Mystery fish lost 1.25hr on 12lb.

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:57 pm    Post subject: North Santa Barbara -1 .25 hr on 12lb. farmed???     

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Launched north of santa barbara at 7;30 nice morning,headed north and out to 30-40ft. #3 cast nice calico 5 lb plus released,moved west along coast every 20-30 minutes a nice calico would stick, more 3, 4 and another solid 5 lb calico all released,Watching bird and bait,hook one greenie and lost while filling bait tank,No thresher sign,listen radio,watch boat on outside,No long tails,Decide to try small sand bay for a butt.I paddle in and set up at 10 ft water ,rocky area of beach stops,I grab my trout rod shimanoo 4000 spinner w/12lb,on a 7' LIGHT stick,tied to the end a 1/4oz.lead with eye and a cream 3" swim bait.First cast and 2 cranks short bite and bendo it sticks as the smile crosses my face,I realize that this is not a normal butt or ?, As the fish begins to even know me and my cobra f/d are attached to it the ride begins,TUG,TUG, deeper we go.Not like a shark or ray,plenty of runs,shakes,tugs,deeper we go,back in we go,the whole time seems like the fish is looking for kelp,at one time I feel like I have within 30 ft of me,Once I think seal is gonna take as after an hour she takes off again,1.25 hrs, the first slack in battle raps around tip to the scream of NOOOOOOOOOOO> I have fished my whole life,Caught a lot of blue,sand,leapord sharks,ray ,etc . This was Not a ray or shark.I am stumped,I have only caught a few legal butts in my day,WSB showed up south of me in surf today,Any thoughts .It will be along time till I stop seeing that line on the end of my rod, I am hooked on yak fishing,every weekend has been a adventure. 

sounds to me like it could have been a white seabass or a big calico. calicos are known to look for kel pas soon as they are hooked.

did you see any color of the fish at all?

what a fight it must have been!