[Ol Pedro]

Back in 1973/74 I was fishing the Afternoon trip on the Seaforth . We set up inside NW La Jolla about 1/4 mile outside of the kelp . We had a pick of Calico Bass , Bonito , and big Greenback Mackerel going when some Yellowtail showed up in the slick . They would follow but not bite anything that we threw at them . I saw one pounce on a hooked Mackerel but it was too big to swallow . I quickly stripped a fresh Mack and flylined the strip out . I let it soak a while as the current was running straight back . While walking the strip back I got bit . I gave it a count of 3 and locked her up . Fish on ! A nerdy young deckhand we called Lightweight grabbed one of the strips that I cut , hooked it on his new custom Sabre set up , stood on middle pipe of the stern starboard corner rail and let the strip fly . I guess that he figured that he could see the fish better that way . Just as Capt. Larry started yelling at him to get down the kid got bit . He swung the rod , fell backwards , and let go of the rod in mid air as he did an ass plant on the deck . The rod hit the top of the rail and took off like the roadrunner in cartoons being towed by the Yellowtail towards the kelp . The deckhand on the tanks laughed so hard that he stepped in the starboard bait tank , soaked half of his body , and narded himself . With the reel locked up there was no chance of recovering it . Other than a bruised ass , family jewels ,and Ego's , the only thing that was terminal was the gaff in my Yellowtails head . It was one of the best times I had while fighting a fish .