First legal of 2009

[bones]

Well....Hit up Santa Monica bay saturday morning in search of my first Legal Hali of the new year. Arrived real late at noon just for the crest of high tide. Walked down to the water and immediatly saw a TON of baitfish in the water.Good size bait at that!
Water was VERY clear and the swell was flat and I thought to myself "This is the day"
Started fishing right where I saw all of the bait and made at least 30 casts with no bumps at all.....MMMMM....OK
I was tossing my trusty Pointer 110 metalic sardine and taking alot of chances around the boiler rocks so I switched up to dropshoting my favorite color fluke in "White Ice". Made another 30 casts and worked around the boilers and the flats with no takers.
Everything seemed so perfect and I knew that something good was going to happen so I decided to move south on the other side of some larger rocks and saw a likely spot. In this spot there were NO BAITFISH at all....LOL
On my first cast I get hit and let her settle back down for that 2nd chew and drove the hook deep.I knew right from the first run she was a possible legal and sure enough she went 22 1/2".In true Wingnut style and sticking with tradition I quickly set her free to grow up and checked off my first legal of 2009.
GOOD KARMA!!
Two casts later to the same area and Wham!! I get hammered once again and I do that Halibut dropshot pause that seems like an eternity until you feel the rod load up and set the hook.Now this was a larger model for sure and she ran me around a boiler rock but the tidal surge worked in my favor and she came back around the rock.....VERY NICE.
Backed her up on the beach and dug out my trusty disposible camera (Killed my Digi) ....Damn....Only got three pics left!
She went a solid 24" Took the pic and set her free.
A little later after catching 3 pancakes I got another nice bite and this one went 20" but by now I'm loving this spot today. Closed out the day with 6 more pancakes from 10 to 14" but hey .....what a nice day for starting at noon!
Only wound up taking pics of the 24" and 20".

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp185/lukesdad2008/1st2009legal.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp185/lukesdad2008/20inches.jpg


Sorry for the low quality....Disposible cameras suck but it's better than nothing.....LOL

Day totals....

2 legals (22 1/2" and a 24")
9 shorties (10" to 20")
All caught on a 7'6" crucial w/ a calcutta 200 spooled with 10lb p-line
White Ice flukes with bass feast smelly jelly were the ticket today.

All fish were safely released to fight another day!

I'm posting this report up on sunday because I was hoping to use that last pic on the camera for another legal today. Jammed to the same spot early this morning and fished the same area for a whopping single shortie about 10 inches! Did run into a couple of cool FNN members named JerryG and Porkchop5420. It was a real pleasure to fish and chat with you guys.....We hammered that place but it was dead today. Still had a great day though. The weather was perfect!

Ya got to love SoCal .....Feb 1st.....on the sunny beach......girls in bikinis.....free parking.....bait in the water....flatties on the chew.....Need I say more!

[Troutman65]

Congrats Bones on your catch. Sounds like you had a great day on the water. Thanks for the report and pics.:Cool:

[flyngby]

Bones.

Congrats on the legals!!

There are many more out there for you. Sometimes the return trip to the same area does produce those results!!!!

Steve

[BIGRED KILLA]

Nice job out there Mike nice job on all the butts.




Bigred

[jerryG]

Well....Hit up Santa Monica bay saturday morning in search of my first Legal Hali of the new year. Arrived real late at noon just for the crest of high tide. Walked down to the water and immediatly saw a TON of baitfish in the water.Good size bait at that!
Water was VERY clear and the swell was flat and I thought to myself "This is the day"
Started fishing right where I saw all of the bait and made at least 30 casts with no bumps at all.....MMMMM....OK
I was tossing my trusty Pointer 110 metalic sardine and taking alot of chances around the boiler rocks so I switched up to dropshoting my favorite color fluke in "White Ice". Made another 30 casts and worked around the boilers and the flats with no takers.
Everything seemed so perfect and I knew that something good was going to happen so I decided to move south on the other side of some larger rocks and saw a likely spot. In this spot there were NO BAITFISH at all....LOL
On my first cast I get hit and let her settle back down for that 2nd chew and drove the hook deep.I knew right from the first run she was a possible legal and sure enough she went 22 1/2".In true Wingnut style and sticking with tradition I quickly set her free to grow up and checked off my first legal of 2009.
GOOD KARMA!!
Two casts later to the same area and Wham!! I get hammered once again and I do that Halibut dropshot pause that seems like an eternity until you feel the rod load up and set the hook.Now this was a larger model for sure and she ran me around a boiler rock but the tidal surge worked in my favor and she came back around the rock.....VERY NICE.
Backed her up on the beach and dug out my trusty disposible camera (Killed my Digi) ....Damn....Only got three pics left!
She went a solid 24" Took the pic and set her free.
A little later after catching 3 pancakes I got another nice bite and this one went 20" but by now I'm loving this spot today. Closed out the day with 6 more pancakes from 10 to 14" but hey .....what a nice day for starting at noon!
Only wound up taking pics of the 24" and 20".

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp185/lukesdad2008/1st2009legal.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp185/lukesdad2008/20inches.jpg


Sorry for the low quality....Disposible cameras suck but it's better than nothing.....LOL

Day totals....

2 legals (22 1/2" and a 24")
9 shorties (10" to 20")
All caught on a 7'6" crucial w/ a calcutta 200 spooled with 10lb p line
White Ice flukes with bass feast smelly jelly were the ticket today.

I'm posting this report up on sunday because I was hoping to use that last pic on the camera for another legal today. Jammed to the same spot early this morning and fished the same area for a whopping single shortie about 10 inches! Did run into a couple of cool FNN members named Jerry G and PorkchoponRice. It was a real pleasure to fish and chat with you guys.....We hammered that place but it was dead today. Still had a great day though. The weather was perfect!

Ya got to love SoCal .....Feb 1st.....on the sunny beach......girls in bikinis.....free parking.....bait in the water....flatties on the chew.....Need I say more!


Bones-
it was great meeting and fishing with you. Let's plan on meeting up to fish again some time soon. The weather was great today, good looking conditions with clear water, and flat calm seas. Too bad the bite was off today. Not much tidal movement but if there was still some bait arouind I think the fish would bit. We'll get them next time..

JerryG

[Porkchop5420]

Bones
It was a pleasure meeting and fishing with you. The fishing conditions looked great, however the fish just did not want to cooperate. Just like JerryG mention, we should meet up soon to do some fishing. Hopefully we will slay them next time!
Take Care.

[ghetto dad]

Great job bones....yure lucky you got to fish with Jerry G....he is, imo, one of the best fisherman out there......peace

GD

[lalo56]

Nice Bones! Did you keep that legal? If you did can you please PM me? I want to share some info.

[Ren714]

Nice hali!

[dirty girl]

sounds like a great weekend! congrats on the legals! very nice... wow, you're hardcore...girls in bikinis and you take pictures of your fish! awesome!
keepin it dirty,
Dirty Girl

[Santa Fe Eric]

Great report Bones!
You scored some nice fish! :Envious:
Thanks for the photos!

[Bucket bay]

good job Mike long time no see.

[GET DA NET]

WTG on the flatties. Surf fishing looks fun i gotta take my butt out there and give it a try....

[Wingnut]

I knew that it was just a matter of days until you nabbed your first legal of the year! Excellent job my friend... Kudos & good Karma to you for releasing the first legals... Poseidon has marked his score sheet. :Cool:

Now that I'm back, we have to plan our next assault! :Twisted:
Let's keep an eye on the weather & tide conditions and see what happens this weekend. :Wink:

What did I tell ya about the game? Cha ching! :Envious:

[jerryG]

Great job bones....yure lucky you got to fish with Jerry G....he is, imo, one of the best fisherman out there......peace

GD


Damn thanks GD. That means a lot coming from you.

Anyone out there who has ever fished with GD would know that the guy holds a wealth of fishing knowledges and skills that very few anglers will ever know. We gotta get together and fish sometime this season.

JerryG

[bones]

Congrats Bones on your catch. Sounds like you had a great day on the water. Thanks for the report and pics.:Cool:

Thanks Patrick......It was definately nice :Smile:


Bones.

Congrats on the legals!!

There are many more out there for you. Sometimes the return trip to the same area does produce those results!!!!

Steve

Thanks Steve....It's just the beginning I'm sure. That's what I like about flattie hunting. They always move around and you have to put in the time but it pays off!


Nice job out there Mike nice job on all the butts.




Bigred

I would have called you Lucas but I heard you were still looking out in the backyard wondering where the actors went :Secret:


Bones-
it was great meeting and fishing with you. Let's plan on meeting up to fish again some time soon. The weather was great today, good looking conditions with clear water, and flat calm seas. Too bad the bite was off today. Not much tidal movement but if there was still some bait arouind I think the fish would bit. We'll get them next time..

JerryG

Likewise Jerry and yes.......we will get them next time for sure :Beer Toast:


Bones
It was a pleasure meeting and fishing with you. The fishing conditions looked great, however the fish just did not want to cooperate. Just like JerryG mention, we should meet up soon to do some fishing. Hopefully we will slay them next time!
Take Care.

Always a pleasure to meet more diehard hali hunters buddy!


Great job bones....yure lucky you got to fish with Jerry G....he is, imo, one of the best fisherman out there......peace

GD

Thanks GD.......Funny how both you and Jerry have a very deep respect for each other. He feels the same way about you too :UDaMan:


Nice Bones! Did you keep that legal? If you did can you please PM me? I want to share some info.

Thanks.......I never keep the first legal of the year and more or less.....I only keep a few a year. Feel free to PM me any time!


Nice hali!

Thanks Ren714....Any hali is a nice hali in my books!


sounds like a great weekend! congrats on the legals! very nice... wow, you're hardcore...girls in bikinis and you take pictures of your fish! awesome!
keepin it dirty,
Dirty Girl

Thanks Chrissy...Hardcore.......Now that meens alot cumming from a lady who runs 100 mile races! Now........If I would have seen YOU walking on the beach....rest assured....There would have been a MERMAID pic in my report!
Keeping it dirty Irish style..... :Secret:


Great report Bones!
You scored some nice fish! :Envious:
Thanks for the photos!

Thanks Eric .....You need to start rapping up on the newport scene again soon!


good job Mike long time no see.

Thanks alot dude.....YEAH ..... I've been laying kinda low lately but that will all change soon!


WTG on the flatties. Surf fishing looks fun i gotta take my butt out there and give it a try....

Thanks and yes....you should try it......Be forwarned though.....IT'S ADDICTING!!


I knew that it was just a matter of days until you nabbed your first legal of the year! Excellent job my friend... Kudos & good Karma to you for releasing the first legals... Poseidon has marked his score sheet. :Cool:

Now that I'm back, we have to plan our next assault! :Twisted:
Let's keep an eye on the weather & tide conditions and see what happens this weekend. :Wink:

What did I tell ya about the game? Cha ching! :Envious:

You were the first person I thought of when I stuck her Arthur. I can use every ounce of GOOD KARMA that I can get these days. Looking forward to Sunday my friend......LOCK AND LOAD :Guns: PIRATE STYLE!!!!


Damn thanks GD. That means a lot coming from you.

Anyone out there who has ever fished with GD would know that the guy holds a wealth of fishing knowledges and skills that very few anglers will ever know. We gotta get together and fish sometime this season.

JerryG

How about us three get together and I just take notes :UDaMan:

[slammeddenaliAK]

Nice hali!
those are some nice fish bones.
but ren714 where in OC did you catsh that big one. I will be down in the OC from Feb 17-March 2 from Alaska and plan on doing some surf fishing. need some advice. I havnt fished Cali for 15 yrs. I fished a long beach jettie last time and cant remember what we used for bait and all.

[bones]

those are some nice fish bones.
but ren714 where in OC did you catsh that big one. I will be down in the OC from Feb 17-March 2 from Alaska and plan on doing some surf fishing. need some advice. I havnt fished Cali for 15 yrs. I fished a long beach jettie last time and cant remember what we used for bait and all.

PM me when you are down and tell me where is real close to you and I will do my best to suggest a few things. Don't know how the fishing is going to be for you compared to Alaska though....LOL

[BassMasterson]

GOOD KARMA!!
Two casts later to the same area and Wham!! I get hammered once again

That's a good call! Good Karma for sure! Way to go on those legals...

[n1ckxlam]

wtg mike! nice job

[hoosierfisher]

Very Nice Bones...

Those are some nice looking hali. Those halibuts are counting their blessing that you caught them. Otherwise, It might be going back to ocean via althernate route.

Great post! man, I need to get out there..

[bones]

That's a good call! Good Karma for sure! Way to go on those legals...

Went back today with Bigred and killed it. Got three more legals!


wtg mike! nice job

Long time Nick. When R we going to tube Cherry?


Very Nice Bones...

Those are some nice looking hali. Those halibuts are counting their blessing that you caught them. Otherwise, It might be going back to ocean via althernate route.

Great post! man, I need to get out there..

Thanks alot. Sometimes I just want to walk and fish. I'm not so much into dragging my catch all over the beach

[bam bam]

Way to go BONES. Hopefully we will get out this weekend. Congrats. Doin it PIRATE STYLE.

[bsp]

With you and Big Red on the hunt, the SM Bay halibut don't stand a chance! Hopefully the storm will not be too bad, and they'll be willing to bite a week or so after.

[bones]

Way to go BONES. Hopefully we will get out this weekend. Congrats. Doin it PIRATE STYLE.

Thanks Bam Bam Billy


With you and Big Red on the hunt, the SM Bay halibut don't stand a chance! Hopefully the storm will not be too bad, and they'll be willing to bite a week or so after.

Me and BR are going to do an experiment IN THE RAIN tomorrow....LOL....I'm not waiting a week.I'm definately sure that fish don't just stop eating when a storm rolls in as long as it isn't too extream

[slammeddenaliAK]

PM me when you are down and tell me where is real close to you and I will do my best to suggest a few things. Don't know how the fishing is going to be for you compared to Alaska though....LOL

thanks bones. i will be in garden grove off valley view and chapman area.
i will definatey hit you up when im down there. i was also looking into orange county's open carry law. do you know anything else about open carring a fire arm in orange county?

[Beeracuda211]

Way to go out there and get some booty Bones lol I'll come out to the surf this year and tear it up with you... after I get done killing all these trout right now :ROFL:

[BIGRED KILLA]

Way to go out there and get some booty Bones lol I'll come out to the surf this year and tear it up with you... after I get done killing all these trout right now :ROFL:


Hey Cuder, I don't think you would know how to handle a fish like that with such a full tail but don't worry bring your shot gun we will have Bones shoot the tails off before you fight them.lmao



Bigred