Multi-Marlin Madness!

     Hey guys interesting splinter topic: grammar! Here's another one for ya: talent. I appreciate the kind words from Boogie D on being considered a good kayak angler, but I have come to the conclusion a long time ago that talent is not required to experience kayak fishing success. The people that do the stuff that everyone oohs and aahs over are the ones who put the time and effort into it, but they are not necessarily better than anyone else.
     It might be different for stuff like bass fishing, where a lot of technique and subtleties are involved, but with a lot of kayak fishing, I think it's just about effort, learning, and the investment of time. That's why I have met so many people that have caught huge fish on their first time out. I have met people at La Jolla that caught 43# yellowtails on their first trip out on a kayak, and white seabass even bigger than that their first time out. If they stick with it, and put time on the water, they will continue, over time, to experience success. A year later they are fishing 4 times a week, and they are landing awesome catches regularly. Then they'll fade away and someone new will come along who is stoked and replace them.
    That's why you can look at the message boards and see new faces cropping up that all of a sudden seem like hot anglers. It's because they got hooked on the sport, took the time, by reading posts on message boards, maybe fishing with others who shared tips, to find out the tried and true ways to catch bait, tie line and knots, troll or throw jigs, and fight and land fish.
     In my opinion, being at the right place, at the right time, prepared, and reacting correctly(in other words, not making big mistakes) seem to be the key ingredients to success. Look, if it took a lot of raw talent, I wouldn't have any success. I'm not the most successful angler I know, but I have had my share (pure unassisted launching from shore as well as mothershipping), and again I think it was due to being there and being prepared.
     Take the 64.5 pound ulua I caught, or all the uluas I have caught launching from shore with no assistance in Hawaii. Not tons, but I have caught a bunch in the 40-50 range. Right time at the right place. It took a lot of effort, but then again so does moving furniture. I'm not saying there is no skill involved, but if you switched my body out with someone else who was reasonably coordinated and had a fair amount of kayakfishing experience right before I paddled out, they would have probably landed the fish too. The hard part was planning the trip, committing myself to fishing 10-12 hours a day for a week straight while I was on the island, weathering the strike, stubbornly cranking on that brute, and staying out till it all came together.
     Records are cool and all that, I can understand why people would get into them, but I do not think they necessarily indicate that the record holder can do something that anyone else can't do. Example one, I was once at the East Cape. I launched from shore and paddled around for hours in the hot blazing sun, and eventually found a wide open dorado bite and landed three. The main reason I landed them was because I was stubborn enough to paddle all around even though it was crazy hot, and stay out there until I got lucky.
     Well, I had a record I figured. Groupies would probably be lined up at the beach(!) My friends Rod and Val were arriving to the resort while I was still on the water. I called in on my VHF and they met me at the beach when I returned with my trio of nice dodos. Rod had planned on mellowing out with his wife but I egged him on and he went out, and he caught FIVE in less than an hour. So my record, if it even was one, lasted like less than two hours. Now you compare that with a record like Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak. He ended up getting a hit in a long string of games. You couldn't just substitute him out and put somebody in his place and get the same or better results, because he had something that the other players just didn't have.
     I don't think it's like that in yakfishing. Show me an angler who has tons of success who isn't on the water a ton. Moreover, show me an angler that is really great and has tons of success, and you know how you can turn them into just another person? Give them a job that require them to work during fishing hours!
     I think that the great majority of people can learn this sport and accomplish anyone else's feats, provided they get the same amount of access to quality fishing grounds, and get the same amount of time to spend on the water.
     I don't mean to belittle anyone's accomplishments, but I just wanted to maybe take some of the steam out notion that equates kayak angling success with being special.
   Cheers all,
        Bluewater Jon

   

Not sure I entirely agree with the talent discussion Jon.  I know a few people that put a lot of time into it and aren't very good ...

-Allen

Yeah I suppose you are right Allen, the argument definitely has some flaws, like the one you mention.
Take care,
Jon

     I don't think it's like that in yakfishing. Show me an angler who has tons of success who isn't on the water a ton. Moreover, show me an angler that is really great and has tons of success, and you know how you can turn them into just another person? Give them a job that require them to work during fishing hours!
     I think that the great majority of people can learn this sport and accomplish anyone else's feats, provided they get the same amount of access to quality fishing grounds, and get the same amount of time to spend on the water.
     I don't mean to belittle anyone's accomplishments, but I just wanted to maybe take some of the steam out notion that equates kayak angling success with being special.
   Cheers all,
        Bluewater Jon

   

          I only fished about 3 times a month this year, on the weekends, worked 50 hours a week, caught 15 mahis, 5 onos, 3 ahis, 5 uluas, 17 ukus. What?! No talent!!
 Then you can understand why no one sees anything "special" about your catches right?
  J/K Jon, but in my opinion Steve Huesser and Reggie Pare on the Big Island are "SPECIAL"  the best in the business by far, they paddle from shore, land on shore, and catch bigger fish than anyone that way, with full time jobs. And I am not taking anything away from mother shippers, anyway you can make it out there right?
       IMO catching fish consistently in Hawaii from a kayak takes talent. And OTHERS may consider you "special" due to the fact, they don't see that kind of success all the time. Kayak fishermen all together are a special group. At least let us have that. . Rocket...

Taking a step back,

I have to strongly disagree. Some folks certainly care about kayak specific records. Just as some folks are all wound up in AOTY. But there are a lot of folks out there, catching a lot of fish from kayaks, that could not care less about kayak fish records, tournament results, or angler of the year standings. So while competition does drive a small part of any sport, most are merely happy participants. It is this quiet majority that actually drives growth.

 These are great points and remind me of what got me so stoked about this sport in the first place,

 I used to Tournament Bass Fish, have friends that still do and it totally engulfs their lives,

 I couldn't keep up with them with Wife/Kids..Job and always felt terrible fishing with them when I got the chance,

 Their intense drive, they always had to find and catch fish....

 They make money @ it, travel, ect ect.... But I really don't see the same passion for the sport that they put

 so much into,  and eventually, found fishing with them, a complete waste of time

 Then Came Kayakfishing

 What a Breath of Fresh Air......

 Uncomplicated, Peaceful, I get out fishing more than ever chasing species I've never caught before...

 And have a Bond with each of you that is similar to what Surfers used to have....

 I have learned so much from all of you and see that we all want to give to this Great Sport....

 I guess my point is....

 Lets always remember of why we love this sport...

  It's Fun...


 In our drive to further the sport and our experiences...

 Let's always keep this first

I have to agree with you Danglin fun first.

 for me, kayakfishing nourishes my need to interact with the ocean and water in general. furthermore,there is something very empowering about being captain of my own ship at sea.

fun first, and food for my family, without feeling guilty for having fun. love the surfer like bond we share.  best of all being captain of my own ship, at sea and one with nature. my body loves what kayaking does for it. I will always rember the things that brought me to this sport. competition is fun. it not about winning or loosing its about how we play the game. me my problem is i love to play. I will always try to be the best i can be even if i am not the best. as long as i am doing what i love i am king of the world. merry christmas to all.  Boogie-D

   
     It might be different for stuff like bass fishing,

   

nice save