Kayak angler Crystal Borkes of KC Kayak Fishing was paddling her home waters off Vancouver Island when she encountered a fish that wasn’t a fish at all– rather a humpback whale!
“Oh my god…That’s close,” said Borkes in the video. “Get your phone out! It’s a humpback!”
Big fish vs kayak anglers
Just moments later, Borkes’ reel began to bob.
“Oh my gosh, do I have a fish on right now!?” Borkes’ said as she began to reel in the fish. “Got a fish on, there’s a whale in front of me. Oh yeah, it’s a good one. Whale probably scared it in my direction.”
Borkes netted the fish and noted that the humpback whale was still just off her boat and in front of here.
View this post on Instagram
“Talk about adrenaline. Whale in front of me, salmon on,” said Borkes.
Borkes isn’t the first kayak angler to have a close encounter with a fish too large for a net– YouTuber Dillion Fishing was fishing in Boston Harbor when a humpback whale breached and nearly landed far too close for comfort. Meanwhile in New Zealand, a kayak angler was hunted by a Great White shark in this viral video. In another viral incident, while kayak fishing off Oahu one kayak angler was attacked by a tiger shark. Don’t worry, the cameraman makes it!
“There’s a lot of things you need to pay attention to while kayak fishing,” wrote Borkes. “Like getting steam rolled by a whale!”
Crystal Borkes of KC Kayak Fishing reels in a salmon in front of a humpback whale. Feature Image: Crystal Borkes | Instagram.
This is why I don’t kayak fish during the winter months here on Hawaii Island. Kawaihae Bay is, literally, full of whales between November and March. And while I know they wouldn’t deliberately harm me, they can turn you into fish food with one innocuous slap of their tail.