Hello Board!!! Its been awhile - too damn long. I finally decided to dust off the kayak and get back out to it. Its funny how much you forget over the course of two years, like where did I put the GPS, bait tank, batteries, radio and FF?
I know there somewhere. I had the important stuff, the kayak, paddle, pfd and seat though. The gear and terminal tackle stayed ready and was easy enough to find. I moved down to OC about two years ago and hung the kayak up for a surf board.
Last week I finally decided to feel the pain in the shoulders again and get on the water. The mission was - Flat and brown. The plan was - hell I dont know just go catch something. Without the electronics I just went old school, market squid and the famous WHITE MOGAMBO. I launched outa DP and paddled around the breakwater to head north. Ive never had luck with Doheny except for surfing so I thought I would shun convention and head someplace new.
I remember the old days with Vic where all I fished was the mogambo, it was a catching MOFO then. When I quit two years ago I realized I was hooked on the latest and greates, blams, whams, FT, everything. Heck I even had a custom color fish trap poored - still have 3 boxes if you want some
. Anyway off I went, with three rods, not thinking of catching bait just fishing the plastic and squid. On the way upcoast I trolled a FT and grub through a dark red soup, and yet the fish still eat during a red tide. I was averaging a bass (about equal mix if Sandies and Calico's) about every 100 paddles or so. They were close into the wall. Paddling up the coast I was looking for holes in the water. You know the spots, something just catches your eyes, its a flat spot, a wind break, a current break, the edge of a slick or red tide bloom and that is where I focused my time. I would move upwind of the spots and drift ove the edges from red to clear. I was working the flats around these edges.
At first nothing, well nothing for an hour or more even. Then the fist signes of life - YEA Mr. Lizard fish. Now Dennis always taught me to send them back down - heck halibut have to eat too. But I was dedicated to fishing the plastic so what to do?
?? Ha, hook the lizard to the white mogambo. Hmm wada ya know? Tap, tap, and then nothing. Well that is until I wind down to check the bait then the rod starts to bend at the tip. Its been so long I've forgot what thet meant even. Hmmm whats going on? Stuck, california rock fish? Well so I did what was natural, I yanked on it to get it lose. Hmmm the bottom did not like that, it started yanking back. Then the bottom started to move - imagine that. I must be drifting coz there is no other explanation. Shoot then the tide starts to go out, either that or Im gaining line. Is it a fish?
Who knows, I forgot what its like. After about 10 minutes Im glad to get my spectra all back on the real, dont wannna lose that also. I cant see in the water, red, brown, green so I keep winding, winding, winding. Then all the sudden there is a stupid swivel at my eyetip and I cant wind anymore. So Im looking around, WTF? Whats happening? Where is Waldo? Well waddaya know, out from under the kayak floats a nice little place mat, all brown with whit spots.
Ok now what? Gaff? Nope that is for people that catch fish ( I was wondering what those little clip thingies on my kayak were for and why they were empty) the gaff. Of course my gripper was in the same bag as the gps, radio and other fancy things. What to do? Well there is no way Im lipping it, stupid I may be but not dumb. Gills? NOPE. So I take my trusty rag, around my hand and grab the tail and lift it up to have a look. I proceed to get b!t(h slapped by the head with its sharp teeth and hook hanging out. Ummm DUH!. Of course no game clip, no bag, no nothing.
For those of you who know me, you know I HATE to dump fish inside the kayak, it stinks later on. But what to do?
Finally just gave in and threw it in the front hatch and listend to it beat the shoot out of the inside for awhile. A one hour paddle back, clean up, filet and freez. Then absolutely some of the best lemon grass, spiced fish head soup in the world - care of my Thai GF.
Unfortunately now I have set a standard I dont know if I can live up to - go fishing and catch fish for dinner. We will have to see.
Its good to be back!!!!! Happy fishing.
Randy
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