Turning Point - Of Mind and Yellowtail (10/20)

[Latimeria]

I had my interview moved from Tuesday to Friday and now had a little free time.  I haven't taken my boat out in a bit so needed to stretch its legs.  I didn't prep the boat that night but knew I didn't have to be anywhere on Monday so I would just get ready on Monday.

I couldn't sleep... apparently, I did something stupid this weekend while drinking and now I fell back into a hole that I don't care to be in.  In any case, I'm over this and done with drinking.  At least I'm going to do my best to be done with it.  In any case, I hooked up the boat and only brought minimal gear.  I even left my tacklebox back at home.

I get down to the bay in crystal clear conditions!  I was expecting socked in fog from the forecast.



As I got closer to La Jolla, I saw the inevitable bearing down on me.



Boom!  Socked in and soaking wet!  I decided to soak a bait and keep my ears peeled for boats just in case since there were a few out here.

First drop and my rod doubles over!!  I made the mistake by trying to get the rod out of the holder when I should have just started cranking to make sure the circle hook was set.  Damn... Popped off, but at this point I had no idea of what it could have been.

Next drop and the rod doubles over again!  Holy Schnikeys!  I knew right away it was a big donkey yellow!
I have to admit, fighting it in the fog was awesome since no one else could see you hooked up and come over for the bent rod invitational!

34# Yellow!



The problem is I didn't bring a whole lot of bait, so catching these bastards were a little hurtful when I was thinking that it would better bet served for yellows.  LOL



I was using two rods at once, but only one was getting bit and it happened again!  This one hit and I knew it was huge, but didn't fight (or was as mean) as the last one.  It still took 10 minutes to land and I had to take my glasses off since they were covered with mist and I couldn't see sh!t.

Then it came into view and I was like HOLY CRAP!  On the scale it was 40.5# but the length should have been 50#!  It was a long skinny on!



I redrop the dropper loop and the egg sinker rod.  I kept the clickers off so no to alert the other boats I could hear in the mist.  What the hell!  Fish on again!  I'm fighting it and think I'm hooked up into my dropper loop rig.  Crap!  This was going to be a mess. 
Then I realize the two lines are going in different directions... DOUBLE HEADER!!!!!!!!!!

What a nightmare reeling in two 30+ pound yellows!  It literally took about 15-20 minutes to sort it out.  I had to button the drag to get them up to do my willing and not the other way around. 
FINALLY got the first one in and the second was already tired from fighting my rod holder.  LOL, both to gaff!  WTF!?!?  I have no more room in the kill bag!



I was sweating my ass off and the sun was starting to break up the fog.  I already have 4 fish on the boat from 32 to 40.5 pounds!  I still drop and immediately catch a big bat ray.  To be honest, that bat ray felt like a mackerel compared to those yellows.

I got a few more Sand Bass and decided to cast a fly lined bait out and reel the other ones up and call it quits.  2 hours of fishing for 140# of yellowtail was exhausting.  As I was prepping the boat to call it an early morning, I hear line screaming out.  No friggin way!  On again!

#5 hits the deck and the smallest of the day.  Only a 24 pounder!  LOL



I swear I was going to call it since I have yellowtail all over the deck, but heard other boats trying to locate me since they inevitably heard the deck flopping in the fog.



Then a few boats almost ran into me and others stopped right on me, so it was time to just pack it in.



I was back at the ramp at 10:30 am.....  even after driving back from LJ...  It was the craziest Yellowtail fishing I've ever had.  My buddy wanted to go out again this morning, but I need two hands to pick up my coffee cup since my shoulder is absolutely wasted at this point.

Anyway, I have a career coach meeting this morning for my interview later this week and have A LOT of yellowtail packed in 80 pounds of ice that needs filleting. 

Great day to be fishing and I really think this was the universe's way of saying I'm done with booze.

Thanks for reading!