Kayak Dream come True!

Wednesday morning Tim, Jack, Wayne, Mike and I met at launched our kayaks from Dana Point Jet Ski and Kayak Center.  We got in a long line at the bait receiver at 8 a.m.  Jimmy Decker was in line next to us and his clients included Paul Varenchik, a fellow Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club member.  Small world.

An hour later Jack and I got our bait, sardines.  The others decided to go outside the harbor and jig for mackerel.  We all headed straight out from the harbor around 9 a.m.  I thought we were going out to the barber poles to fish and look for kelps and bird schools.  Wrong!  Oh we checked out the kelps along the way but they were dry.  When the bottom dropped below 250 feet, my fish finder was useless.

Tim and Jack kept going and going.  Finally Wayne told me that Tim had some coordinates he was heading for and we were heading much further.  After 2 hours of peddling we were over 5 miles off shore.  A short distance north of us was a gathering of more than 30 boats, private and sport boats.  Even the Sum Fun out of Dana Point Harbor was here.

We saw a man in a yellow shirt hooked up pulling on a tuna.  I watched him for 30 minutes then realized he didn't know what he was doing.  I flylined a sardine and Wayne and Tim were fishing a mackerel.  We knew we were in the right place because we could hear when someone on the sport boat hooked up.

We kept changing baits and working the area.  I was fishing a Talica 10II with 30# Berkley mono and a 3 foot piece of 30# Berkley Fluorocarbon with a #2 Mustad 92677 hook.  After fishing several nose hooked baits, I decided to butt hook a bait and send it down.  The bait raced straight down and was bit instantly.  The way the fish pulled, I knew I had hooked a tuna.  I thanked God for the bite and prayed that I land my fish.  I set my rod on my knee and put the reel in low and cranked occasionally adjusting my kayak so the fish stayed to my left.  10 to 12 minutes later, I sunk a gaff in a 28 lb. yellowfin tuna.  My prayer was answered - it was a dream come true.

I shared the rest of my sardines with Jack and Wayne but they didn't prove useful.  Around 1:30 p.m. we headed towards the landing.  Tim was trolling a mackerel and got bit by an 18 lb. yellowfin tuna.  

Tim put his fish head first in the bait tank.  Mine was too large for that.  Jack and Tim were concerned that a sea lion or shark might grab my tuna if I drug it in the water on the game clip so Jack helped my lay it across my bait tank.  Jack had a gunny sack that we put over the fish and I poured water on the fish several times during our 2 1/2 hour trip back to dock.

Even though Jack has a motor and could have been back at dock long before me, he stayed with me in case my knees gave out.  Thanks Jack!  Tim got back before us and had his crew ready to pull me and my kayak out of the water when I got back in. It was a good thing too because my legs were so tired I couldn't stand up on my own at first.  Michelle made sure my kayak and all my gear was brought up next to the shop and that I was handed a Red Solo Cup of cheer to celebrate.  Michelle is great!  She takes care of all customers as if they were here favorite!

My fish finder registered that I had traveled 15.5 miles.  Incredible considering one knee is artificial and the other needs replacing. 

I cleaned up my gear and kayak then filleted my fish and went home.  I didn't get home until 6:30 p.m.  It was my most exciting day on my kayak.  It's incredible that we these fish so close to Dana Point Harbor.