here's the report for yesterdays activities. met up with Rick Dawg at La Jolla cove, launched off Boomers by 7am. Tide was up, kelp wasn't as thick, kicked out to the "Outside Kelp" in the deep water. Vis was 15', water was fairly warm. Lots of Top smelt, sand bass, and rivers of baitfish 15-20 feet down.
First "ghost" sighting.... i was watching a passing school of barracuda and as i scanned right i could make out the outline of a M O N S T E R white!!! WSB blend in amazingly with milky water, the only thing you can make out is the white tips of their mouth, fins and tail. This fish was easily in the 50lb class!! Bythe time i could swing my MT5 from my left to my right the fish was gone. I waited a couple of minutes scanning...but nothing. My heart was in my throat..pounding... i have never seen a fish that big underwater. I shouted to Rick telling him about the fish and that "they" were in here.
Second Ghost sighting 30 minutes later. again, watching some barracuda, (pattern here) i spot another white about 12-15 feet away, half as big.... i line up, wait for a decent shot and thunk!!! the fish takes off almost straight down. We are in 75feet plus of water and i don't want to let too much line out so i fight the fish only allowing a few feet out. Luckingly it wrapped itself up about 20 feet down. i shouted to rick and he came over and helped me cut the fish out. My heart was pounding soo fast i couldn't catch my breath... i attempted to dive dwon to get the fish myself but i only made it maybe 10 feet!! lol... thanks Rick
Third ghost sighting on the way back in. In the middle of of some heavy kelp there are a few "break areas" where is there is no kelp, almost like bald spots if you will. just off to my left i see the "ghostly outline" of another white....i wait patiently for a few seconds slowly lining up for a shot and thunk...another solid hit. I was in some seriously thick kelp and still pretty deep so i had to make sure that i let out very little line. this fish was strong and pulled me under twice.... my snorkle kept filling up with water and i couldn't catch my breath so let out line slowly until i could "regain" myself. I shouted to rick who was nearby, and came over for another assist...but this time....(this is where the kids should leave the room)....rick is shouting obscenities at me about how pissed he is and that he is never fishing with me again.
Now with two fat whites on my stringer and halfway back to shore i am beginning to cramp up. i have over 60lbs of fish (dead weight) and too much weight on my weight belt (my belt was rigged for my 5mm suit, but i wore my 3mm today and never reduced the weight). To top it off i attracted the attention of a seal that decided to follow (pretty close) me. the damn thing kept swimming underneath me looking for a free meal....but i was more worried about attracting the attention of a big bull seal.
fourth ghost sighting, almost to shore in about 12 feet of water, i spot another white, about 15-17lbs, in the same vicinity i missed another white about 20 lbs a couple days prior. it was a bad angle shot and i shot right over the top of its back....again ( i tend to do that alot).
too exhausted to reload my gun i make my way to shore. rick takes a few pictures for me...i will have those in a few days. i weighed the fish and both were 28lbs. i head over to the "Riffe warehouse" to show julie and jay. they take a few pics (thanks for the sandwich julie!!!!) to post on their website.
all in all, it was a great day!! thanks for all your help rick, it would have taken me forever to cut those fish out!!!
Sask
First "ghost" sighting.... i was watching a passing school of barracuda and as i scanned right i could make out the outline of a M O N S T E R white!!! WSB blend in amazingly with milky water, the only thing you can make out is the white tips of their mouth, fins and tail. This fish was easily in the 50lb class!! Bythe time i could swing my MT5 from my left to my right the fish was gone. I waited a couple of minutes scanning...but nothing. My heart was in my throat..pounding... i have never seen a fish that big underwater. I shouted to Rick telling him about the fish and that "they" were in here.
Second Ghost sighting 30 minutes later. again, watching some barracuda, (pattern here) i spot another white about 12-15 feet away, half as big.... i line up, wait for a decent shot and thunk!!! the fish takes off almost straight down. We are in 75feet plus of water and i don't want to let too much line out so i fight the fish only allowing a few feet out. Luckingly it wrapped itself up about 20 feet down. i shouted to rick and he came over and helped me cut the fish out. My heart was pounding soo fast i couldn't catch my breath... i attempted to dive dwon to get the fish myself but i only made it maybe 10 feet!! lol... thanks Rick
Third ghost sighting on the way back in. In the middle of of some heavy kelp there are a few "break areas" where is there is no kelp, almost like bald spots if you will. just off to my left i see the "ghostly outline" of another white....i wait patiently for a few seconds slowly lining up for a shot and thunk...another solid hit. I was in some seriously thick kelp and still pretty deep so i had to make sure that i let out very little line. this fish was strong and pulled me under twice.... my snorkle kept filling up with water and i couldn't catch my breath so let out line slowly until i could "regain" myself. I shouted to rick who was nearby, and came over for another assist...but this time....(this is where the kids should leave the room)....rick is shouting obscenities at me about how pissed he is and that he is never fishing with me again.
Now with two fat whites on my stringer and halfway back to shore i am beginning to cramp up. i have over 60lbs of fish (dead weight) and too much weight on my weight belt (my belt was rigged for my 5mm suit, but i wore my 3mm today and never reduced the weight). To top it off i attracted the attention of a seal that decided to follow (pretty close) me. the damn thing kept swimming underneath me looking for a free meal....but i was more worried about attracting the attention of a big bull seal.
fourth ghost sighting, almost to shore in about 12 feet of water, i spot another white, about 15-17lbs, in the same vicinity i missed another white about 20 lbs a couple days prior. it was a bad angle shot and i shot right over the top of its back....again ( i tend to do that alot).
too exhausted to reload my gun i make my way to shore. rick takes a few pictures for me...i will have those in a few days. i weighed the fish and both were 28lbs. i head over to the "Riffe warehouse" to show julie and jay. they take a few pics (thanks for the sandwich julie!!!!) to post on their website.
all in all, it was a great day!! thanks for all your help rick, it would have taken me forever to cut those fish out!!!
Sask
