By Paul LebowitzMarch 16, 2005 DANA POINT - In an atmosphere of expectation, 150 kayak anglers gathered quietly on the sand at Doheny State Beach for the March 12th Kayak Sportfishing tournament. All too soon the start time rolled around, and kayaks and anglers scattered from the beach. Some headed south to scour Capo Reef or to search the sands near San Clemente pier. Others paddled north to the Dana Headlands to probe the kelp or brave the surf crashing onto the rocks at the point. The kayak anglers were looking for the fattest five fish stringer of saltwater bass, or else hunting for a whopper to capture big fish honors. Robert Yakemonis paddled perilously close to the boiler rocks off Dana Point to lead the Bass Catch and Release Division. His 13.88-pound tournament limit was anchored by the 4-pound calico bass that bit on only his second cast of the day. Yakemonis was one of the few who battled the surge and swell to get to the fish in tight to the rocks, in only a few feet of water. |
GABE MARTIN'S monster 55-lb. white seabass easily took the Big Fish Division at the Kayak Sportfishing Tournament in Dana Point March 12. Robert Yukemonis braved the boilers for a 13.88-lb. bag of five bass to win the catch-and-release Bass Division.PHOTO COURTESY HOOK1 KAYAK FISHING GEAR |
Kayak fishing in the chaos of the rock gardens is not without peril. “I had two waves go over the bow, but luckily I managed to stay stable and not dump my kayak,” said Yakemonis. Gabe Martin was out with the crowd in and around the kelp. He was bounce balling in the hopes of hooking a halibut when a swirl on the surface caught his attention. Thinking quickly, he rapidly reeled his bait off the bottom to the middle depths. Martin had just put his rod into a holder when line started peeling off his reel. After a short ten minute fight Martin hoisted a colossal 55-pound white seabass onto his kayak. The big fish outclassed every other Big Fish Division entry. Hours later his spirits were still soaring. Said Martin, “I’m sure I’ll still be dreaming about this tonight.” Each division winner earned a new top of the line fishing kayak. Jeff Krieger (14 -pound halibut) and Chris Fierro (8-pound halibut) rounded out the top three in the Big Fish Division. Bass Division honors went to Yani Hasircoglu (five fish at 11.56 pounds) and Dave Thiessen (11.31 pounds). Thiessen would also have placed had he competed in the Bass Division; the lucky angler took home a hefty 29-pound halibut. |