Monster just outside NPH

[cricketwars]

On monday june 25th, my friend Justin and I got a late start at about 3.30, launching our kayaks out of the coast guard station in NPH. Our plan was to hit up the kelp bed just south of the harbor mouth.

As we got to the open ocean we noticed plenty of baitfish schooling around us and i tied on a bright green/clear Rapala X-rap to troll on our paddle to the kelp.

About 3/4 the way (approx. 4.15pm) my lure gets slammed. At first i think i may actually just be hung up on a hidden kelp stalk but i feel some kicking and i know im on a fish.

4 hours later and im still fighting this mother****er! This was easily the biggest fish i've felt on the end of the pole and it was 4 hours of tug of war using a medium action bass rod and 10lb flouro. 4 hours may seem rediculous, but i was powering this fish as much as humanly possible without breaking my line and it just when it began to feel like it was tiring out, it would take off again.

The fight was basically a vertical one. when it ran, it felt like it was diving down, or with very little lateral movement. at times it felt like i was reeling up a dead body or something, then it would take off. after 2.5 hours of this, i was basically screaming for mercy but i kept going.

During the daylight hours, i couldnt manage to bring it to color at all. then the sun went down and it was pretty scary knowing we were gonna try to land whatever this was in the dark.

Finally i could tell it was really close, and it mustve got a glimpse of my boat because it took off FAST, shot around the bow and my line snapped. 4 hours of fighting and not even a remote idea of what it was. one of the emptiest, most dissapointing feelings ever. i'm no expert and still really new to kayak fishing, but i did my best on some very light tackle for a monster this size.

I'm posting here for some insight or ideas as to what it could've been. i've thought of every scenario but i just don't know. We met another yakker out there fishing named Mike or Matt who seemed convinced it was a shark. I'm not sure what to think. Thanks for any help.

-Blake

(some people with more experience are telling me it was probably a big bat ray. cant say im not pretty dissapointed.)