Arrived at the ramp at 0500 hrs and motored out the inlet at right around 0530. Air temp was 68 F, water temp at the ramp was 69. Wind was light, 2-4 knots. Trolled cigar minnows and diving plugs until about 1030 hrs missing a couple of screamers (most likely kings)l. Took a break and fished the boxcars for a couple of hours. Small Black Sea bass, a few ring-tailed porgies and various sundry reef fish with nothing to write home about. Back to trolling at about 1300 hrs. Again cigar minnows and plugs. At right around 1400 hrs the starboard out outrigger went off. One of the crew grabbed it and we were on. Expecting kings we were fishing TLD 15s spooled with 30 lb mono. If I hadn’t wheeled the boat around and chased it down we’d have been spooled in the first 45 sec or so. Yeah the rest of our spread was toast but you know, fish on…big fish on! We’re thinking maybe a big king ripping line off like that. The second of the crew (Thomas). grabbed the rod when I wheeled us around while the other two were trying to clear our other lines (7-spread). Thomas got us back in the game recovering maybe 150 yds before handing it off to me. Fred manned the helm while Thomas and Chris finished clearing lines. For the next. 30 min I slogged it out with something that could rip 50-75 yards off in seconds but absolutely refused to show itself. Finally I’m making up line and our fish is just out of eyesight but circling just off the port side. Another couple of minutes and we have color. Three more pumps and we’ve got an id…freaking shark…fairly big, but a shark. Fine so we’ll cut the hook and try again but our fish has other ideas. Another run and I’m back to pumping line again. Finally, back in eyesight and whoaaaaaa…get a gaff on that fish!! All smiles, all worth the effort!! We picked up one 26” king afterwards but this fish made our trip.
