So it all started yesterday when I was reading the Charleston fishing forums and I saw 2 reports with pictures of people who caught Kings off the end of the folly pier. So of course I spent the whole night at work thinking about going to the end of the folly pier and catching myself some kings. That’s when I thought, what the hell I will just drag my kayak down the beach and paddle myself off shore and troll (paddle) for some kings. So I tell some guys at work what I am going to do the next day and they all get a good chuckle out of it.
So this morning I wake up, load the yak in the truck, and drive down to Hadrell’s tackle shop. I reluctantly tell the guy what I am going to do cause I need some info and help. The guy says something like “In theory I guess it should work” when really he is thinking, this kid is nuts if he thinks he is going to catch a king today. But any how I end up buying a small gaff, some 20# mono since braid doesn’t have enough strech for kings fast runs, and I head off to the beach.
I get to the beach and unload my yak from the truck, set everything up and immediately start regretting the idea. It is a long as drag with the darn heavy kayak. So I finally get to the water and set up all my rods with the kingfish rigs, as I start to paddle out I can feel all the eyes of the surf fisherman and the pier fisherman piercing into me with the thoughts of what the hell is this kid doing.
So I get about 400 yards off shore and it isn’t exactly a calm day, but I adjust quickly and start looking for bait. Couple menhaden jump here, couple jump there, but no real schools of them. 2 1/2 Hours go by of paddling and throwing the cast net…no bait. Then finally after one cast there is 1 nice big 8 or 9 in menhaden. I was like bingo but not enough bait. So I throw that live menhaden on the rig and toss him behind the yak as I start to paddle for more bait.
It was about 10 min after I threw the bait behind me the I hear the lovely “ziiinnnnnngggg”, the reel is screaming! Before
He was pretty beat tired by the time he was next to the boat, the plan was to gaff him near the head and grab the tail and throw him head first into the kayak hull throught the large front hatch. I am well aware of the stitches that can occur from kingfish lol
Thanks Too Busy. As for the cast net… normally in the flat creeks I can stand up, but today I was sitting with the wind and swell. Its a small 4 foot radius net pretty easy to throw
Dude, that’s how its done! I’m not sure, but you may qualify for the 23 and under division for SKA. Only problem is you would’nt be getting any bonus money from Mercury or Yamaha. Some tournament teams will fish all season, spend thousands of dollars and burn untold amounts of fuel to maybe catch a 30lb’er. Nice job. Can I rent a kayak for the Miracles tournament?
great report and congrats. that’s fishing…true fishing. an old man and the sea type tale. you my friend have nothing left to prove. it official, you’re a badass.
Thanks for all the kind words guys it appreciated, but really I just wanted to get out and catch some big fish and the match-up section didnt work out yesterday, so just had to give something new a shot. I was born and raised in Miami so I miss the bigfish action sometimes. I do think however I saved a lot of money today by not going out deep on a ride. The highlight of the day though was when i was wrapping up on the beach and I herd a guy say “I spend ■■■■ near a thousand dollars a month to have my boat and this guy is catching bigger kings in a kayak”
Dang nice job there man!! Heck of a thrill to catch a big fish out of a yak!
Ya ought to send in a pic of it to Ocean Kayak, aka Johnson Outdoors and ask them for some free goodies for your yak. Not sure if they still do that or not, when it was my familys company we used to send people stuff all the time for good shots like that first one.
Great fish and a great read! I felt like I was there. I’ve caught some small fish out of my yak but nothing close to that! Awesome job and thanks for sharing!
SeaPro 23 WA Yam 225
High Tide 16 Honda 40
Key West 17’ Stealth Yam 115
Some tournament teams will fish all season, spend thousands of dollars and burn untold amounts of fuel to maybe catch a 30lb’er. Nice job. Can I rent a kayak for the Miracles tournament?