Author Topic: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)  (Read 2440 times)

Latimeria

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Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« on: July 12, 2020, 10:03:00 AM »
I wasn't sure what to fish for, so I brought a lot of my gear for any occasion.  10 rods in my boat is a lot, from tuna to turd rollers... I was ready.

It took a bit to find bait, but when I did, I quickly filled the livewell.



Once I got the bait, it was hard to decide what to do.  Look for yellows?  Tuna at the 9-mile?  Drift for halibut?  Drop for some more Lingcod?

I made a decision and rolled with it.  I got picked up by something huge and fought it for a good 10 minutes.  It was a beast and I finally got it up to a depth that I couldn't ID it (water was filthy and visibility wasn't too hot) , but saw a general shape. I couldn't yell if it was the top view of a big halibut or a BSB, by as I was trying to get it up for a better look, the f@cking circle hook just popped off and down it went!  Ugh!  Damn Circle Hooks!!!  I've had very limited success with them. 

A few drifts later and I have my bail open with the clicker on.  I was casting a second rod when my clicker literally screams like a fire alarm!  I run to the rod and flip the bail over just to have nothing there.  Well, my mackerel was there and alive, but no teeth marks.  I put a trap hook on the next one and couldn't buy a bite with it...
At this point, I felt defeated with circle hooks and started to drive around and figure out what to do.  I gained my composure and bolted for a new spot.  Along the way, I noticed tons of marks under the boat and baited up. 

Nothing hit it, but I slow trolled the area for a bit (using a circle hook) and all of a sudden my clicker started screaming!  I left the bail open because the mackerel were huge and I wanted to give something time to inhale it. 

I loaded up the line and this one was on!  Jeezus, was it screaming line out faster than I could think.  I had to chase it a bit to recover some line since I was deep into the braid at this point and the grind started.  I lost track of time, but kept my composure as my knees were a little wobbly.  My 40# live bait rod was truly getting worked at this point.  After what seemed like forever, I got a glimpse of it and thought it was a huge WSB!  Once again, dirty cloudy water was tough to see it and it didn't want to come up another foot to get an ID.  I grabbed my virgin "Big Boy" bamboo gaff I made and was waiting for it to pop up from under the boat.  When I saw what it was, I kinda lost my breath as I sunk the gaff in its belly as I was too tired and overmatched to get a good head shot.

Measured out at 51" long and a BEAST of a yellowtail!  I didn't know the weight yet, but I was positive it bested my old 38# record for sure!  I was overcome with an adrenaline rush that couldn't be explained!



I sent my buddies fishing MB a quick picture before bleeding out and packing him into the kill bag.  My new Stainless Steel Shampoo that I made a month ago worked even better than I hoped!
I rebaited and started the slow troll again in the area.  10 minutes later and my line was screaming out again as I engaged the reel!  Ugh!  Another beast!
I had to use the boat to pendulum him away from the thick kelp and also chase him down to recover some of my line that he was spooling!  I am spent at this moment and only able to move on the adrenaline of the moment.  I get it to the boat and it’s another monster Yellowtail!  The gaff I made is also way overbuilt thankfully and made short work of getting it into the boat! 

This one measured out at 49”!!!!



I then see my phone ringing and it’s my buddy Roger asking me about the first one, so I sent him this last picture and he is amazed!  He was driving me to keep fishing and I could barely hold up my arm!

Soon as I bled and packed them both into the kill bag, I noticed dolphin …. Well I wasn’t sure what I was looking at so I cast the big surface iron at them.



Cast one yielded nothing.  Cast two and I was watching how beautiful the jig swam when a 20-25# class yellowtail came out of nowhere and ate it!  f@ck!  My arm is hurting just remembering what happened as I type this!
My arm felt like it was going to fall off, but I had it 10 feet from the boat when my jaw literally hit the gunnel from what happened next.  50-60 yellowtail in the 20-25# range were all in hot pursuit of my hooked fish and slamming the jig hanging out of it’s moth trying to steal it!  It was like calico fishing only with 25# calico!!!!  I stopped reeling for a second because of the shock of what I was witnessing and I watch one big one slam the lure and pop it out of the hooked yellows mouth!  That was possibly the greatest minute I have ever seen while fishing and just to think that 20-25 pound yellows were the rats of the day!

I was done.  Finito!  I couldn’t even cast the jig stick again I was in so much pain and ran in.  I stopped by to show Dave and Roger my Yellows and get them weighed.  Big one was 44# and the little one was 38#.  The 38# tied my old PB and I shattered it with my new PB of 44#!

A small section of backstrap minus the belly meat filled a gallon ziplock baggie!

That was it.  I'm at work now since I usually work weekends, but need to heal my arm up to try and do it again sometime, although this day will be pretty hard to beat.

Thanks for reading!
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skrilla

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2020, 03:24:54 PM »
Proper break in for the gaff. Congrats!

sasquatch

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2020, 06:40:22 PM »
Those are some damn nice fish.

xjchad

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2020, 07:50:34 AM »
Congrats on the new PB's Tom!  So stoked for you!!  8) 8) 8)

Dark_Knight_9C1

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2020, 08:38:39 AM »
Totally Awesome! Great fish. Great story.

Latimeria

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2020, 11:56:21 AM »
Proper break in for the gaff. Congrats!

I was pleasantly satisfied.  Handled them easier then I thought.
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Latimeria

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2020, 11:58:06 AM »
Thanks guys.  My shoulder literally feels worse then it has in 7 months.  No rehabbing it while the big subs are still swimming around!
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1morecast

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2020, 10:24:14 PM »
Wow, that’s a great trip! Congrats on the PB!
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Tim524

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2020, 07:08:27 AM »
Pretty exciting trip, you should start using your Go Pro to capture all the exciting/exhausting action 8) 8), hope you recover soon but something tells me you will be back out ASAP ;D

Latimeria

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Re: Surrounded by Monsters (7/10)
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2020, 06:26:19 AM »
Pretty exciting trip, you should start using your Go Pro to capture all the exciting/exhausting action

That would give away my spot, so I'm not posting the video!  LOL
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