976-KayakJan - May 2008

May 8th - Each adventure is different and weather is a defining factor. Thursday we were on the water by 6:30 a.m. Jack couldn’t make it but John joined us instead. Tim and John stopped at the bait receiver on the way out. Tim was trying out the new Hobie Bait Tank that sits behind the seat. He had been using an in-deck bait tank and wasn’t sure he would like the weight above the waterline or having to reach behind for the bait. By day’s end he gave a “thumbs-up” to the bait tank.

Hobie Bait Tank

The waters were calm and up a degree from the week before. It was cool at first but when the sun came up we warmed up. We headed out to Doheny beach to fish the surf line in 7 to 10 feet of water.

Click on this link for a map of our fishing site:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.4574,-117.6882&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=33.459695,-117.685268&spn=0.012155,0.012639&t=k&z=16

When we arrived in our fishing area, I accepted a gift of a few baits from Tim to put in my drag along bait holder. Good quality baits – a mix of anchovies and sardines.

Tim caught a legal halibut plus several shorts. I caught 4 short halibut, 2 surfperch, and 2 sand bass. John was skunked but enjoyed the day on the water anyway, especially when he and Tim drifted together on the calm waters and smoked their cigars. The only things spoiling the ambience were the piercing squeals of kids on the beach.

At day’s end, my bait was suffering. It took a beating dragging along behind me but it was better than nothing. I bagged my leftover bait to use for chum my next trip. Tim’s bait was still kicking and looked great. I was sold on the bait tank. I went back the next day and bought my own Hobie Bait Tank.

May 12th – We were back on the water by 6:30 a.m. and were greeted with dark, low clouds, a heavy mist and cold air but I had my new bait tank and couldn’t wait. Plus we had a tip on finding big halibut. We headed to the bait receiver and filled up with nice anchovies and sardines. I bought the kayak special for $5. I never realized how expensive bait is for the Sportfishing boats until I received my receipt.

Bait Receipt

We headed north towards the kelp beds off the point around San Juan Rocks. The water was rough and we were headed into swell which slowed the trip out. When we arrived there was very little current and it was heading northeast – completely opposite from the last time we were out here. I had chopped up my leftover bait to use as chum and brought it along. I tied up to a stringer of kelp and started a chum line. I fished through a hole in the kelp while I tried to keep warm. Tim was tied up to a kelp stringer just a short distance from me and he was keeping busy catching mackerel and jacksmelt on his sabiki rig while his halibut rig bounced in the rod holder.

Tied to a Kelp Stringer

I was sitting in the middle of bait jumping all around me. They would swim through then come back. Suddenly I got bit – something big started a run then wrapped itself in the kelp. A sea lion raced over and dove the check out the scene. Even though I had spectra line, my 5 foot fluorocarbon leader was enough to wrap on the kelp where I couldn’t pull it out. The short time it was on the line, it felt like a halibut. No meal for this sea lion to steal!

We stayed out longer than usual hoping the fish would turn on, but it was no use. We saw a whale blow a short distance out from us and watched the sportboats moving from spot to spot looking for the bonito that bit the day before. I caught one sandbass and had two more baits raked by halibut. Tim landed one calico and had short bites too plus he filled his bait tank with mackerel to freeze for lobster season. My bait tank worked flawlessly even in the less than ideal water conditions. I only lost two anchovies. I bagged the leftover bait to use as chum at a later date.

When we returned, Tim’s Fishfinder/GPS indicated we had traveled 9 miles. I hadn’t set mine to calculate our distance. It’s set now. I also learned that even though family members are used to me being out fishing for days at a time, they can be worried sick when you return 2 hours later than they assume you will. At 2:30 Mike phoned the kayak shop trying to locate me (I don’t carry my cell phone on the kayak). He was convinced that the Great White Shark that killed the swimmer south of here had found me. Mike assumed I would always be off the water at the same time – around 12:30. He really was worried – a first for him. We worked out a way to ease his concerns in the future. I will carry a cell phone with me now and let him know if I’ll be returning after 4 p.m.

Tim Bobbing in cold weather