Magic Red Fish and bonus Ling

My daughter Valentina turned 12 yesterday, and I took advantage of the occasion to play hooky in the AM to try and get her a Red aka "magic red fish", which is her favorite.

Headed down with my good buddy Bryan to an area where I have had good luck with Reds the past few years...

It wasn't as calm as I was hoping, but after watching the ocean for awhile we decided we would be safe getting in and out and would be able to find some water calm enough to hunt.

After about an hour of diving around I found a nice Ling hole down at 45 feet that produced a fatty for me last year...I dropped down and peeked inside and waaaaay back in a corner was another fat beast of a Ling...

I called Bryan over to take her, but even after many drops with me lighting it up for him he was unable to see it...I guess only having one eye makes it hard to see stuff in the back of deep dark caves...

We decided I should go ahead and take it before it got spooked from us looking at it so much...

I dropped down and wiggled in and lined up my shot...pulled the trigger...fish went nuts and cave filled with a cloud of sand...and I pulled out an empty shaft...

 

No clue what happened but bottom line is I blew it...only redeeming thing is that I am confident the fish is not injured enough to kill her....I will be back to the same hole next time I get a chance and would not be surprised to find her in there again. 

Shifted gears and started focusing on trying to find a Red and doing drop after drop down to 50/55 feet...

Finally saw a Red peek out from around a boulder while I was kicking up...while coming up I took note of a nearby kelp stalk to help me find it again.

After about 10 more frustrating drops I finally saw the Red again...he was being a jerk though and was skittish and made me chase him around his boulder before I finally took a shot on him from above.

Not a very big Red at only 17.25 inches, but any Red is a good Red. 

http://doty.norcalkayakanglers.com/catches/2946

Swam back to where Bryan was puking on the Banks Board and started swimming in...

Along the way we passed over a pinnacle that came up to within view, top at about 30 feet, and was covered with schooling blues...I clipped the board off to a kelp stalk and dropped down to take a look...on top of the pinnacle was a horizontal ledge and under it in a corner was a Ling...didn't look that big to me, but for sure legal so shot her right between the eyes.

When I pulled her out she was significantly bigger and fatter than I thought...bummed that Bryan was sick cuz he could have taken her easy....next time!!

Strung the Ling up, swam back to shore and was grateful that Bryan was there to help carry the fish and gear back up the cliff to the car.

Back at the house I filleted up the fish, gave Bryan half the Ling, and took out the stones from the Red for my daughter. 

Really fun first dive of the year, and can't wait to get back out there again!!

Will look at footage tonight and see if any of it is worth making a vid.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Awesome report! Definitely great to finally get in the water after waiting out these big swells! Looking forward to the vid!

Thanks for the report and pictures Jim.  That Red looks like a baby next to the Ling 

Every time I read your report or watch your video, it makes me want to go diving again. Thanks for the report.

Great report. Always well written and highly entertaining.
Magically Delicious red fish

Nice, really was able to visualize the hunt and the rock features you were working around. Awesome that you can go back and recover the poor wounded Lingcod  .

Thanks for the report!

Not very good footage, but at very beginning can see me spot the small Red on my way back up...then drop down and chase it around a boulder...then the ling with the shaft/shooting line right in her nose. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Beo0BetH-DC/

 

Sincerely,

Jim

And...can you see the big Ling in the back of the hole???

She is behind the abalone shell, behind the piece of kelp stalk...

Nose facing left on left side of kelp...

Pec fin sticking out to right of kelp...

Bottom of belly leading up and right...

The side by side pic shows the same hole in December on left and January on right...the December Ling was much easier to see and a super easy shot...

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Awesome report Jim! I love the side by side picture.
Matt

Awesome report Jim! I love the side by side picture.
Matt

Thanks Matt!!

For those that still can't see her...here is a little help with the outline drawn in red...I'm no Amadeo. 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

It’s always nice to get what you are setting out for especially when a family member loves them so much.