Perfect kayak weather yesterday, sunny and almost windless, sea and swell-no problem. A couple of first's for me; The Card.7X I got from Hardyboy(Todd), used as a bait fisher for the first time, 1st Whales of the season, 1st Opelu(Mackerel Scad), and first Hammerhead hook-up.
Opelu are one of the favored live baits here, relatively small, very lively, occur in large schools and the top level carnivore fish love 'em. Now I know what a school looks like on the fish finder—-Huge! About 50' top to bottom and fine in structure, almost like Krill.
As soon as I got that Opelu, had to jet oudda there. "Whooooshhh!" 2 big Humppies were commin at me. I know they can see us on the surface, but will that stop them from ignoring me and possibly capsizing my poor self? Prolly depends on what they are up to. They stopped, just under the surface, but why? Watching my insignificant self? Ya never know, it's mating and calf—season.
Back to bait catching, but lost the school. A lite terminal rig on the Cardinal(20# + a fine wire 2/0), and let him go, perfect for a free-swimming Opelu. Did hook a nice Moana(Goatfish) in deeper water on my other rod with a sabiki bait catching rig and I
only had it 1/2 way up from 180' when the Opelu got bit.
No exaggeration here, an epic pitched battle for me. Make sure the Scad eater's hooked, secure the rig and get the goatfish 60' up closer and into the yak. Cool, he's big enough to eat! Losing line fast on the Cardinal though. A Shibe?(small Yellowfin), a wahoo(Ono)? I let him go on a light drag. As the battle got going, I chased him when he got too much 30# braid out and the spool was within a few feet of the backing. Across and back, in and out to about a mile offshore. He's too fast for a shark and he ain't bit through my leader yet. Workin the rudder and throttle as fast as I can with my left hand. 1/2 an hour latter and I'm in "Old Man and The Sea" mode. I godda at least see him! Darn here comes those whales again, and the Opelu is sliding up the line on the surface. I've had sea birds dive bomb my trolled bait before. Man, is this FUN! The whales veered-off closer to shore...no birds close..
I've commented on the Zebco Cardinal fulcrum brake drags in the past. How they are not consistent at the higher drag pressures. Well, not this 7X. The sensitivity surprised me. Lockdown at 3.25 turns and I had it at 2 turns and #6 on the 10 number dial. Slightest bit of excess pull from the critter and the drag would release line.
I finally ran most of the energy out of him, got up close—-a Hammerhead! No mistaking that part of 'em. I'd seen parts of fins earlier, and that he had a long relatively skinny body, and was thinking "oh please a Wahoo". Leanest looking Hammerhead I've ever seen(mostly seen pictures of these sharks) about 5' long. Break him off... oddly enough, the hook snapped in half. That is some great 20# mono!
I know, "pictures or it didn't happen". Not gonna happen unless I get someone to Go-Pro instruct me and I decide to buy one. I had my stupid I-phone out earlier to take a couple of pictures, but that thing is expensive, I've already ruined one that a guy gave me, from water intrusion. So, I have to be dry hands-and drop proof cautious. Some no-action/fish pictures anyway.
Great report, Greg!
Thanks!
Best, Fred
Keep the pictures going....
Glad the reel is getting fished !! Nice work.
Cheers:
Todd
One more picture, the Hook/leader.
Sounds like a really interesting, and fun, excursion. Nothing much better or smoother, IMO, than a well maintained Cardinal fulcrum drag system. Sounds like your 7X really showed its stuff! 8)
Sounds like alota action Gregg!What brand #20 mono were you using I might have missed it?
That is why we keep going back, it is an adventure every time. Dominick
sound 5x better and fun than my action at the office ;D
Quote from: Midway Tommy on December 27, 2022, 06:23:34 PMSounds like a really interesting, and fun, excursion. Nothing much better or smoother, IMO, than a well maintained Cardinal fulcrum drag system. Sounds like your 7X really showed its stuff! 8)
Yeah. Maybe I need a bigger sample size than 1 or 2 before I make comments or form opinions. My well used Card. 4 and 6 probably need certain parts and someone more proficient at reel repair/maintenance than myself, to get back closer to 100% drag function.
Quote from: jgp12000 on December 28, 2022, 12:34:23 PMSounds like alota action Gregg!What brand #20 mono were you using I might have missed it?
20# fluorocarbon from Pro Challenger. Good stuff, good price. Musta hooked that shark in the edge of his mouth. Most bite through the line. There's alota Sharks out there. Hmmm, boggie-boarders, surfers, snorkelers, swimmers and paddle-boarders abound on days like that...if they knew...
I use circle hooks on all of my inshore reels when I lived on the water. They would catch Sharks just as easy as the redfish and flounder.