Three's a crowd... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

THE DARKHORSE · 03-08-2013, 04:32 PM

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After one of the busiest seasons in a long time I beg to differ. Three's a crowd? This past Summer had an entire fleet of boats pounding the Jewel. Reminiscent of '2005 and warm years prior. I'm talking dangerous levels of concentration. For a relatively small spot, anyway. Guys on powerboats running over trolling lines left and right. Guys screaming at other vessels for running over obvious schools of fish. A few days reminded me of that famous scene in the movie, JAWS. You know that one with overloaded vessels running a muck---armed with gallons of blood for chum, bows, arrows and dynamite!

Come on, that scene's a classic? Then news spread on Winter tails doing what they've done for eons of time. Albeit pretty much unmolested most years. When the meter hasn't shown so much as a school of Lizard fish, I have a habit of counting vessels. It's a nasty habit, but sometimes I can't help it. Thirty vessels (yes I'm counting kayaks here) has been the median average on most days for months. So if three's a crowd what in the hell is ten times that as an average occupancy? In the off-season no less---on one tiny spot. The weekend? Forget about it!

Maybe it's just a sign of the growing sport. Perhaps, this being the most likely, it's just that we've been blessed with some great Winter weather. Post-MLPA-Compaction rearing it's ugly head? Maybe somehow, someway, everyone's significant other (like a school of fish) decided to P.M.S. at exactly the same frequency in Southern California! Anything's possible, right?

All I know is it hasn't been the typical "lonely" Winter on the grounds. In years past, you'd have this place all to yourself in the cooler months. Barring, the randomly leaked squid bite, of course. Just to be clear this isn't a rant about an apocalyptic movement of plastic riding anglers. I'm all for the growth of the sport. It's just an observation. Perhaps, collectively, everyone's wife finally decided that kayak fishing is healthier than a glitter-faced-sweaty-dance at the local strip club. Cheaper, too!

It's all relative in the grand scheme of things. I know crusty locals that freak the f@@% out if you anchor three hundred yards away. And that's when you're the only other vessel on the water. There's also kayak anglers who'll welcome anyone with a pulse into their code group. Doing everything possible to expand that group; by any means necessary. Lets not forget about the commercial guys. They're just as bad as a cackling group of school girls. In summary, it's business as usual. The guys known for catching fish will continue to do so. Crowds, similar to fish cycles, will fluctuate and drift like ripples in the sand.
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With all the differing opinions I'm sure many would disagree, but the question still remains: Three's a crowd?

ful-rac · 03-08-2013, 04:41 PM

Awsome Josh!

MuddyMike · 03-08-2013, 04:44 PM

"We're gonna need a bigger chest!"

That's the way to ring in the season, Well done!

deepdvr · 03-08-2013, 04:58 PM

Good looking ice coffin Mr. Pruitt.

Nice to see you made it on the Hobie fishing team.

blitzburgh · 03-08-2013, 05:00 PM

Great read Josh...and NICE BISCUITS!!!

MITCHELL · 03-08-2013, 05:04 PM

That's why I fished the outter banks when I had my boat La Jolla was just a stop in at the end of the day.We always had fish and didn't stop much. Three hour stop on yellowfin only one boat in site.Your a cut above the rest.

JeffB · 03-08-2013, 05:20 PM

Well three defiantly makes for a packed ice chest! Very nicely done as always Josh!

Iceman · 03-08-2013, 05:39 PM

good thing 3 is the limit...........jealously biting my tongue

walrus · 03-08-2013, 06:08 PM

Three in a one chest! Looks a little crowded to me.

driftwood · 03-08-2013, 06:24 PM

Here comes the GOOGAN'S! Don't Be A Googan! – Nat Geo TV Blogs

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/kevin-and-t...080356997.html

lamb · 03-08-2013, 06:12 PM

It's a good thing Josh's posts always seem to have a cool pic.

Without it, I'd just be left all dazzled and confused trying to figure out what the hell is he trying to say with all his philosophical rant...

Nice job on croakers Mr. Pruitt

03-08-2013, 04:32 PM	#1
THE DARKHORSE Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Seven minutes from the launch! Posts: 987	Three's a crowd... . . . After one of the busiest seasons in a long time I beg to differ. Three's a crowd? This past Summer had an entire fleet of boats pounding the Jewel. Reminiscent of '2005 and warm years prior. I'm talking dangerous levels of concentration. For a relatively small spot, anyway. Guys on powerboats running over trolling lines left and right. Guys screaming at other vessels for running over obvious schools of fish. A few days reminded me of that famous scene in the movie, JAWS. You know that one with overloaded vessels running a muck---armed with gallons of blood for chum, bows, arrows and dynamite! Come on, that scene's a classic? Then news spread on Winter tails doing what they've done for eons of time. Albeit pretty much unmolested most years. When the meter hasn't shown so much as a school of Lizard fish, I have a habit of counting vessels. It's a nasty habit, but sometimes I can't help it. Thirty vessels (yes I'm counting kayaks here) has been the median average on most days for months. So if three's a crowd what in the hell is ten times that as an average occupancy? In the off-season no less---on one tiny spot. The weekend? Forget about it! Maybe it's just a sign of the growing sport. Perhaps, this being the most likely, it's just that we've been blessed with some great Winter weather. Post-MLPA-Compaction rearing it's ugly head? Maybe somehow, someway, everyone's significant other (like a school of fish) decided to P.M.S. at exactly the same frequency in Southern California! Anything's possible, right? All I know is it hasn't been the typical "lonely" Winter on the grounds. In years past, you'd have this place all to yourself in the cooler months. Barring, the randomly leaked squid bite, of course. Just to be clear this isn't a rant about an apocalyptic movement of plastic riding anglers. I'm all for the growth of the sport. It's just an observation. Perhaps, collectively, everyone's wife finally decided that kayak fishing is healthier than a glitter-faced-sweaty-dance at the local strip club. Cheaper, too! It's all relative in the grand scheme of things. I know crusty locals that freak the f@@% out if you anchor three hundred yards away. And that's when you're the only other vessel on the water. There's also kayak anglers who'll welcome anyone with a pulse into their code group. Doing everything possible to expand that group; by any means necessary. Lets not forget about the commercial guys. They're just as bad as a cackling group of school girls. In summary, it's business as usual. The guys known for catching fish will continue to do so. Crowds, similar to fish cycles, will fluctuate and drift like ripples in the sand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . With all the differing opinions I'm sure many would disagree, but the question still remains: Three's a crowd? __________________

03-08-2013, 04:41 PM	#2
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Awsome Josh! __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

03-08-2013, 04:58 PM	#4
deepdvr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 591	Good looking ice coffin Mr. Pruitt. Nice to see you made it on the Hobie fishing team. __________________

03-08-2013, 05:00 PM	#5
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Great read Josh...and NICE BISCUITS!!! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

03-08-2013, 05:04 PM	#6
MITCHELL Sea Hunter Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Where ever I may roam where I lay my head I call home. Posts: 2,251	That's why I fished the outter banks when I had my boat La Jolla was just a stop in at the end of the day.We always had fish and didn't stop much. Three hour stop on yellowfin only one boat in site.Your a cut above the rest. __________________ Duke Mitchell Last edited by MITCHELL; 03-08-2013 at 05:29 PM.

03-08-2013, 04:44 PM	#3
MuddyMike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 111	"We're gonna need a bigger chest!" That's the way to ring in the season, Well done!

03-08-2013, 05:20 PM	#7
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Well three defiantly makes for a packed ice chest! Very nicely done as always Josh! __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

03-08-2013, 05:39 PM	#8
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	good thing 3 is the limit...........jealously biting my tongue __________________

03-08-2013, 06:08 PM	#9
walrus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Baja fish camp Posts: 478	Three in a one chest! Looks a little crowded to me.

03-08-2013, 06:24 PM	#10
driftwood Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 1,086	Here comes the GOOGAN'S! Don't Be A Googan! – Nat Geo TV Blogs http://tv.yahoo.com/news/kevin-and-t...080356997.html Last edited by driftwood; 03-08-2013 at 06:37 PM.

03-08-2013, 06:12 PM	#11
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,563	It's a good thing Josh's posts always seem to have a cool pic. Without it, I'd just be left all dazzled and confused trying to figure out what the hell is he trying to say with all his philosophical rant... Nice job on croakers Mr. Pruitt __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a