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Topic: 40 Inch Club: NorCal Lings, Butts, Salmon, Stripers  (Read 47629 times)

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BigJim

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As one of the guys responsible for verifying AOTY and DOTY submissions I spend A LOT of time looking at fish pics and AOTY/DOTY entries both past and present.

Some entries and reports have stuck in my head and inspired me...the BIG fish over 40 inches have always haunted my dreams....both for the sheer impressiveness of the fish, and for the fact that I have seen/caught/shot so few fish that big!!!

I have heard mention and talk of the "40 inch club", but thought it would be cool to have a thread (hopefully stickied  :smt002) where people can share and post their stories of their entries into "The 40 inch Club".

Seems to me that the species up here that should qualify for entry into this club are Lings, Butts, Salmon and Stripers...WSB seem to be mostly over 40 (only one entered in AOTY under 40), sturgeon are too big  :smt002, same with wolf eels and sharks.

Here are some of my ramblings of 40inchers that have inspired me and left a lasting impression on me...

40 inches has always seemed to be the magic number to truly qualify a Ling as a LingZilla (don't know why but that's what my brain told me  :smt002), and I still vividly remember when Adam FisHunter caught and released his 41 inch beast back in 2009.

His report and the community response to it was one of the events that really opened my eyes to what a special group NCKA is...

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=19596.0

You can see the 40 inch and over AOTY lings here:

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/5

In 2012 I managed to join the "40 inch club" with my still PB ling. This was mostly a wrestling match after I barely pricked him with my spear...

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=37410.0



DOTY is still only three years old, but you can see some of the 40 inch and over Lings that have been shot and entered here:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=37410.0

Later that year SinCoast caught his monster 42.75 inch butt to win the MBK tourney, and I remember thinking how crazy big that was and how I would almost be scared to see a butt that big underwater:

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/catches/2378

You can see the 40 inch and over AOTY butts here:

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/4

This year I was lucky enough to get another entry into the Club with this 41.25 inch butt...once again my spear did not go all the way through and I had to grab the fish and subdue it with brute force...

 http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=57493.0



You can see the DOTY butts over 40 here:

http://doty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/6

In 2012 I remember being amazed at the masssive Salmon that Ruben FishKraft reeled in...what a BEAUTIFUL fish!!

 :smt007

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/catches/2778

You can see the 40 inch and over AOTY Salmon here:

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/3

In 2009 Patrick HOLY TOLEDO blew my mind when he caught this 42 inch Striper trolling a rapala in the surf, and now that it is legal to spear ocean stripers I get excited every time I swim through the surf thinking that I might stumble across a similar monster....

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/catches/763

You can see the 40 inch and over AOTY Stripers here:

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/10

So...if you have stories/pics/vids of your own entries into the 40 inch club, or want to share stories of catches that have inspired you as an angler/diver post them up here!

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

ps...attached are a few pics of some good examples of my favorite 40+ inch beasts.  :smt004
« Last Edit: August 08, 2014, 02:04:31 PM by BigJim »

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FisHunter

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you made me cry here at work....thanks Jim!  :smt008

and another congrats to those who are in now.  :smt007

To those that are still looking to enter the 40 club.......they are out there, keep your chin up and your line/spear in the water, IT WILL HAPPEN!  :smt003
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If you dont mind, I'm adding this 40"+ Pac Hali. :smt002 THANKS
« Last Edit: August 04, 2014, 12:14:51 PM by Burong Isda »
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trianglelaguna

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ahhh
WOW

seems I'm using too small a hook  :smt003
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FishingForTheCure

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ahhh
WOW

seems I'm using too small a hook  :smt003

It's not the size of the hook, it's how you dangle it  :smt002


Malibu_Two

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How about WSB? 43", 45", and 48".
May the fish be mighty and the seas be meek...


ravensblack

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All awesome fish! Great thread. The one with HT is, well they all are amazing but HT's salmon just makes me giggle with joy. I was talking to his Dad on the phone when Patrick paddled up to him and I got to hear the first reaction from Allen. Priceless! He said," Holy Shit, it looks like Patrick has a WSB in the back of his kayak."  :smt007 :smt006

Then after their infamous day at LM they stopped by and gifted one of those striped fish. These are the kind of friends that make life complete.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2014, 12:27:11 PM by ravensblack »
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BigJim

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How about WSB? 43", 45", and 48".

Awesome fish dude!!

I don't know much about WSB but seems to me that most of the ones taken up here are over 40 inches though??

http://aoty.norcalkayakanglers.com/speciesleaders/list_by_species/14

While I would be stoked to get ANY legal sized WSB, not sure if they would better fit in a 50 inch club?  :smt002

But...like I said...I don't know nothing about WSB...except that I wanna shoot one.  :smt003

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

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LoletaEric

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Great thread, Jim.  I like the way you constructed it and gave links.  You're making me feel old though!   :smt005

September 11, 2006 - Solo 38 pound Shelter Cove King Salmon that my Dad said was "short for its weight" at just over 40":

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=5461.msg44838#msg44838

November 20, 2005 - 23.5 pound 40" lingcod won AOTY biggest lingcod that year:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=2303.0

July 12, 2011 - Solo over 40" Shelter Cove Pacific Halibut caught on barbless gear:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=32278.msg342950#msg342950

Thanks for the forum searching practice.   :smt003
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Malibu_Two

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I don't know much about WSB but seems to me that most of the ones taken up here are over 40 inches though??

True enough, just wanted to post these up again!
May the fish be mighty and the seas be meek...


FisHunter

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I don't know much about WSB but seems to me that most of the ones taken up here are over 40 inches though??

True enough, just wanted to post these up again!
:smt044   :metal
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AlsHobieOutback

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I don't know much about WSB but seems to me that most of the ones taken up here are over 40 inches though??

True enough, just wanted to post these up again!
Guess we need a 50" club then  :smt003 :smt004 :smt005
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BigJim

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Great thread, Jim.  I like the way you constructed it and gave links.  You're making me feel old though!   :smt005

September 11, 2006 - Solo 38 pound Shelter Cove King Salmon that my Dad said was "short for its weight" at just over 40":

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=5461.msg44838#msg44838



Love the pics in this one!!

Crazed salmon fever eyes!!

 :smt003

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

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FisHunter

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yep! = he's CRAZY!  :smt008
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Hey I caught two 40 inch Cali butts that day! 35lbs and 28lbs...




And I agree there should probably also be a 50" Club for trophy PacButts & WSB.
And maybe a 100" Club for threshers now too  :smt044
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