Rockfishin' Redondo...

Sunday started off with some pretty good offshore winds that made it tough to stay on the spots and the sonar fish-marks...I had a first time kayaker and fisherman out with us on one of the PA 14s...I think he's ready to get a kayak after the beautiful day we had yesterday. That Pro Angler makes it so easy and comfortable for a beginner.
The newbie had the first hookup and it was a double of Bocasio and a Vermilion...he was stoked...Dinner on his first drop...the wind picked up and the fish count went downhill for a couple of hours...we really struggled to stay on the fish and get a few hook-ups. The guys were happy with a few tasty Sand Dabs as we quickly drifted off the structure and onto the mud or sand...a few were as big as a short Halibut.
Around 10am the wind died down for about 1 1/2 hours before it switched around and blew us back in. When the wind backed off I switched from the 8 and 10 ounce weights to a 5 ounce weight and started slaying them...I quickly had a limit of a nice mix of rockfish, mostly Vermillions.
I had an interesting experience yesterday as I hooked a fish that really pulled hard for a few seconds before my spectra broke about 10' from the end of my rod...I was bummed as this was a prototype rig from Promar/AHI and it had caught a lot of fish over the last couple of weeks and that was also a lot of spectra to be floating around with that fish. I re-rigged and caught a few more fish, then re-set on the spot again when I felt some line rubbing on my rig. The new guy was near me and I thought we had gotten tangled AGAIN...So I yanked on the line and said "do you feel that"...nope it's not tangled with him...what the hell?...so I reeled in my line and found some spectra tangled...I hand-lined the loose spectra in, to find not only my prototype rig and 8oz. weight but a beautiful big rockfish still kickin'.
There were two guys in Malibu yaks fishing the same spot for only a few fish due to the morning winds...you guys should have stuck it out just a little longer till the wind died...it was gorgeous and the peddle back was easy.
I saw Tony and Roby peddling back from out deeper...I'm not sure how they did...Roby said they had lots of Sandies.
Have a Great Holiday all you Hobie friends...!
Jim / Saba Slayer