Santa Cruz But Hunt

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Sweet!

Nice Hali Alex and Al.

WTG!!

Congrats!!!

Nice.  I wanted to be there.

Nice catch guys.  I was there with CK, Ooter1, and Tak2.  I heard you guys on the radio and someone had a big one on for quite a while and I never found out what happenned.  I Roe had me rolling with his "jello shots" reason.

Thanks all. It was Really nice out there yesterday! the group was spread out all over Santa Cruz.  Camino, the guy in the picture with the stringer of Brown was the one who lost and never saw the big fish. There was two other kayakers that I heard on the radio that had caught halibut.

another shot
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I got this one with a Big Hammer swim bait.  It weighed over 19 lbs. and measured 37 inches.  I'm working on a video to share.  It should be ready soon.

Damn, you doods slayed 'em!

WTG, er'body.

Nice work Dry Bones! Solid fish! Was nice to meet you yesterday. Looks like I should've brought my kayak instead of boat fishing! 

I got this one with a Big Hammer swim bait.  It weighed over 19 lbs. and measured 37 inches.  I'm working on a video to share.  It should be ready soon.

Nice fish Dry Bones! Was that the one caught in the shallows.  My fish was small only 31" and Al's 33" Here is  a not to good picture.
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"I love it when a plan comes together...."


 
 





                                                                      "...and finally it did!"   







You know the drill.  Wake up at 4:00AM, down to the harbor by 5AM and out on the water by 5:30. Paddle like hell to your chosen spot with all your might in the dim twilight sky with my compass to lead the way.  I finally find myself at destination and begin prepping and sending down my bait hoping for hungry mouths to chomp them down.  After getting my third line in the water and the sun began to peek out from behind the mountain and the clouds,  I feel a sharp tug at the end of my first line.

I quickly dropped my other rod in hits holder and feed the bite some line. Felt the rod start to load up again and feed it some more line, trying to be patient and hoping the hooks have made their way inside the jaws.  I roll over the handle to engage the reel drag and lift up on the rod to feel the weight of this fish and give a quick hook set.  FISH IS ON!  I let her run out for a bit, then reel to keep the tension.  I let her run a few times and reel back up some slack while I get my gaff ready.  Slowly I start to pump and crank the reel to bring the fish up and without spooking the butt brought it higher and higher to the surface (while seeing it on my FF screen was cool). 

She was being cool, not freaking out at all.  I tried not to make any sounds as I reached back and got the game clip from my crate.  Lowering the head of the gaff into the water and lead the fish to the hook by lifting it higher in the air.  Keeping that fish in the trance I got it to within a foot of the gaff and made a lunge for under the back of the head... but the fish is pissed from being stuck in it's neck and trys to do a tail walk out of the water.  I flail with my gaff and swing downward at the flopping fish and stick it in the body and the fish gives me a nice splash of water before calming down.  I slip the game clip through the gills and clip it off to the yak. 

I remove the hooks, which the circle hook was perfectly corner hooked in the jaws and the treble imbedded on the outside.  I thank the fish and then take the knocker to its head and put her to rest.  And all of this before 6:30AM!  I fish for a bit longer in that spot for no more bites. Moved in closer and drifted some more for a couple rockfish bites.  Figured I might as well call it a day and headed in at all of 8:30.  Hung out at the harbor and had beer and jello shots when Tracy, Aaron and Jeff came in, then again with Alex when he headed back in.

Now i'm going to go do some trout fishing! 

Way to go guys! You guys make getting butts look easy. Congrats.

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Hey guys I might do a Fri/Sat trip, anyone knw a good place to car camp? LOL

Wow! I can't wait to give it a try out there!