Report, short and sweet.
Kip and I rolled down Thursday mid-morning and were greeted
by cool conditions with the sun breaking out. Water was dirty with a moderate
chop on the north end but we cruised south trying to evade the weed. We get
down all the way to the jetties possibly thinking about camping and gigging
in the channel at night, but the water was quite dirty. We decided to roll
back up the beach a few miles and found camp. Water was murky but clearing
slowly. I immediately pick up a few Pomps, and then a nice Drum. I eventually
get another Drum and then a Red. Whiting is somewhat plentiful and large.
Still rough water down south and didn't want to risk running baits quite
yet.
Thurs night casted baits and had a shark pick up one Whiting
and 2 casted Hardheads got hammered but no hookups. Next morning still rough,
wind blowing and the seas and wind not what were predicted. Weed becomes
a problem and hard to keep casted baits out. I eventually get a small Blacktip
on Whiting casted in the 1st gut. Repo and his pals make it down and soon
James also makes it down. Later in the afternoon the weed comes and goes.
We rig up some baits and Kip launches the zodiac. We get a few baits out
and have my 12/0 cut twice. Kip goes out and resplices. Other baits holding
fair. At dark weed takes us out but for a couple rods. One gets hit and we
pick up a 5 1/2' BT.
Sat morning the weather FINALLY cooperates. Weed still present
but not bad. Surf has layed quite a bit but not flat. Wind is calm and we
begin catching more pomps. Repo's buddy lands a nice Jack.. We soon see Jacks
splashing randomly throughout the day. We relocate slightly and get baits
back out. James up the beach lands a nice Jack as well. Instantly get a Blacktip
on cast bait. Then shortly after several more pinner Blacktips follow trying
to eat large baits. Repo leaves late in the afternoon and Kip and I are left
to battle the unknown while James is up the beach from us. Before Repo leaves,
they donate their grander Jack to us.
HERE is where things get interesting.
This scene could probably be reproduced in a scary movie. Kip
runs a large 15-18lb Head section of Jack and I run the 8-10lb section of
posterior roast. About an hour and we get baits out. Right around sundown
Kip's Avet 50 (full of 100# braid) clicks then goes slack. He grabs the rod,
reels a bit, then feels something. There is a slight movement and then Kip
feels him. He gives the fish a few more seconds then hits him with the hookset.
Right after, the Shark notices something isn't right and heads to the horizon.
It keeps going and going and going, putting the Energizer bunny to shame.
The massive fish slowly picks up speed and remains on a path to the approaching
full moon. Several minutes pass and the spool is emptying quickly. The drag
gets pushed tighter and tighter and then the topshot mono of the line finally
gives, with not much spool to spare. We instantly decide that we could give
our best effort to chase down the float and cut the leader offshore in the
zodiac.
We get down, pack some gear in a backpack quickly, then head
in the boat. Unfortunately the motor wouldn't turn over for at this most
crucial of time. Kip rips her apart and we try different things and after
about 20 minutes we get her started and head out on the water. Lunacy has
kicked in. It is now dark, seas are picking up, we have our headlamps on,
and we are chasing after a shark likely well over 10'. We get out but the
waves are building and it is hard to see more than 50' around the boat. Still
hopeful we are determined to find the float attached to the leader possessing
the monster in hopes of freeing her. After about 30 minutes of trying to
find a needle in a haystack, we have covered a couple miles and the float
is nowhere to be found. It is now (not like it already wasn't) getting dangerous.
The full moon will be on the horizon in about an hour, but until then it
is nearly pitch black and the wind and seas are increasing. We are forced
to retreat. While giving it as valiant of an effort the shark gods can ask
for, we were unable to find the fish. We get back in disappointment and ponder
the what if's of the massive shark.
Late that night I have to get home for an emergency Easter prep
mission crapola for the chick, The next morning Kip wakes up to hellacious
conditions and not able to get back in the zodiac for a second look. He drives
the beach and mysteriously finds his float washed up... nothing more. A fish
that size is plenty capable of chewing though that cable and we can only
hope it actually did.
Shark fishing is a lot of work, stress, hits, and misses. Some
times the personal path in search of conquering the beast often leads to
uneventful situations like so. It is only through dedication and understanding
that there will be losses within this path that we will achieve what we are
looking for. Kip missed landing this monster, but it only fueled him further
in his search for 'the one'.
It was a fun trip nonetheless and while the small Blacktips
gave us hell, we landed a few of these lil #######. Also nailed a large male
Finetooth and came back with some good eats. Here are a bunch of random pics
of various fish and scenery. The last picture leads to a Video, a Video
reminiscent of a low-rate Blair Witch Production, but ironically as real
as it gets in the shark fishing world. Til next time... see ya on the
sand.
- Rockstars Out!
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