Launched at dark A.M. and hit the pier for bait. Water seemed colder and bait not in the shallows. Went out to the second can in 55ft. and found plenty of green backs. Saw a few puddlers and a few meter marks. Threw iron top and bottom but no go. Rounded the last can and notice a bunch of smaller sharks cruising the surface...couldn't tell type...dorsal fin rounded at tip and size about 3-4 ft. Notice a good sized swirl/disturbance in the water and watched it for a while. Threw an iron over the top and retrieved right on top of it and the rod loaded up. Sizzling run straight to the bottom in 130ft. Once he was down I couldn't get an inch on him. Kelp???no way, bottom's clean out there so I buttoned down the drag and felt a little give. Kept doing this inch by inch and then, off on another ripper nearly pulling me over. Slowly over the next hour I inched the thing up and got it to color...a HUGE bat ray. I had snagged him in the butt on the retrieve and had been flying this huge underwater kite. Tried grabbing the tip of the tail...big mistake...pissed him off and down he went...again back and forth (anyone know if these things have barbs). Got him to color a few more times but I was SPENT and couldn't figure a way to safely retrieve the jig..didn't want to gaff it and get into a wrestling match with it. It was easy 4-5 foot across. Ended up cutting it off. So if anyone sees a big bat ray with a blue neon and white jimijig hanging off its ass, I want it back.
Finished up the morning with a large school of white sided dolphins breaking water very nearby...something I usually only see at the nine mile bank or the islands... and a sore upper body.
07-15-2006, 11:55 AM
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