First Time in Big Blue – MBK Jackpot

Great Bass 2 and I launched at MBK around 7AM under gray skies, light breeze and very small waves.    GB2 was kind enough to give me my first introduction to kayaking the big blue, showing me the spots, describing technique, and what to look out for.

Our first stop was for sand dabs.   No sooner than the rig hit bottom, I felt the immediate tap,tap, telling me someone was home.   A few moments later, I reeled up a couple nice little sand dabs.   They were petite, but for all I cared, it could have been a 3 foot halibut  -  I was just so elated to catch my first salt water fish by kayak.    A couple pictures to memorialize the occasion, and my rig went down for more.  Rig down, and immediately, tap-tap again   This is the kind of fishing that brings out all the childhood joy that has been buried deep within, under so many years of trying to be the serious and responsible adult.      I really just love this kind of fishing, when the sand dabs are so eager to please.   
As I drifted out of the sand dab zone, my rig was greeted by a lizard fish, which was pleased to pose for a photo before going back to hang out with his buddies.   Much as I would have loved to stay and fish sand dabs all day, there was more fun ahead, more to learn about Big Blue – the huge potential that was waiting for me to discover.

Next stop was my introduction to rock fish.   We both hooked into blue rockfish pretty quickly, but then the action went quiet.    GB2 suggested another spot that usually holds more rockfish.    We moved to the next stop, where I dropped the rig, bumped around on the bottom a bit, and then felt like my line was stuck onto something.    Finally got the line worked free.    As I drifted down wind,  I could feel my line shaking around, yet when I set,  there was nothing there.   This happened a couple more times..   I asked GB2 if there are snags down on the bottom, to which he replied – sometimes. 

I paddled a bit over to try a different piece of water.  Another snag, tried to pull the rig free, but this time, my pull was immediately answered with some serious shakes.   I cranked up hard and felt a surge of power bending my rod deeply.   My arms strained to lift the shaking, diving weight below me.   I called to GB2 -  this was definitely heavier than the earlier fish.   Seeing me struggle with the fish below me, GB2 came over to see what was happening.  At long last, I wrestled this fish to the surface and reached for my brand new net, recently purchased because I read on this board that nets are required for Big Blue.   I felt a bit ridiculous buying such a big net, but  if that’s what the regs say, that’s what I will do.  As I reached the net towards the fish at the end of my line, I realized just how ridiculous this was.   There was no way in the world the halibut thrashing around next to my kayak was going to fit into that net.    I thought the halibut  was subdued when I got it to the surface, but that was only the beginning of the real fight.  With a net that could not fit that fish, I was really stuck.    There was no way I was going to get my hands anywhere near that fish, having had my fingers shredded by halibut a few too many times in the past.   Fortunately, GB2 was there with a handy gaff.   After several attempts, GB2 finally gaffed the fish .    The halibut registered its displeasure by a powerful sweep of its broom-sized tail, showering us with  surprisingly large wall of water flying at us.   Once gaffed, the brute was game hooked, yet still very much alive, angry and full of vengeance. 

At long last, we managed to subdue it, but then had to figure out what to do with it.   It wouldn’t fit in the game bag I brought along.   I had to drag it out of the water, across my legs, and point the head and gnashing teeth away from me to protect my vital interests.   

Normally, the fish I catch are much, much bigger in the water, but when I get them out of the water the air has a way of shrinking them down.    Not so with this fish.   This halibut was wider than the beam of my kayak.    As its head and tail hung over opposite sides of my kayak, the enormity of it finally struck me.   This was a serious halibut.  Now that the battle was over, and my senses came back to me, I began t o realize just what we had accomplished.     Without GB2 there, there was no way on earth I was ever going to be able to land that fish. 

We tried to weigh it using GB2’s Bogagrip.   Not a chance.    The 15# maximum weight of the boga was exceeded before we could even lift the fish off the boat.   When I got home, the fish taped out at 39-40  inches and 29 pounds, my personal record. 

What a day it was!   GB2 orchestrated it to perfection from beginning to end, starting us  out small with those ‘bundle of joy’ sand dabs, stepping us up to rockfish, and the grand halibut finale. 

Great Bass 2 -  you are the Greatest!   Many thanks for the masterful introduction to the Big Blue.   This is a day I will never forget – the first of what I am sure will be many, many more days kayak angling in NCKA style.   

I had some great pictures to memorialize this great day, but my wife erased them all.    We have been trying to recover them to no avail for the past few hours.   Hopefully, GB2 can post a few.

Thats awesome ! Its good to hear that there still some big butts down there. Great report, Kimo

That's an incredible fish.
Way to go and way to go Scott for pointing you in the right direction.
A couple of questions. What did you get it on and WHERE ARE THE PICS??????????

A few months ago, I had suggested to Flyaker that we have an on the water lesson since he had soooo many questions about salt water fishing and I was tired of answering PM's.   All week I was worried that he might get skunked since fishing has been slow and the WX didn't look great and I wanted his first trip to be successful. Packed a selection of my favorite rigs and brought a Calstar GF XLH and Okuma Cataline LC with 30# spiderwire invibraid main line for him to use. As his handle implies, Lawrence is a total fly fishing addict and had never used conventional tackle before so we had a lesson in the parking lot before launching. We headed out to the red buoy and had a quick instruction on paddling technique. Lawrence picked up some sand dabs on his first drop and seemed pretty happy and I was thinking that was good because that might be all we catch.   I told him to switch to a green thrasher on a 4 oz jig head with a kalin single tail glow teaser on a dropper loop combo which I had tied for him and we headed to the yellow can for rock fish. Picked up a few blues on the way down and I was thinking things were going pretty well, sand dabs and rock fish and Lawrence seemed pretty happy. Got to the yellow can and set up the first drift for nada. Paddle up wind to set up the second drift and lawrence followed. About 5 minutes into the drift, Lawrence says he has a fish on. I pull my line up and paddle over in case he needs help. I was few yards away and he gets the fish up to the surface and says it is a hallie and that his net isn't big enough and I was thinking he had been trout fishing too long. I told him to back off the drag and I wil gaff him. I pull up next to him and get my Erik Kunz gaff and game clip and tell Lawrence to bring him up. So lawrence reels him up and OMG!!!!!   that's not a hallie, it's a SHOOTER and I left my gun at home.   His mouth was gaping open almost 10 inches across and I decided to lift my feet out of the water since I was sitting side saddle. Decided to gaff him through the jaw but when I lited him, the jaw tore off and he fell back in the water. Luckily he was still hooked on the thrasher and Larence brought him up for round 2. This time I went for a head shot and got him on the game clip. Then we had to reorganize Flyakers cockpit which looked like something out of the Beverly Hillbillies.   After the reorganization, I told him it is not safe to bring a hallie that size onto a yak unless they are dead so I lifted him up and hit him with my boga grip a half a dozen times. Unfortunately he wouldn't die and we finally decided to try to kill him with the Kunz gaff. After running the gaff through his head a few times he looked dead and I told Lawrence to bring him onboard with the head facing the bow. He brought him onboard and it was high 5's and picture taking. Larence is trying to take pictures of this giant hallie in his lap and I told him he is still alive and Lawrence said it was just reflexes.   Then the hallie starts jumping up and down and I hit it afew more times with my boga grip. Then Lawrence looked REALLY happy.   We paddled in and stopped for a lesson on fishing kelp and practiced kelp tieing.

A few years ago, Alien took me on my first saltwater trip at MBK. It was a great day and it started my long downward spiral into kayak fishing addiction.   Yesterday was one of my favorite days on the water, even though I didn't catch the big fish. It was so much fun you would think it should be illegal. My word of advice for Flyaker - read the article on WAF.  

Scott

Congratulation and welcome to the Madness!

What a beautiful MBK flatty! 

it may have been the first time on big blue but by the way Flyaker is smiling it wont be the last way to go on the BIG BUTT Flyaker . Scott way to go on being a great Gide and picking the spot will have to hook up with you some time .

Pat R

Great report! Congrats on a very nice halibut , and so the maddness begins

That is a fish of a lifetime! When people stop to show others the way , great things happen.When I read flyakers post I had to be patient and keep reading and not scroll right down to the pics. When I got to the end and read about the pics being lost I felt a liitle sad for flyman. Thanks GB2 for bringing us up to date on the pics. They are awesome! Another giant halibut for ocean kayak. Way to go. The pic with the ocean kayak should be on the homepage for ocean kayak. I would definetly submit it. Congrats.

Great fish, great story and great teaching GB2. The Karma will come back to you 10 fold I am sure.

Nice work, that's about identical to one I landed there in the picture of me on this post. Where were you when you hooked it up?
Mike

Great Report and Fish...

That's a Monster,  Nice Job GB2 infecting the Maddness....

Great report Flyaker. First time out on the sea and be rewarded with a huge hali,
priceless. Congrats! Thanks GB2 for taking the pictures and the much appreciated
helping hand.

Jed

Man Lawrence, that is just incredible! You are totally screwed now. Wish I could've been there to witness that fish. Going out there tomorrow.

Here is a picture of Flyaker's first kayak fish. You can also see why we had to remodel his rigging for the hallie.

Scott

Hi Flyaker,

Congratulation on the fine Hali.  You could have won the MBK's derby easily with that Hali if you're there a couple week ago    Welcome to the madness and you're now hooked 

Sailfish