Big surf and calm bay - half day 11-11

[tacklejunkie]

Saw last night the conditions weren't looking too good for the early hours at the spot. Decided to give it a go anyways.

Borrowed my GF's truck for a half day today.
Been itching to try that heavy surfer since I bought it and wanted to spend some time with my Ito finally. Brought my tube just in case the surf was acting up.

Got down there and the spot was all washed out and huge waves were everywhere. I called it! :LOL: Stuck it out for an hour anyways with the HS90 and the ITo for no feesh. Moved to spot two and produced nothing there.

Decided I didn't want to wait around until 6pm and hope for favorable conditions. Didn't have that much time anyways. Packed up and headed for NPH.

Jumped in and kicked out to the spottie spot. Lucky me, they were willing to play again! This gulp almost makes it too easy.. I'll have to use straight plastics next time :LOL:

Had a little guy on in short order..
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1332.jpg

Then a bit bigger
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1333.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1334.jpg

I set the hook on this guy and he came right up no fight at all. Released just fine though, strong as ever. I think he "played dead" on the fight to save energy for the escape :LOL:
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1335.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1336.jpg

Then I felt a pretty good thump on my line. Set the hook and 50 yards stripped off before I knew it. Kept fighting for a good 4 minutes before I got him in! Took me through a few beds of grass in the process. I got about the last 30 seconds of the fight on video :Surprised:

Probably my PB spottie since I haven't caught very many of them yet.
Some dude told me 18"ers are 3lbs so I guess this one went 2-2.5lbs?
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/th_spottievideo.jpg (http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/?action=view&current=spottievideo.flv)

And here's the fish. 17" or a lil better.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1338.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1339.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1340.jpg

Released to fight again
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1341.jpg

Jellyfish moved in and I moved out. Time was about up for me anyways in the truck.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1343.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1344.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1345.jpg

The Ima paintjobs aren't very durable. Didn't manage any fish on it today but I knew before I went the condition were less than hali optimal.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1346.jpg

All chipped up already :Embarrassed:
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/tacklejunkie/Surf%2011-11-08/DSCN1348.jpg

On the way home I payed my first visit to Angler's Marine while my cellphone was buzzing off the hook for me to get home. Man I'll probably get in more trouble when she finds out what I got into in there! :Secret::EyePop::LOL:

Hope you enjoyed my half day escape! Probably won't be able to get down to the beach for a while again. Sure is fun just being down there tossing lures and spacing out on the water, regardless if the fish hit.
-TJ

[ghetto dad]

GREAT job TJ.....you got em good homie.....that bay looks A LOT nicer than when i fished it sunday!!! Damn, I wanna go down there again....I just dont know all the accessible spots, and it makes it kind of a pain.......thanks man

GD

[tacklejunkie]

I've come to the conclusion that as long as I'm in a legal parking spot, I can probably peg the whole balboa by foot if I had to. It doesn't really matter where you park, you can just walk right up to the water and fish if it's not posted otherwise. I blew up my tube and drug it two blocks to the water cause the street sweepers were doing their thing today :LOL:

[ghetto dad]

I've come to the conclusion that as long as I'm in a legal parking spot, I can probably peg the whole balboa by foot if I had to. It doesn't really matter where you park, you can just walk right up to the water and fish if it's not posted otherwise. I blew up my tube and drug it two blocks to the water cause the street sweepers were doing their thing today :LOL:

Thanks TJ...as far as you know (im talking about shore fishing, I dont have a Float Tube), where can you NOT fish......thanks man.....

GD

[tacklejunkie]

I dunno,
All those docks I see have signs on them that say no everything BUT fishing. I think the private docks are mostly blocked off or you can kinda tell what ones are private.

You're asking the wrong guy. lol. I usually try M street dock or the wedge jetty on the bay side when I'm on foot, but those places are usually pretty crowded. Looks like that one spot you found the other day on foot was the ticket holmes..

[calico killer kevin]

Nice fish. I need to hit NH in my yak soon.

[Santa Fe Eric]

Nobody like a show off TJ!
:Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envi ous::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious:: Envious:

Seriously, you are an impressive angler!
Good work!

[tacklejunkie]

Nobody like a show off TJ!
:Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envi ous::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious::Envious:: Envious:

Seriously, you are an impressive angler!
Good work!

I just jumped in and did everything Steve told me to bro. :Wink:
The rest is what I'd normally do when I'm after the green trout.

6lb fluoro normal Berkley Vanish,
Gamakatsu split shot/drop shot hook #2,
bulk cheapo d/s weights mixed with bakudan expensive d/s weights.
1/4 or 3/8th's oz weight, depending on current or wind.

Same stuff in the fresh for bass and in the surf for them feisty hali's!
(although I often use a higher quality line while LMB fishing)

[Badfish2]

Jelly fish are no bueno, I would have boned out too. Awesome job on the fish, what were those anyway?:???:

[flyngby]

Casey,

It looks like you are getting "SPOTTIE FEVER". :EyePop:

Just remember there are some nice Flatties in the area also so don't get hung up on just 1 species.:LOL:

Nice job out there again!!!!! Some more quality fish in a short time.:Applause:

You have experienced only a very small part of the harbor so far. It is a vast area with so many varieties of fish and lots of various cover types.:Wink::Secret:

The parking is not that hard once you visit the area a few times. They close only 1 side of the street for the cleaning per day. I always manage to avoid paying the machines 99% of the time but received 2 violations when I fed the meter but did not pay attention to the closures out of excitement to get to the water in favorable conditions. $45 per pop each time!!!!!!:Evil:

I am going down the harbor in the early morning in search of both Species but on foot. I plan on starting in that very area.

Keep up the good time in the NPH and and somehow get out there together.

I do have a small waiting list that I have to extinguish on my ride before I can offer you a ride with less work and explore the area more.

Thanks for the great report!!!!:Beer Toast:
Steve

[flyngby]

Oh,

Forgot to ask?

How is the thumb!!!!!

Did it get worse!!!:ROFL::ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:

Steve

[Rooster]

NPH spotties gotta love it. Nice size , Looks like alot of funtimes. thx for the report, pics and video..

[CoffeaRobusta]

Tacklejunkie,

Man you are slaying em out there....very nice man. You picked up some quality fish. people that fish like you do inspire me. Someday I too will be a kick *** fisherman. I knew I should have gone to NPH today. I love that place.

Ghetto Dad, NPH has way more public access than HH.

[WARRIORMIKE]

Love the video, always a nice sound sound when drag is pulling :Twisted::Twisted:

[tacklejunkie]

Thanks for the kind comments guys. I have too much time on my hand between jobs so it just spills into my fishing time to keep busy. I could barely catch a fish a year or two ago.


Oh,

Forgot to ask?

How is the thumb!!!!!

Did it get worse!!!:ROFL::ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:

Steve

You can see my "thumbin' " thumb in the last two pics. Still pretty tore back :LOL: I appreciate all the help Steve. Thanks for the motivation to get out there and find out how much fun the bay can be!

CoffeaRobusta:
You'll be going to town on that new yak very soon bro. I can feel it.
I think a yak in the bay would be much easier and better at moving around than a tube will :Wink:

Mike:
That's a pretty stout rod in the video too! Can't believe the fish had it bent over like that. a 6'6" medium abu garcia conolon premeir spinning from walmart with a beat up ol sahara. that rod kills it in the surf and bay on those tougher specimens! for $40, I don't think I've ever got a better deal on a good beater rod.

[one_leg]

Thanks for the report Casey. Nice job on the sbb's.

Those Moon Jellies won't hurt you. I have swam in Newport Bay when there were literally 100,000's or maybe even millions of em. So damned many you couldn't possibley count them all. Every once in a while the place gets infested with them and everywhere you look its jellyfish jellyfish jellyfish. Although they can sting they are practically harmless to human beings.

[matt duarte]

dude! lets go! im down to take the toon out there! u can bring yours to!... i got to go to the damn dentist tuesday though....booooo the dentist! i think there gonna pull a wisdom... but pain or not lets go! im petty sure i can take off a day or 2 out of the week since i get my paid vacation!

[Hitts0n]

Man that jellyfish was a nice close up shot! If I would have seen that thing that close I would have screamed like Jsauce seeing a snake....lol...j/k


Great rep0rt !:Cool:

[JSAUCE818]

dude, those are some nice fat spotties...they put up a fight!,

[ghetto dad]

hopefully, ima hit NPH for a quickie in the am before work....no float tube....walk...walk...and walk some more....

GD

[yakfu]

The sound of the drag pullin gets me all excited to be on the water....Great job out there..