Kayak Wednesday

Just Jack and I again.  Too bad no one else joined us.  It was a wonderful day on the water.  Sunny skies with air temps around 75 degrees, slight breeze and water temps at 75 too.  Only a handful of boats around and no line at the bait receiver.  Good bait again this week.  Smaller sardines with a few the size of anchovies.

We headed to the pipe trolling a sardine.  The bonita were thick as thieves.  Every bait would twitch then race down as it was chased by bonita eventually getting mashed, sliced or eaten.  I released them until Jack said he was keeping them for lobster bait (season opens October 3, 2015.) Then I kept a few larger ones.

It was great fun fishing because every bait got bit.  I hooked, landed and released two legal calico bass - one was 16 inches and the other 15 1/2 inches long.

Then I hooked something bigger that went straight to the bottom and wouldn't budge - it would just move occasionally to let me know it was there.  I was in 80 feet of water fishing 25 lb. so when I put it in low gear and really pulled on it, I pulled the hook.  It acted like a black seabass.  Fun while it lasted.

We worked our way out past the second barber pole to water that was 120 feet deep.  More bonita.  As we started to work our way back towards the pipe, the hammerhead showed up.  He circled Jack's kayak and Jack yelled to let me know he was there.  I had just dropped a bait in and it was on a fast track to the bottom being chased and chomped by another bonita when the hammerhead headed my direction.  I yanked my bait away from the bonita and wound it in fast.  Then the shark turned around and grabbed Jack's bait and got hooked.  By the time I got my camera video turned on, Jack had cut his line.  We decided it was time to come in. 

The Pilgrim was leaving the harbor as we were returning. 

We cleaned up our kayaks and gear and agreed to fish again next Wednesday.  Tim and Jim said they plan to join us. 

I decided to purchase the newer model of my kayak - the Hobie Mirage Sport from Dana Point Jet Ski and Kayak Center.  I bought my current kayak in 2008 and the improvements since then make it easier and more comfortable for me to fish.  The peddles drop in without needing to twist lock them in (which is very difficult with my arthritic hands).  The drain under the seat has a easy to pull strap instead of screwing it in (also difficult for my hands). The seat and seat back is adjustable and there are side pouches that I can put my camera in instead of my pants pocket.  If I were younger and had better hands, I would have kept my old kayak.

Here's my new kayak!  It's getting outfitted for fishing now.

Looking forward to next week.