Halibut Hunting LBC 07.27.08 Late report

[fish_sauce]

After reading some of the hali posts here, I've been itching to return to the surf and hunt down some halibut.

Did my normal pre-fishing ritual and checked the tide charts...the tide level looked reallllly promising with its slow and steady climb throughout the day...my favorite kind of condition! :Wink:
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/moon_wancres.gif
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/072708.jpg

drove down to OC and found that it was heavy overcast...
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture023.jpg

started the day off at 72nd street...managed to get to the water by 6:30AM...and it just looked perfect...very still surface, clear visibility, no floating debris, almost peak high tide...but the water felt a little on the cold side. as we were setting up, i told my buddy how the conditions look so promising that i wouldn't be surprise to hook up to something nice on the first cast...and sure as death and taxes, my first cast produced this lovely 21 1/2''. I didn't have a tape measurement, but looked to be almost 1/2 '' shy of the 22 inch mark i made on my rod....
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture040.jpg

we fished the area for a while and managed a few more shorties. I didn't bother to take pictures...didn't want to shock the fish too much while it sits out of the water as i dig for the camera...gradually moved our way further north, and around 9ish, the water suddenly felt like it dropped a few degrees, water was churned up and visibility was bad... the bite eventually died down, so we headed off for breakfast and coffee.

Made my way back to Alamitos Bay by 3:00PM to try and float tube the incoming high tide, but i found this:
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture042-1.jpg

Went to check out the surf, but the water looked too stirred up. Wind started picking up, and it was almost impossible to cast...even my heavier megabaits came flying back as i cast them out. decided to head back to the bay to avoid the wind...I ended up just fishing from the sand and didn't get into the water...but was still able to produce a few shorties to bite...there was one that was no longer than 6 inches!!! That sand-dab-sized thing took a bite at my LCFM110!!! :ROFL: talk about trying to bite off more than you can chew!
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture043.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture045.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture046-1.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture047-1.jpg

fished around the bay until near sun down and decided to leave for dinner and a few drinks. Not at all a bad day...a lot of shorties, but at least i got to scratch my itch for now. :Wink:

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii79/quandary01/Picture024.jpg


"...Life is not comprised entirely of making a living or of arguing about the future or defaming the past. It is the break of the waves in the sun, the contemplation of the eternal flow of the stream, the stretch of forest and mountain in their manifestation of the Maker--it is all these that soothe our troubles, shame our wickedness, and inspire us to esteem our fellow men--especially other fishermen..." --Herbert Hoover

[klocked]

Nice going on the butts!!:Cool:

72nd always messes with my mind, on no particular day it can be wide open or no bites at all. Been there several times in 3 months and still cant get a pattern on it. But it makes it more challenging which I enjoy.

[Seng90806]

Why do they keep dumping sewage in Long Beach water? this is the second time already this year...beaches are close for a couple days from what i heard...BTW great job on the butts!!!

[Wingnut]

Well done on the Flat Boys F.S. Those little Flatties have an attitude don't they? I've caught a few that are just a couple of inches longer than the LC. :Shocked: I'm happy to see that you had some luck back in the surf. I'm looking forward to reading your report when you get back from your Northern trip. :Wink:

Thanks for the report and I like that quote from H.H.
This is my favorite quote from our 31st President. :Cool:
"Ours is a land rich in resources; stimulating in its glorious beauty; filled with millions of happy homes; blessed with comfort and opportunity."

[crappie stalker]

Nice post and I really enjoyed both your quote of HH and hot stick himself..Wingnut's quote of the same..

CS

[SheepGun]

Great post. Plenty of action..great shot of the hungry hunter biting that large lure. Like all the HH quotes too!

[tacklejunkie]

Nice report and pics!
Good work on the hali's out there. Wish I could get to the surf more often!
I'm hoping maybe this week if I'm lucky..

[fish_sauce]

72nd always messes with my mind, on no particular day it can be wide open or no bites at all. Been there several times in 3 months and still cant get a pattern on it. But it makes it more challenging which I enjoy.

i think that's also true with most fishing spots, as there are so many other factors that can affect the outcome of a fishing day...such as weather, water chemistry, moon phase, etc, etc...a lot of people consider this place to be under heavy fishing pressure...but i was there with my buddy a good part of the morning and it was only the two of us on the beach. >..< I don't understand it either!


Why do they keep dumping sewage in Long Beach water? this is the second time already this year...beaches are close for a couple days from what i heard..

Good question! a quick google search yielded this article by one Kelly Puente from Presstelegram.com on the causes of recent spills...
LONG BEACH - The spill that leaked 12,000 gallons of raw sewage into Spinnaker Bay near Marine Stadium Saturday was caused by grease blockage in a sewer pipe, Long Beach Water Department officials said today.

Four Alamitos Bay beaches - Mother's Beach, Marine Stadium, Colorado Lagoon and Alamitos Bay - remained closed today while the Health Department tests the water quality.

A backed-up sewage line caused raw sewage to flow from a manhole at the corner of Bellflower Boulevard and Eliot Street directly into Spinnaker Bay late Saturday morning. The actual blockage in the sewer occurred at Loynes Drive and Pacific Coast Highway.

Water Department spokesman Ryan Alsop said grease buildup is a major cause of sewage spills in the city.

The problem occurs when residents or restaurants pour cooking grease, oils and fats down drains, which hardens in the pipes, he said. Restaurants are the biggest culprits.

The Water Department combats the problem with aggressive pipe cleaning, especially in the densely populated areas of central Long Beach, but community awareness is key, he said.

"Our cleaning is the only thing preventing major sewage spills," Alsop said. "We need to remember that all the stuff we put down garbage disposals goes somewhere. It's an expense on society."

Most grease is the by-product of cooking and is usually found in food scraps, meat fats, lard, cooking oil, butter and margarine, baking goods, sauces, and dairy products.

The City of Los Angeles recommends a few tips on proper disposal of grease, oils and fats:

1. Install a grease interceptor that's sized and manufactured to handle the amount of grease by-product anticipated.

2. Scrape grease and food scraps from trays, plates, pots, pans, utensils, and grills into a can or the trash for disposal.

4. Dispose food waste directly into the trash. Garbage grinders are prohibited.

5. Be cautious of chemicals and additives (including soaps and detergents) that claim to dissolve grease. Some additives simply pass grease down pipes where it can clog sewer lines in another area.


link: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_10022453


I'm looking forward to reading your report when you get back from your Northern trip. :Wink:


I'll try my best to make it worth the wait! :Wink:


Nice post and I really enjoyed both your quote of HH and hot stick himself..Wingnut's quote of the same...

There will be days when the fishing is better than one's most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home. ~Roderick Haig-Brown, Fisherman's Spring, 1951


Great post. Plenty of action..great shot of the hungry hunter biting that large lure.

thanks. i also wanted to show how clear the water in the bay was...kinda hard to imagine that its sewage contaminated :Sad:


Nice report and pics!
Good work on the hali's out there. Wish I could get to the surf more often!
I'm hoping maybe this week if I'm lucky..

TJ, If i was as well-rounded a fisherman as you are, i can imagine it would also be hard for me to chose between trout/bass fishing, and surf/ocean fishing. Maybe its a good thing that i only know saltwater. :LOL: