# Finally, a day on the water with out problems



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Well, mechanical problems at least. Storm ran me off after just little over an hour at my spot. Also found out the hard way that the radar on my phone has about a fifteen minute delay and a storm can blow up real quick in fifteen minutes. I made the two mile sprint back in thirty minutes, and that includes catching a king. Had lighting nipping on my heels the whole time. I will NEVER do that again.

Anyhow for the report...

Arrived at my favorite launch at six AM on the dot. Seas were pretty big but long slow rollers, according to my bottom machine, I went over several four footers. Unloaded and made bait by seven, trolled what I call my mahi candy with a fresh dead cig to my spot two miles out, one short strike. Once to my spot I put a a twenty one inch mahi which ate the mahi candy in the cooler at ten till eight. My seventeenth of year. I had my gopro and got footage of the mahi jumping in my yak only to jump out immediately. Pretty cool.

I then slow trolled a live cig on fluro for a few minutes. Had a snapper, I assume, grab it at the top and proceed to wreck me breaking me off.

I retie but also I decided to drop down some livies in search of my first yak grouper. First drop yielded about at thirty inch cobia before it even gets to the bottom. By now Im hearing thunder. 

Second drop a small king hits it half way down.

Third drop I assume another king ate it on the way down as I brought up just a head. 

Flat line goes off, small shark.

Fourth drop I get slammed, drag locked down, thumbing spool and I get wrecked and broke off.

Thunder is getting louder and closer.

Fifth drop, same as fourth.

Sixth drop, I get absolutely hammered, I was only a few feet off bottom. I think it was a nurse shark, I could feel him move but I could barely move him and he really wasnt moving all that fast. After a few minutes of some serious tug o war and the thunder getting even louder and closer finally my seven ought hook straightens out.

Its time to go, set out my mahi candy and average over four miles per hour on the way in. I was getting pretty nervous. Caught another small king.

The worse part was that just before I decided to leave I saw a big grass line about a quarter mile south of me bobbing in the waves. If the storm hadnt of chased me off I think it would have been a great day with all of the live turbo cigs I had. Could have caught some more/bigger mahi and who knows what else. It was a big line.

It was nice finally not having any mechanical problems and for what ever reason the upgrades on my mirage not only made the pedaling smoother, I also went a lot faster hitting over six miles per hour on occasion.


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

nice job bro. you gotta watch them storms they have been popping up quick lately


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

bbarton13 said:


> nice job bro. you gotta watch them storms they have been popping up quick lately


I got really nervous when I started to think about what would happen if something broke again, there would have been no way I could have out paddled that storm.

Once on the beach I was so exhausted I felt like I was going to hurl.

Looks like its going to rough for the next several days, cant wait to get back at it once it calms down. I NEED a sail or at least a quality dolphin.


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## dvldocz (Nov 9, 2011)

Congrats on the catches. Sounds like an amazing short trip. great to hear the hobie is working better than before. I can't wait to take the PA I picked up from Kidney off shore. The weather can't be bad all of the time, right? :huh: Better to life to fish another day. :thumbup:


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

JD7.62 said:


> I got really nervous when I started to think about what would happen if something broke again, there would have been no way I could have out paddled that storm.
> 
> Once on the beach I was so exhausted I felt like I was going to hurl.
> 
> Looks like its going to rough for the next several days, cant wait to get back at it once it calms down. I NEED a sail or at least a quality dolphin.


i was 2 miles off perdido yesterday when someone in a condo called the coast called and said that i disappeared over the horizon. they sent a boat and a chopper lol. i think im gonna def drop some cash soon on a vhf radio. i could of prevented them from coming out cuz they probably called first. i need a sail or dolphin too!


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

bbarton13 said:


> i was 2 miles off perdido yesterday when someone in a condo called the coast called and said that i disappeared over the horizon. they sent a boat and a chopper lol. i think im gonna def drop some cash soon on a vhf radio. i could of prevented them from coming out cuz they probably called first. i need a sail or dolphin too!


Thats insane, did they make contact with you? If so, what did they say?

I need a VHF as well. I always have cell reception but it wouldnt help if I happen to go overboard and cant make it back to my yak.

Other then the time I had that big fish start pulling me sideways and I was taking water over the side, today was the only other, "oh shit" moment Ive had out there.


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

they just asked if everything was ok and told me someone called so they had to come check on me, then he started talking about kayak fishing and that he wanted to try it. i said check out my youtube videos lol.


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## pompanopete (Aug 5, 2009)

bbarton13 said:


> i was 2 miles off perdido yesterday when someone in a condo called the coast called and said that i disappeared over the horizon. they sent a boat and a chopper lol. i think im gonna def drop some cash soon on a vhf radio. i could of prevented them from coming out cuz they probably called first. i need a sail or dolphin too!


bout time u get a radio... just do it.


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

pompanopete said:


> bout time u get a radio... just do it.


they aint cheap


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

Cheaper in the long run if something bad does happen. Plus you could get a waterproof/floating one instead of worrying about your cell phone getting wet if something bad happened.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

For you guys that go offshore more then yelling distance from shore... 

GET A FLOATING WATERPROOF VHF RADIO - have it on/scanning 16.

... the public service announcement is over.

Great Report remember lightening can and will reach 4-5 miles out from a strom (that's 20 Mississippi's for those from Alabama  ) in a Yak you will be toast. Remember the 7' graphite/fiberglass attractors you have sticking up.

Hate to have to go to your estate auction where your wife/girlfriend is selling your none damaged stuff for what you told her you paid for it!!! :whistling:

Cheers,
Stressless


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Awesome again. I think I'm ready to start hitting the gulf again. Are you using a leader when you troll for mahi in the event you hook a king? Thanks


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

chaps said:


> Awesome again. I think I'm ready to start hitting the gulf again. Are you using a leader when you troll for mahi in the event you hook a king? Thanks


I usually do. One time I hooked a BIG bull mahi and he chewed through eighty pound leader, since then Ive just stuck with wire. Then again I havnt hooked another big bull so who knows.


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## FLSalomon (Oct 3, 2007)

I don't fish offshore that much, but I have to think if you plan to go offshore a lot and go out several miles, not investing in a decent VHF is not smart. If something bad happens out there, a VHF will bring the right help quickly. Besides, the USCG does not know your cell phone number. If they do get a report, I think the USCG / FWCC will attempt to make contact with you so you can reassure them you are OK and not waste their time and resources. If they are looking for you, they are not doing something else. Even inshore, a VHF could be very useful. Please think hard about getting a VHF if you go off the beach a lot, I dont want to read about you later...

I have attached a VHF frequency chart for your reading pleasure...


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## FLSalomon (Oct 3, 2007)

...and graphite is a really, really good conductor. Lastly, getting hit by lightning really sucks. Been there, done that. (Ok, I was in a plane. Still sucked.)


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## Caddy Yakker (May 21, 2011)

Glad you made it back in time. These storms have been relentless.

I always carry a hand held vhf but keep it turned off. I go out for over 8 hrs some days and would hate for the battery to be dead when I need it.


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## beachsceneguy (May 20, 2008)

safety first vhf only 125.00 dollars. 6 mph is fast in a hobie. never got my adventure past 5.5mph when I had it.


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## yakntat (May 12, 2011)

Sounds like a decent quick trip full of adrenaline. I'm glad your mirage drive did well and you got a Mahi. Me and Blackjeep got caught in a good storm in July. Luckily is was alot of heavy rain and wind, no lightning. Waves coming over my PA was a little hairy but it held up. I got my VHF at West Marine and its nice piece of mind out there.


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