Wingnut
07-20-2008, 08:26 PM
Back to the surf! Finally got my feet back on the ground after scoring my first DD Striper at Castaic last Sunday. Phuong (Blackwater) and I decided to go back into the surf this morning. Fishing the ultra low tide at the crack of dawn at one of our favorite Northern destinations. A couple of days after the Grunion made their routine appearance should make for some good fishing. We arrived to heavy morning overcast skies and light surf conditions. Lots of salad in the water but pretty much settled due to the calm surf.
Walking into the surf we could see multiple surface disturbances from baitfish being chased. I witnessed a 6" Smelt jump clear out of the water followed right behind by a legal Butt. :Shocked: Needless to say, the early morning air show jump started my engine very quickly. My batteries were charged and I was wide awake after that. I've been experimenting with different LC's by placing Sardine marks on them. I have found that any of these color patterns "other" than the Metallic Sardine works just as well or sometimes even better. For example, the Baitfish Silver LC immitates a Smelt perfectly. A MJ Herring immitates a Grunion right down to the green back and the American Shad is a great alternative for the rare Metallic Sardine. The results are just as impressive if you think "outside" the box and improvise. I have plenty of Metallic Sardines but have not put one in action for weeks. That's one of the major plus about the Lucky Craft brand. Besides being extremely effective, you can easily find alternatives in the line and/or customize the lure to suit your fishing application needs.
It was pretty close to being wide open for Short Flatties. The Flat Boys were just stacked up close to the surf line chasing baitfish with a vengeance. Phuong & I worked the surf side by side, moving up & down the two mile stretch of beach just anihilating the Flatties. I don't think that even ten minutes went by in the few hours that we were there that we didn't either land a Hali or at least get a decent strike. Just like two golfers keeping each other's scores, we were racking up the Butt count. As Phuong was pulling one up, I would yell out his count... "five!", and he would sound off my count as I was releasing one after another standing right there in the surf. The action got even hotter when the fog bank started rolling in.
Anyways, I didn't take pics of every Butt that we nabbed, just way too many. But the following are pics of the legals and a few shorties for your viewing pleasure.
Also, I did manage to score a new species out of the surf today. Something really wicked...
The Butts were so aggressive today that on a few occasions, they would follow the LC right up the point that I was pulling it out of the water at the end of the retrieve and make a lunge at the lure. Put a few Grunions in the water and these fish just lose all control.
It's always nice when one of the first butts of the day is of the "legal" variety.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture073.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture069.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture077.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture085.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture008-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture009-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture043-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture028-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture034-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture033-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture034-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture046-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture045-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture026-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture007-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture072.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture023-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture036-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture038-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture039-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture041-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture042-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture030-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture032-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture010-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture012-4.jpg
Biggest Flattie of the day 26".
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture047-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture048-2.jpg
The "Beast"! While working the LC MJ Herring something slammed it like a runaway train. Started peeling line off my drag at a high rate of speed. Strong, steady pulls with lots of head shakes. I told Phuong while I was fighting this fish that it feels just like a big Hali, but pulls harder than any other Butts that I've ever tangled with. I was sure that a got a 30+ Flat Boy on the other end of the line. After about ten or fifteen minutes of wrestling with the fish it made its first appearance. we saw a huge flat shaped fish surfaced just for a split second about ten yards or so away from us and from the quick glimps of it, I instantly thought that it was a monster Hali. It even had Halibut colors. Phuong yelled, "OMG, that's a huge Halibut, it's gotta be at least four feet long Art!" My heart was racing because now I know that it wasn't a Shovel Nose or a Bat Ray. Could this be that monster Butt that I've been waiting for?
As I struggled to get it closer to shore the thing rolled over in the surf and instantly my heart sank. I yelled, "That's no frickin' Halibut... I don't even know what that is?!?" The thing was massive... took me another five minutes or so to get it past the last set of surf and into shallow water. Phuong was snapping pics as I was dragging it in. I grabbed its tail and it instantly curled its body around and tried to bite me. I dropped the thing on the sand and we watched as it snapped at anything that even came close to it. I saw one of these things caught while I was in Florida last month. I think it's a Angel Shark, can somebody confirm this for me? What a name, believe me, the thing was NO Angel. Nasty attitude with rows of sharp teeth to back it up. When I picked it up by the tail again for a pic, the thing bit my leg... fortunately, it sank its teeth into my 3rd Grip holster and ripped the strap! What's with these Sharks always trying to bite me?!? Must be Poseidon's way of saying hello. :LOL: This is indeed a fish from Hell. Took a few pics and tried to take the LC out of its mouth but the thing wouldn't have anything to do with it... lunging and snapping at the pliers in my hand as I got close. I thought for a moment of cutting the line and just let it go, but damn if I'm going to lose a nice LC to this Devil Fish. I put one foot on its head pressing the jaws to the sand and pry off the hooks with my pliers. Man, that's one fish that I wouldn't want to tangle with again in the surf... ever! :mad:
We measured it and it was 53 inches long. Gotta be in the 30lb range. Pretty good fight on 12lb test line.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture015-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture018-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture019-4.jpg
Just missed!!!
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture021-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture020-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture022-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture024-4.jpg
Back into the surf with you... may we never meet again.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture025-4.jpg
The damage to the LC.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture026-4.jpg
That was a really fun day. Phuong and I caught more Butts than we have ever caught anywhere in one day. Too bad the short to legal ratio wasn't a little better, but we had a blast.
Total fish count (all released):
Wingnut:
19 Flatties = 3 legals (22, 23, 26). 16 shorts.
3 Barred Surf Perch
1 Angel Shark
Blackwater:
11 Flatties = All shorts. :ROFL:
1 Barred Surf Perch
Heading back to the fresh next weekend and giving these Flat Boys a little break. ;)
Have a great week everybody and thanks for reading. :cool:
Arthur (Wingnut) :Envious:
Your dog is the only thing in this world that loves you more than you love yourself.
Extras:
Blackwater running from a wave.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture074.jpg
My Perch pic.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture005-4.jpg
Tweaking the tools of the trade.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture001-6.jpg
Parting shots.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture003-5.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture002-5.jpg
Walking into the surf we could see multiple surface disturbances from baitfish being chased. I witnessed a 6" Smelt jump clear out of the water followed right behind by a legal Butt. :Shocked: Needless to say, the early morning air show jump started my engine very quickly. My batteries were charged and I was wide awake after that. I've been experimenting with different LC's by placing Sardine marks on them. I have found that any of these color patterns "other" than the Metallic Sardine works just as well or sometimes even better. For example, the Baitfish Silver LC immitates a Smelt perfectly. A MJ Herring immitates a Grunion right down to the green back and the American Shad is a great alternative for the rare Metallic Sardine. The results are just as impressive if you think "outside" the box and improvise. I have plenty of Metallic Sardines but have not put one in action for weeks. That's one of the major plus about the Lucky Craft brand. Besides being extremely effective, you can easily find alternatives in the line and/or customize the lure to suit your fishing application needs.
It was pretty close to being wide open for Short Flatties. The Flat Boys were just stacked up close to the surf line chasing baitfish with a vengeance. Phuong & I worked the surf side by side, moving up & down the two mile stretch of beach just anihilating the Flatties. I don't think that even ten minutes went by in the few hours that we were there that we didn't either land a Hali or at least get a decent strike. Just like two golfers keeping each other's scores, we were racking up the Butt count. As Phuong was pulling one up, I would yell out his count... "five!", and he would sound off my count as I was releasing one after another standing right there in the surf. The action got even hotter when the fog bank started rolling in.
Anyways, I didn't take pics of every Butt that we nabbed, just way too many. But the following are pics of the legals and a few shorties for your viewing pleasure.
Also, I did manage to score a new species out of the surf today. Something really wicked...
The Butts were so aggressive today that on a few occasions, they would follow the LC right up the point that I was pulling it out of the water at the end of the retrieve and make a lunge at the lure. Put a few Grunions in the water and these fish just lose all control.
It's always nice when one of the first butts of the day is of the "legal" variety.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture073.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture069.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture077.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture085.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture008-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture009-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture043-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture028-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture034-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture033-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture034-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture046-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture045-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture026-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture007-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture072.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture023-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture036-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture038-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture039-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture041-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture042-3.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture030-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture032-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture010-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture012-4.jpg
Biggest Flattie of the day 26".
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture047-2.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture048-2.jpg
The "Beast"! While working the LC MJ Herring something slammed it like a runaway train. Started peeling line off my drag at a high rate of speed. Strong, steady pulls with lots of head shakes. I told Phuong while I was fighting this fish that it feels just like a big Hali, but pulls harder than any other Butts that I've ever tangled with. I was sure that a got a 30+ Flat Boy on the other end of the line. After about ten or fifteen minutes of wrestling with the fish it made its first appearance. we saw a huge flat shaped fish surfaced just for a split second about ten yards or so away from us and from the quick glimps of it, I instantly thought that it was a monster Hali. It even had Halibut colors. Phuong yelled, "OMG, that's a huge Halibut, it's gotta be at least four feet long Art!" My heart was racing because now I know that it wasn't a Shovel Nose or a Bat Ray. Could this be that monster Butt that I've been waiting for?
As I struggled to get it closer to shore the thing rolled over in the surf and instantly my heart sank. I yelled, "That's no frickin' Halibut... I don't even know what that is?!?" The thing was massive... took me another five minutes or so to get it past the last set of surf and into shallow water. Phuong was snapping pics as I was dragging it in. I grabbed its tail and it instantly curled its body around and tried to bite me. I dropped the thing on the sand and we watched as it snapped at anything that even came close to it. I saw one of these things caught while I was in Florida last month. I think it's a Angel Shark, can somebody confirm this for me? What a name, believe me, the thing was NO Angel. Nasty attitude with rows of sharp teeth to back it up. When I picked it up by the tail again for a pic, the thing bit my leg... fortunately, it sank its teeth into my 3rd Grip holster and ripped the strap! What's with these Sharks always trying to bite me?!? Must be Poseidon's way of saying hello. :LOL: This is indeed a fish from Hell. Took a few pics and tried to take the LC out of its mouth but the thing wouldn't have anything to do with it... lunging and snapping at the pliers in my hand as I got close. I thought for a moment of cutting the line and just let it go, but damn if I'm going to lose a nice LC to this Devil Fish. I put one foot on its head pressing the jaws to the sand and pry off the hooks with my pliers. Man, that's one fish that I wouldn't want to tangle with again in the surf... ever! :mad:
We measured it and it was 53 inches long. Gotta be in the 30lb range. Pretty good fight on 12lb test line.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture015-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture018-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture019-4.jpg
Just missed!!!
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture021-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture020-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture022-4.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture024-4.jpg
Back into the surf with you... may we never meet again.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture025-4.jpg
The damage to the LC.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture026-4.jpg
That was a really fun day. Phuong and I caught more Butts than we have ever caught anywhere in one day. Too bad the short to legal ratio wasn't a little better, but we had a blast.
Total fish count (all released):
Wingnut:
19 Flatties = 3 legals (22, 23, 26). 16 shorts.
3 Barred Surf Perch
1 Angel Shark
Blackwater:
11 Flatties = All shorts. :ROFL:
1 Barred Surf Perch
Heading back to the fresh next weekend and giving these Flat Boys a little break. ;)
Have a great week everybody and thanks for reading. :cool:
Arthur (Wingnut) :Envious:
Your dog is the only thing in this world that loves you more than you love yourself.
Extras:
Blackwater running from a wave.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture074.jpg
My Perch pic.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture005-4.jpg
Tweaking the tools of the trade.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture001-6.jpg
Parting shots.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture003-5.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture002-5.jpg