shark followed those other 2 kayakers.

the Oil Rig paddler wasnt even hit hard. If they are gonna attack you, they are gonna hit you hard to try a injur you badly.. If that guy was victum of the first assualt he woulda been tossed out of that kayak a couple feet in the air.

That real popular video of the Huge Mako shark chompin on a seal at Catalina taken a month ago you can kinda see thier seal killing procedure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OP7B22cV2g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnylC6SE9fU shorter close up version.

deepdvr · 08-03-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gino

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG5NX7fC8VM

After watching that video I'm guessing there will be some very good deals on used yellow Hobies. No wonder Josh went to baby blue.

Everything I've heard has also suggested you don't move and you don't fight back or attack the shark. Doing those things can easily shift him from just being inquisitive to full-on attack mode. The key is to just be stunned and motionless while you piss and sheeet yourself.

Fiskadoro · 08-03-2010, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony

This is the part that weirded me out......considering it has the jaw power to chomp down on a kayak like it was a pad of butter...
Sort of like it's teeth were stuck or it was waiting,waiting,waiting for some kind of taste/movement to chomp down on.....Like a frikken cat and a mouse

Yeah that got me too. It's like it could of crushed that thing like an eggshell, and essentially his legs were in the sharks mouth, so if he did bite down it would of taken out his legs as well.

Very spooky..

Jim

cowboybill · 08-03-2010, 06:23 PM

I heard or read that Yellow is the color that is most likely to get attacked...And do sharks even see color?

OK Brent, come to my defense?!?!?

Cowboybill with a RED tarpon 160

kobra · 08-03-2010, 06:37 PM

That's a gnarly experience. I saw on one of the episodes of shark week that curious sharks check things out with their mouths. Sounds like that's what happened. Good thing for the yakker the shark wasn't interested or pissed.

j mo · 08-03-2010, 07:45 PM

Gnarly! I got spooked recently at Seaside. I didnt scream like a girl but pretty sure I sharted myself

dsafety · 08-03-2010, 08:45 PM

I don't know anything about whether sharks and other fish can see colors but if they can, red may equal blood. Yellow could be diluted blood.

Sounds reasonable and makes me happy that I have a moss colored yak. Unless you are a carp, moss is probably not high on the wish list when the dinner bell rings.

Bob

mckenzie · 08-04-2010, 06:45 AM

Hey....it's SHARK WEEK! Whatever?

cowboybill · 08-04-2010, 08:19 AM

http://www.sharkshield.com/Content/Home/

I like the idea of this, but at $700.....

But $700 sounds cheap as insurance??

cowboybill

umtduckhead · 08-04-2010, 08:46 AM

just in time for shark week on discovery!

oops didnt read all the post..

maui jim · 08-04-2010, 10:22 AM

Back in June, a firefighter was reported missing in the Gaviota area, and was never found, they did recover his kayak and some personal items, I'm not sure but I think his kayak was red also.

I'm just wondering if this is connected in some way. I was in Carpinteria(Santa Barbara) the first week of July and the life gaurd told me to be careful in the area.

interesting...........

08-03-2010, 05:05 PM	#6
Gino Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 520	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG5NX7fC8VM Red is not the smartest color for a kayak. The more scared you get they can feel your hearbeating threw your kayak. even with a SOT rotomolded yak. If they sense a a change in impulses form your heartbeat, they get interested. the guy paddling away, with the red kayak looked to the shark, like a hurt seal bleeding and strugling to swim away. so he went in for the swoop and got a mouthfull of wood. If you paddle away fast when you see one, you could trigger an attack, the shark is checking you out to see if you might be food, if you decide to book it your giving the shark the impression your scared of it, like a Seal would be. That explains the incident where the shark followed those other 2 kayakers. the Oil Rig paddler wasnt even hit hard. If they are gonna attack you, they are gonna hit you hard to try a injur you badly.. If that guy was victum of the first assualt he woulda been tossed out of that kayak a couple feet in the air. That real popular video of the Huge Mako shark chompin on a seal at Catalina taken a month ago you can kinda see thier seal killing procedure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OP7B22cV2g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnylC6SE9fU shorter close up version. Last edited by Gino; 08-03-2010 at 05:10 PM. Reason: added a link

08-03-2010, 06:23 PM	#9
cowboybill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, CA Posts: 103	Red??? I heard or read that Yellow is the color that is most likely to get attacked...And do sharks even see color? OK Brent, come to my defense?!?!? Cowboybill with a RED tarpon 160

08-04-2010, 08:19 AM	#14
cowboybill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, CA Posts: 103	worth a look http://www.sharkshield.com/Content/Home/ I like the idea of this, but at $700..... But $700 sounds cheap as insurance?? cowboybill

08-04-2010, 10:22 AM	#16
maui jim Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cypress, CA Posts: 789	Back in June, a firefighter was reported missing in the Gaviota area, and was never found, they did recover his kayak and some personal items, I'm not sure but I think his kayak was red also. I'm just wondering if this is connected in some way. I was in Carpinteria(Santa Barbara) the first week of July and the life gaurd told me to be careful in the area. interesting........... __________________

08-03-2010, 03:02 PM	#1
Fiskadoro ....... Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,509	They're around.. Posted on a LA board this week. (they were fishing on the 31st) http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9605 My brother-in-law and I hit the water early in search of some rockfish. The day was going ok to start. We had a few rockfish and one 26 inch ling to our credit when we start seeing something blow up schools of bait. We both assumed that it was a thresher and were quite excited to watch it work. After about 20 min of splashes we see a shark fining about 50 yards from us. We both agreed that the fin was much too large to be a thresher but we decided to stay and fish nonetheless. About 20 min. after that we got quite a shock. A white shark in the neighborhood of 12-14 feet came directly under my kayak!!! He was no less than 3 feet below me when we made direct eye contact. The moment seemed to last forever. I know that if the shark wanted to knock me out of my yak that I could do nothing to stop him. But that did not stop me and my brother-in-law from hauling A$$!! The part that was the most terrifying came after I had been paddling for a solid 2 minutes at full speed. The shark was still clearly following my kayak just under and behind my right shoulder. That put the shark directly between me and my brother-in-law. While the shark never bumped my kayak he came within 3 feet on multiple occasions. Crazy stuff... could of been worse... Now the odds of getting killed by one of these things is pretty slim. That said I bet it's just a matter of time before a kayak fisherman get's killed in So. Cal. by a great white. That said I still think you are far more likely to die in your car on the road to the beach then in your kayak on the water. Jim

08-03-2010, 03:16 PM	#2
Nic D Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Clairemont Posts: 813	scary stuff. thats the only reason why I switched to a hobie much more plastic around me for whitey to munch on before he munches on me.

08-03-2010, 04:45 PM	#5
Nic D Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Clairemont Posts: 813	its only pure speculation, but Id bet that once whitey bit down on the yak, he probably realized that it wasn't food. So he just sat there figuring out what to do next... Good thing for the yakker whitey let go.

08-03-2010, 06:37 PM	#10
kobra Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: oceanside Posts: 880	That's a gnarly experience. I saw on one of the episodes of shark week that curious sharks check things out with their mouths. Sounds like that's what happened. Good thing for the yakker the shark wasn't interested or pissed.

08-03-2010, 07:45 PM	#11
j mo Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Encinitas Posts: 600	Gnarly! I got spooked recently at Seaside. I didnt scream like a girl but pretty sure I sharted myself

08-03-2010, 08:45 PM	#12
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,123	I don't know anything about whether sharks and other fish can see colors but if they can, red may equal blood. Yellow could be diluted blood. Sounds reasonable and makes me happy that I have a moss colored yak. Unless you are a carp, moss is probably not high on the wish list when the dinner bell rings. Bob

08-04-2010, 06:45 AM	#13
mckenzie Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 46	Hey....it's SHARK WEEK! Whatever?

08-04-2010, 08:46 AM	#15
umtduckhead Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 147	just in time for shark week on discovery! oops didnt read all the post..