La Jolla 3-13-17 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

FISH11 · 03-13-2017, 08:54 PM

I have been spending time on the water, but had not had such a long dry spell. I know it's been tough at times even for bait, let alone a trophy fish. Lately the action has been picking up and I know, not everyone has been posting, and you all have your reasons. Today was tough out there because the heavy fog made it really hard to see at times more than 100'. Had to constantly look at the GPS to know what direction you were going or to know were you were. Found the bait area and the areas I had been fishing the last few times. Drifted and trolled some large greenbacks. No luck even when drifting over areas with unreal marks. Saw several patterns that looked like wolf packs or even around bait with Yellow Tail marks around the perimeter, but no love. Chased some birds and even bait being crashed on the surface by large fish. The amount of water displaced and speed told me they were Yellows. Each time I though I got there in time and started trowing a Shimano flat fall, each time it seem to stop just as I got there. Finally throwing the flat fall on some bait marks and I hit pay dirt. Had already lost 4 large macs to the fur bags and I see one coming towards me when I'm fighting the fish. I put the reel in free spool and thumb on the spool, so the Yellow can run if it gets close. After not having any runs I start re-gaining line and trying to bring it in as fast as I could I had to even use low gear just to gain line because he was pulling hard. Finally got it to the yak and gaffed it right behind the gill plate. I felt sooooo.. sweeeeet to finally get one on board after so many months. Back at the truck it weighed 31.2 LBS. This baby is going to be donated to Heroes On The Water for the fish taco lunches for the Vets during the HOW events. Hope there are more guys out there, that can spare some to help out HOW.

Aaron&Julie · 03-13-2017, 09:29 PM

Nice fish! Congrats. That's the most symmetrical yellow we've ever seen come out of LJ. We usually see skinny and long or one with big shoulders. Your's is one well balanced yellowtail.

stevie951 · 03-14-2017, 05:16 AM

Thanks for the post and even nicer of you to donate the catch.. Yes the yellows are here for sure thanks for breaking the ice and being the first one to post catch this spring! Hopefully some of that luck comes this way!!

MITCHELL · 03-14-2017, 06:37 AM

I was out there to for only a big mix of mac's and a long paddle back with just a compass....when I come back I'll have my hook 5 hooked up...beware of current and fog...lol

LSmoot · 03-14-2017, 07:34 AM

Nice Fish! Congrats, and thanks for the report.

blitzburgh · 03-14-2017, 07:42 AM

Toad! Congrats!!!

Dirty Curti · 03-14-2017, 08:26 AM

That is one fat fish, Looks like an Australian KINGY!

SDROB · 03-14-2017, 08:30 AM

Nice fish! That last picture really shows the size of the fish... Going to a great cause to! Cheers

NICKWORN · 03-14-2017, 08:39 AM

Right on man, great catch!! Good feeling when the persistence pays off.

chris138 · 03-14-2017, 10:03 AM

Nice report and

Did you get any photos of your meter marks?

goldenglory18 · 03-14-2017, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris138

Did you get any photos of your meter marks?

Amen to that. Being that I've never even targeted YT, I'd love to see how they appear on a graph....

Great catch!

YakDout · 03-14-2017, 10:58 AM

That awesome mark, and so much more rewarding on a jig. Save the whales, screw the seals

Deamon · 03-14-2017, 01:22 PM

Way to go Mark!

FISH11 · 03-14-2017, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris138

Nice report and

Did you get any photos of your meter marks?

Yeah, but it was after fighting it for a while so he had towed me south and into shallower water. I saw the marks on the screen when it was under and wanted to record what it looked like. I have recently learned after seeing sea lions try to hide under the kayak that the marks on the screen for a large fish are much bigger than what I was thinking are often large yellows. I saw the screen but did not take any pictures when it was up around 60 feet deep and the marks were about the same size.

chris138 · 03-14-2017, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FISH11

Yeah, but it was after fighting it for a while so he had towed me south and into shallower water. I saw the marks on the screen when it was under and wanted to record what it looked like. I have recently learned after seeing sea lions try to hide under the kayak that the marks on the screen for a large fish are much bigger than what I was thinking are often large yellows. I saw the screen but did not take any pictures when it was up around 60 feet deep and the marks were about the same size.

Nice!

Looks like you're using 200 kHz if Im not mistaken. Its much harder to mark the big fish on 200 as opposed to 83 or 50 kHz, but you get way better resolution on the bait.

You have your sensitivity set well, I can tell from how hard the bottom is marking. I've been seeing those clouds a lot. In your second pic, you can see the bait walling.

When the fish swam through that bait, did it look like this?

Notice how much better the fish show on 83kHz (left).

chris138 · 03-14-2017, 02:45 PM

Also, if you hold the left arrow key, I believe the display will track back through your sonar history. So if you miss a mark, you can scroll back and snap a pic after you catch the fish

FISH11 · 03-14-2017, 02:45 PM

Yeah it was set to 200kHz because I was spending a lot of time under 100 feet. When the fish are swimming though the bait it is easy to see because of the density they are more in yellow like the harder bottom. I learned a lot about cranking up the sensitivity from a past post you had showing great screen shots. The strange thing is I usually don't fish much that shallow except to get bait.

DanaPT · 03-15-2017, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris138

Also, if you hold the left arrow key, I believe the display will track back through your sonar history. So if you miss a mark, you can scroll back and snap a pic after you catch the fish

Thanks for this post Chris. these are great tutorials for me personally.

Congrats on the fish, FISH! motivating for sure and GOOD of you to think of others on the donation!

summers in kuwait · 03-15-2017, 07:55 AM

Nice Fish Mark and cheers for donating it to HOW. Congrats!

Chris,

Thanks for sharing more knowledge of FF settings. I know its much appreciated by all.

NICKWORN · 03-15-2017, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris138

Nice!

Looks like you're using 200 kHz if Im not mistaken. Its much harder to mark the big fish on 200 as opposed to 83 or 50 kHz, but you get way better resolution on the bait.

You have your sensitivity set well, I can tell from how hard the bottom is marking. I've been seeing those clouds a lot. In your second pic, you can see the bait walling.

When the fish swam through that bait, did it look like this?

Notice how much better the fish show on 83kHz (left).

I believe this is you out there the past couple weekends I have been out? You always seem to sit side ways in your yak. Is that you, if so I'll have to say what's up next time.

03-13-2017, 08:54 PM	#1
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,629	La Jolla 3-13-17 I have been spending time on the water, but had not had such a long dry spell. I know it's been tough at times even for bait, let alone a trophy fish. Lately the action has been picking up and I know, not everyone has been posting, and you all have your reasons. Today was tough out there because the heavy fog made it really hard to see at times more than 100'. Had to constantly look at the GPS to know what direction you were going or to know were you were. Found the bait area and the areas I had been fishing the last few times. Drifted and trolled some large greenbacks. No luck even when drifting over areas with unreal marks. Saw several patterns that looked like wolf packs or even around bait with Yellow Tail marks around the perimeter, but no love. Chased some birds and even bait being crashed on the surface by large fish. The amount of water displaced and speed told me they were Yellows. Each time I though I got there in time and started trowing a Shimano flat fall, each time it seem to stop just as I got there. Finally throwing the flat fall on some bait marks and I hit pay dirt. Had already lost 4 large macs to the fur bags and I see one coming towards me when I'm fighting the fish. I put the reel in free spool and thumb on the spool, so the Yellow can run if it gets close. After not having any runs I start re-gaining line and trying to bring it in as fast as I could I had to even use low gear just to gain line because he was pulling hard. Finally got it to the yak and gaffed it right behind the gill plate. I felt sooooo.. sweeeeet to finally get one on board after so many months. Back at the truck it weighed 31.2 LBS. This baby is going to be donated to Heroes On The Water for the fish taco lunches for the Vets during the HOW events. Hope there are more guys out there, that can spare some to help out HOW. Attached Images __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids ) Last edited by FISH11; 03-14-2017 at 07:29 AM. Reason: added another picture

03-13-2017, 09:29 PM	#2
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Nice fish! Congrats. That's the most symmetrical yellow we've ever seen come out of LJ. We usually see skinny and long or one with big shoulders. Your's is one well balanced yellowtail. __________________ "Never say die"

03-14-2017, 05:16 AM	#3
stevie951 Lurker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Riverside Posts: 431	Thanks for the post and even nicer of you to donate the catch.. Yes the yellows are here for sure thanks for breaking the ice and being the first one to post catch this spring! Hopefully some of that luck comes this way!! __________________ "A Reel expert can Tackle anything " ~Malibu Stealth-14 ~Malibu X-13

03-14-2017, 06:37 AM	#4
MITCHELL Sea Hunter Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Where ever I may roam where I lay my head I call home. Posts: 2,251	Good for you.... I was out there to for only a big mix of mac's and a long paddle back with just a compass....when I come back I'll have my hook 5 hooked up...beware of current and fog...lol __________________ Duke Mitchell

03-14-2017, 07:34 AM	#5
LSmoot Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 115	Congrats Nice Fish! Congrats, and thanks for the report.

03-14-2017, 07:42 AM	#6
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Toad! Congrats!!! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

03-14-2017, 08:26 AM	#7
Dirty Curti Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 419	That is one fat fish, Looks like an Australian KINGY! __________________

03-14-2017, 08:30 AM	#8
SDROB Malibu Stealth 12 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Hollywood, San Diego, Gonzaga Bay Posts: 512	Nice fish! That last picture really shows the size of the fish... Going to a great cause to! Cheers __________________ She will keep you warm in the winter and give you shade in the summer (Rossman) I'm telling ya, you have to keep these suckers on a game clip until just before you drop them in the frying pan.(Rossman) Last edited by SDROB; 03-14-2017 at 08:45 AM.

03-14-2017, 08:39 AM	#9
NICKWORN Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: SANTUCKET Posts: 629	NICE!! Right on man, great catch!! Good feeling when the persistence pays off.

03-14-2017, 10:03 AM	#10
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	Nice report and Did you get any photos of your meter marks?

03-14-2017, 10:58 AM	#12
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	That awesome mark, and so much more rewarding on a jig. Save the whales, screw the seals

03-14-2017, 01:22 PM	#13
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	Way to go Mark! __________________ Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S"

03-14-2017, 02:45 PM	#16
chris138 donkey roper Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 968	Also, if you hold the left arrow key, I believe the display will track back through your sonar history. So if you miss a mark, you can scroll back and snap a pic after you catch the fish

03-15-2017, 07:55 AM	#19
summers in kuwait Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: East County San Diego Posts: 657	Chunkie! Nice Fish Mark and cheers for donating it to HOW. Congrats! Chris, Thanks for sharing more knowledge of FF settings. I know its much appreciated by all.