YT on the bottom 7/28 in LJ
 

Started out early Saturday just before 6AM. Managed to get 6-8 GBs of varying sizes. Went out to the LJ Canyon as I hadn't been out there for a while. Spent about 30 minutes working the entire water column with jigs, fly-line and dropper.

Gave up and headed south to the NW Corner. Trolled the whole way w/ no action. Wind was picking up and after trying a few spots, I told myself I'd just a stay a little longer. I settled in a spot and set a bait on the bottom. After untying a self-inflicted mess in one of my reels, I setup a flyline and let that bait go. That guy insisted on circling the yak so I had to constantly move my rods so they didn't tangle. Then my setup on the bottom began to make some noise. I couldn't get to the rod right away because I was working with the flyline. I wanted to get it close enough so it wouldn't be a problem or far enough away so they wouldn't tangle.

By the time I was satisfied with the separation, my other reel was really going. I initially thought it was a shark b/c of the pull and experience with others that I'd hooked on the bottom. After 10+ minutes of up and down, circling the yak I finally saw something too small to be a shark and realized it was a YT.

I've never hooked a YT on the bottom. Other species sure, (halibut, lingcod, various rock fish and sharks). I learn something new every time I go out...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FC...zWaAVUW8G8XfZk

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FC...zWaAVUW8G8XfZk

Nice yellow! Any signs of anyone else hooking up or are u the lucky few?

That’s a damn nice size yellow too!

Congrats! Nice Yellow. It's been so slow at LJ for quite a while now. I've hardly seen any landed by boat or kayak while I was fishing there in what seems a couple months. The water keeps getting warmer (77.4 on Friday) there is more kelp but bait can be hard to find and the Yellows are elsewhere. I catch and release rock fish and white fish all the time that get on my sabiki while trying to find bait. I guess if I needed Taco meat, than I would focus on the rock fish. Years ago after catching my first Yelow on the kayak, I got hooked and that is almost all I target. Too much fun getting towed around and hearing that Avet drag scream.

I didn't see a lot of folks hooking up, but I did see another Kayaker, "Dave" catch a slightly smaller YT just west of the NW Corner...

Nice fish and great report.
Thanks for sharing.

Nice Yellowtail :yt:, my personal best was on a jig and squid sitting on the bottom. Good job playing out that "shark"....always a good thing to see them before breaking them off. I don't live on the left coast anymore, but sometimes live vicariously through the reports -- Thanks.

Live in Arizona and have been out to La Jolla twice this summer, first in early June for a few days, and then again about three weeks ago for a few days. Both times the fishing was poor, especially on the most recent trip. Some Calicos, but not much else. Years past encountered bonito, swarms of rat yellowtail with an occasional big one, lots of small wsb, and so many barracuda we stopped using spoons. Fishery seems off this year.


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Nice Fish! I caught my first yellow last year out west in that area on bottom on a reverse dropper loop. I think when the water gets too warm the fish tend to stay down deeper. I have been on a long range trip and saw that first hand in 80 degree water with the tuna on top and the yellowtail down on the bottom.

I am gonna try my luck next Fri morning!

Thanks for the report. Nice fish!

More fresh, sumptuous, hedonistic pleasure! Congratulations!

Your fish report was candid and refreshing. Good job on both counts!

Thanks for the report! Nice fish... Good eatz!

QUALITY home guard right there! Congrats :luxhello:

Congrats. I wish I’d stuck to you like glue instead of hanging back to make more bait!

John.


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