New (to me) flatty spot 6-18-08

[tacklejunkie]

GF called me up from BPS yesterday asking if I needed anything! :Shocked:
I was like "Sure, ok.. while you're at it grab some flash minnows!"
She gets home with a brand new Chartreuse Shad and American Shad LCFM's! I was stoked! My old aurora black is cracked and dying and all I had left was the Nishiki.

Woke up early this morning again for some reason. Couldn't get back to sleep so headed down to the beach. Got to Big Fish at 6am and bought some more flashtrix. (They work, and I get a lot of fish per bait!)

Headed for a spot I looked up on google maps last night.
I was a bit skeptical at first trying a completely new spot from BCSB. But, I decided to take my own advice "they are biting all over right now" as confidence.

Pull up to the spot and not a fisherman in sight. Took a look and casted out a 3" white flashtrix on the drop shot to "test the waters". I noticed huge 5" long baitfish EVERYWHERE and was damn sorry this is the only time I forgot the stupid sabiki rig. They were even hitting my flashtrix!

A couple casts in a get a small nibble and set the hook!
First fish on and proof of my new spot!
First Hali fought in the sand too. All I felt was "thump thump thump!"
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0378.jpg
same fish
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0379.jpg

Decided to see if it was luck, or if there was more fish in the area.
I was wading around and I could literally see the halibut running from me as I waded in the water! I also saw some small sharks, more 5-6" baitfish and a huge croaker!

As luck would have it a short move 20 yards down the sand produced another little one on the same minnow bait.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0382.jpg

So the fish were there! Time to bust out the heavy artillery. :Twisted:
Tried first with the chartreuse shad LCFM110 and no love.
Saw baitfish flying everywhere and even a few hali's jumpin'! It was nuts.
spent 20 min on the chart shad then swapped out to the American shad LCFM110. First cast I see a HUGE BUTT follow that thing in but he didn't strike and spooked right at my feet :Shocked::p:rolleyes: This thing was like 3 feet long! It was kind of scary cause I Was out there in my waders about waist deep. I was sad he didn't take it though, it would have been CRAZY!.

About three casts later I fan out to the right. The bait hits the water and I get one single jerk on it before I even cranked it down and it stops dead like it hit a brick wall. I slammed it because I knew there was no snags around and I feel it THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP :LOL: Weeeeeeeeeeeeee! Loosened the drag a bit and started walking backwards for shore while trying to land the fish.

I'm pretty sure it was about 21-22". It was about as long as from my middle finger tip to my elbow which is 21". No matter, I wasn't gonna keep it anyways. What a great fight though and broke in the brand new american shad LCFM110!
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0383.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0384.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0385.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0386.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0387.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/DSC_0388.jpg

Had a good time and left early about 10:30 AM to avoid the traffic. About 150mi round trip for me out here in the boonies and 99* when I got home :Rolls Eyes:. Enjoy the pics! Those are fun fish to catch. :cool: Been fishing too much lately and gas prices are nuts!
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/1%206-18-08%20halis/lures2.jpg

[one_leg]

Yep, it's hot out!!!

Nice pics Casey.

Congrats on the cherry poppin fish fest!!!

O_L

[matt duarte]

hell ya dude! ur killin it with those LCS! cant wait for this weekend! gonna cathc some fish sportin the new bass tattoo sleeve!

[Brian_GSC]

I'm jealous man! :Envious:

Good job putting in the work--scouting out a new area and working your tackle. Put in the time and get rewarded! I love it. ;)

[CoffeaRobusta]

Way to go my man! I've even managed to catch a few. But I never seem to get any love on my Cultiva or Yo-zuri.....swimbaits and GCSW yes.

[Swivel]

Your a true angler man, way to go! I dont know what to be more jelous of, the fish or the fact that your girlfriend is willing to pick stuff up for at BPS. You got it good man.

[matt duarte]

dang i just noticed you waders.... you went all out this time!

[SoCalGuy7]

TJ we're losing you to the salt....I can see it.....:LOL:

Nice fish!

[klocked]

Great job again TJ!
That water clarity is awesome.


Klocked

[Catch more <><]

Good job on the new spot. I'm really jealous. I just bought some new surf fishing gear and I really want to try to land a halibut.

I want what you just went through. I want to catch some halibut from the surf. Any tips or hints? Mind sharing your spot? Thanks.

[tacklejunkie]

Good job on the new spot. I'm really jealous. I just bought some new surf fishing gear and I really want to try to land a halibut.

I want what you just went through. I want to catch some halibut from the surf. Any tips or hints? Mind sharing your spot? Thanks.

the good thing is, I think it's hali spawning season or something. This being good because the fish are biting all over. Like I said when I was fishing BCSB, it doesn't really matter where you go right now. Just post up near an inlet/outlet and wait for the clear water part of the tide before water starts coming back out. I think at this point in the time water clears up and the halis go wide open looking for food. Also baitfish are probably washed back out to them from the inlet/outlet on the retracting tide and they are surely waiting for them. This is why the flashtrix end up working so good because some of the baitfish look just like them.

There's tons of inlets/outlets to bays/harbors/jetties right now in the LA/OC area that should be excellent for hali fishin' with a good hard try. I gave up my last spot, but this spot I think I'm gonna hang on to for a bit while my bro's and I get to fish it a few more times ;) I have to go back and find that monster hali that followed my lure in soon.

[Catch more <><]

the good thing is, I think it's hali spawning season or something. This being good because the fish are biting all over. Like I said when I was fishing BCSB, it doesn't really matter where you go right now. Just post up near an inlet/outlet and wait for the clear water part of the tide before water starts coming back out. I think at this point in the time water clears up and the halis go wide open looking for food. Also baitfish are probably washed back out to them from the inlet/outlet on the retracting tide and they are surely waiting for them. This is why the flashtrix end up working so good because some of the baitfish look just like them.

There's tons of inlets/outlets to bays/harbors/jetties right now in the LA/OC area that should be excellent for hali fishin' with a good hard try. I gave up my last spot, but this spot I think I'm gonna hang on to for a bit while my bro's and I get to fish it a few more times ;)

Thanks,
This is some really good advice. hmm Inlet/oulet, time to hit google earth. thanks. What line test are you using? do you think 8lb is good enough? i'm kinda hesitant to use a 8lb line for the expensive LC's

[tacklejunkie]

Thanks,
This is some really good advice. hmm Inlet/oulet, time to hit google earth. thanks. What line test are you using? do you think 8lb is good enough? i'm kinda hesitant to use a 8lb line for the expensive LC's
I've found I can cast a bit farther with 10lb, but I like to use 12LB cause I don't lose my lures on backlashes with 12. I've been using Ande in Clear and Green lately with great results. I may even try the Ande Pink line soon.
A pair of waders will help you get the LC out there a bit farther too.

On the drop shot, try some 6lb fluorocarbon. Use the dropshot to find the fish, then start chuckin' the LC (my order of operation anyways)

[Catch more <><]

sounds like a plan. thanks..

[Wingnut]

You're on a roll Casey, keep it going!
I recognize that sand... :LOL: ;) :D

[crappiemike]

Good Report And Some Nice Shots!!!

[TShaffer]

thanks for another hali report and i think i recognize this spot...

[Ketel]

great lil report and killer fish! gotta love that dedication! My GF's just getting into fishing and she's always asking questions about BPS. must show her the fountain of youth sometime!

[CrabMan]

Nice job again!!

I think you're on to something with the Basstrix and drop shot. Did you find they were biting best at peak high or low tide?
Bill

[steve092]

Nice job on the 'butts man!

BTW, are those flashtrix sold at BPS?

[tacklejunkie]

Did you find they were biting best at peak high or low tide?
Bill

The tide didn't seem to matter. The water was so clear.
It's still really hard for me to tell what's going on with the tide/current/clarity if I'm in the surf, although I can tell when the tide is coming in or out. That's why I've been looking to fish off of jetties and inlets lately. The water is clearest where there is no waves, and it's easy to tell what the conditions are. I try to get to a spot where the waves stop and the smooth water begins. IMO, the hali's like to hang out just past (either inshore or outshore of) the waves where the water is clear with the least current.

I think I might go give it another shot tomorrow and hope for clear water. I don't bother looking at the tide before I go because I'm going to go anyways and probably fish all day, so I'll find good conditions (at least for a perch or two) at one of my spots for sure.

Steve:
BPS does not stock the flashtrix. People boycott those baits because of the price and availability. Only a few places have them. Try Big Fish bait and tackle in Seal beach on Seal Beach blvd and PCH Hwy 1. They also have a few of them at Fisherman's access in Brea, Ca.. and you can even order them on line for what I've seen as the lowest price from this place. (http://www.bassitudes.com/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=4&#37;20in%20flashtrix)
Get the 3" and 4" ones. The 2"ers will work good for avoiding the skunk with palm sized hali's, perch and other fish. (like those needlefish I got the other day)

[fish_sauce]

IMO, the hali's like to hang out just past (either inshore or outshore of) the waves where the water is clear with the least current.


hey tj,
i think you'll be pleasantly surprised once you spend a little more time on the surf for hali...i have on multiple occasions spotted 22''+ legals chillin wayyy pass where the waves break...on less than a foot of water!!!! One time, one was so close to me that i could literally step on it with my foot, and the water wasn't even pass my knees! :) when the waves are tame, they come in reallllllly close to the shore! Just gotta keep an eye out for them. unfortunately, same thing applies to stingrays! :LOL:

[tacklejunkie]

hey tj,
i think you'll be pleasantly surprised once you spend a little more time on the surf for hali...i have on multiple occasions spotted 22''+ legals chillin wayyy pass where the waves break...on less than a foot of water!!!! One time, one was so close to me that i could literally step on it with my foot, and the water wasn't even pass my knees! :) when the waves are tame, they come in reallllllly close to the shore! Just gotta keep an eye out for them. unfortunately, same thing applies to stingrays! :LOL:

Yeah thats what I mean..
I haven't pulled any Hali's from under waves. Only behind and in front of them. But then again I've only caught like 20 hali's max in my fishing career so far so I'd consider myself quite inexperienced on the subject.

I almost stepped on one in about 3 feet of water that day. All the sudden I see the huge dust cloud at my feet and looked up to see a shorty swimming away at mach 4.

[Koshaw]

Could you pull those flatties in with a regular fresh water rod that has a 4-12+ lb rating?

Just curious :D if I dont have to update all my freshwater tackle. My reels are rated for salt and fresh water fishing...

I have multiple spools so getting stronger line is no biggie to spool up.

[Brewfish]

For what it's worth, I use freshwater rigs in the surf with 8 lb test and they work great. Gotta take it easy with a nice fish, of course, but that's part of the fun. I use a light steelhead rod that's 8 feet long so I can cast out nice and far.

Tackle Junkie: thanks for the report on the American Shad FM. I've been eying them on-line but haven't bought any yet. Now I just might.