View Full Version : Hey look a boil! It's a hali-OH ^&*$ YELLOWTAIL!
That's right, I did say yellowtail guys. Sorry it's a day late, but with my early action application due by next Sunday I've been kind of busy. On to the report!
Technical stuff/gear:
Lures: LC Flash minnow 110 in Aurora Mackerel, WSB, BSP, and YFC
Rod: Phenix X-10 Crankbait
Reel: Luna 203 with 10lb Seaguar InvisX
No name surf shoes and O'neil wetsuit jacket
Coffee!
I made a few calls prior to Sunday seeing if anybody wanted to go surf fishing. Everybody had other plans ranging from paintball practice to their own surf fishing trips. No big deal. The conditions looked bad with large swells leading up to the weekend, but the weather was nice and I needed to hit the surf one last time.
I woke up at a reasonable hour, made some coffee, and drove to the spot. As I walked down the beach conditions looked surprisingly good. Slow, small waves, no kelp, no wind, nobody around, bait jumping, a yellowtail in pursuit... wait what? YELLOWTAIL!!! HOLY %$#@! :EyePop:
I immediately ran into the waves and started casting like a mad man where I had seen the YT jump. After 5 min nothing. Then, the water exploded off to my right with bait boiling in all directions and yellows in hot pursuit. I fired a cast right into it and BAM, SCORE, &*^&*! After literally a second the YT had bent out the hook on my LC. :Shocked:
Grr....
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd185/ghost2u/CIMG1189.jpg
To sum it all up and spare you guys the suspense, I didn't land a single friggin yellowtail. I had some incredible moments though. The most stunning was watching a YT chase the LC in a wave (got a nice broadside of the YT), and the most frustrating was watching one YT ram another as they fought for the LC. They both missed.... :Evil:
I saw YT jump towards me while chasing macks in about 4.5ft of water and dash around me as the macks fled. The most intense action lasted for the first 20min, and then was sporadic after that until a gigantic sea lion showed up an hour later and ate a YT. That killed the bite. :Evil:
My dad snapped this photo, and you can barely tell make out the yellow on the tail. This YT was about 10lb. The YT were around 15lb that I saw with a few smaller thrown in.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd185/ghost2u/CIMG1185-1.jpg
They didn't boil after that. The birds went nusts around the seal, but they weren't diving too much before that.
I did manage to get a legal halibut and a short after the YT went away, but that was 2 fish for about 2hrs of trying for halibut. The YT were around for about an hour.
Legal at 22.5in (kept for dinner):
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd185/ghost2u/CIMG1186-1.jpg
Shorty:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd185/ghost2u/CIMG1187-1.jpg
I can't honestly say this trip was bad because I saw YT boiling in the surf and scored a legal halibut, but at the same time I didn't land one YT. That kinda sucks since I have no idea if I'll ever see that again. Gonna hit the surf next Sunday to see if they stuck around! :Twisted:
Basically, I saw YT boiling in the surf and hooked one this Sunday. Hope you guys had nice weekends. :Envious:
Back to college essays!:Angry:
TShaffer
10-26-2009, 08:03 PM
Wow awesome experiece. Hopefully you'll land one next time.
klocked
10-26-2009, 08:05 PM
Congrats on the 1000 posts!!
nice hali's too
Must of been nice to see yellows breezing by you. Did you really think the LC or 10lb test would stand up to a yellow in the surf? :LOL: j/k, I'm :Envious: but only for a minute or so :LOL:
bones
10-26-2009, 08:11 PM
Great job Marc!!
I had a simular experience at the same spot. I don't know if it were YT chasing bait but I was fishing hard for absolutely nothing when I had a mad boil withing casting distance. I tossed....two cranks and Wham......a serious drag burn and then she came unbuttoned. I threw a temper tantrum in the surf....LOL
When I looked at my LC .....one hook was straightened out and one was crushed. There are alot of different species that show up in the spot but they move out just as fast.
I hope that you ran the barely legal halibut back to the car before she died and shrank up on you!!!
I personally wont keep anything under 23 1/2 for that exact reason.
That Dang Guy
10-26-2009, 08:17 PM
The dorsal looks right for it. I can't really make out the rear fork.
Klocked. We've landed a few yellowtail on LCs at the island. It'll definitely hold up if you get two or more barbs in 'em. I've had the hooks pulled straight out of the split ring on 25lb. Upgrade those bads boys. Seems like overkill in the surf, but for days like this or your next monster halibut, it'll be worth it!
Wingnut
10-26-2009, 08:29 PM
Looked like a Mermaid's tail to me... :LOL: When you were telling about the YT boil, I was stunned silent. :Shocked: I was telling Mike & Steve that we should have gone to the spot with you & your Dad. :Envious: Our Sunday trek up North was poor at best, conditions were pretty bad. :Evil: Oh well, there's always next weekend. Congrats on the legal Flat Boy and hopefully one of us will tag a Yellowtail from the surf one of these days. I'll take a YT out of the surf in place of the elusive Striper ANYDAY! :Twisted:
klocked
10-26-2009, 08:33 PM
TDG: yeah, I definitly would of tried too :LOL:
smokehound
10-27-2009, 05:20 AM
Hahahaha that amberjack kicked your ***!
El Nino is going to be interesting this year =)
lngbchfnhnter
10-27-2009, 10:52 AM
Nice outing bsp! you would've had the best thread so far,landing a yellow from the surf! but landing a legal Hali is still a great day!!!
good job out there..:Big Grin:
gletemfeelsteelgary
10-27-2009, 12:26 PM
way too bad about the straightened hook...better to love and have lost than not to have at all they say !
congrats on the flats...
That must have been a hoot seeing those YT in the waves...sweet....looks like a fun day
filled with exitement !
q3fishboy
10-27-2009, 03:47 PM
not trying to steal ur spot or anything
just curious what area this was in
like, what county or something
thanks a bunch
Wow awesome experiece. Hopefully you'll land one next time.
Thanks man, I definitely was psyched when I saw them jumping. I'll get them next time.
Congrats on the 1000 posts!!
nice hali's too
Must of been nice to see yellows breezing by you. Did you really think the LC or 10lb test would stand up to a yellow in the surf? :LOL: j/k, I'm :Envious: but only for a minute or so :LOL:
You know, I really didn't think about whether my gear was up for it. I just wanted to hook one, and I did. Not my fault the hook pulled out. As long as they didn't take me into any kelp I think I would have had a good shot at landing one. I've got a few hardbaits that I am packing in my box now that should be YT ready (bigger hooks). I've been meaning to pick up a heavier rod for calicos/WSB too, so I think once I have that I could land one.
Great job Marc!!
I had a simular experience at the same spot. I don't know if it were YT chasing bait but I was fishing hard for absolutely nothing when I had a mad boil withing casting distance. I tossed....two cranks and Wham......a serious drag burn and then she came unbuttoned. I threw a temper tantrum in the surf....LOL
When I looked at my LC .....one hook was straightened out and one was crushed. There are alot of different species that show up in the spot but they move out just as fast.
I hope that you ran the barely legal halibut back to the car before she died and shrank up on you!!!
I personally wont keep anything under 23 1/2 for that exact reason.
Thanks Mike, I wish you could have been there! That spot really gets an insane variety of fish breezing through. If the bait is boiling you have no idea what you'll hook. You pretty much described exactly what I felt. :Guns: If I had had my Riffe those things would have been done for! We kept the legal cool and only fished for 45min at the most. I tpaed her at the car and she was still legal, so we were good! I normally don't keep barely legals, but this was a fat one and halibut season is almost done. Can't wait to hit the surf with you and the SWAT sometime soon man!
The dorsal looks right for it. I can't really make out the rear fork.
Klocked. We've landed a few yellowtail on LCs at the island. It'll definitely hold up if you get two or more barbs in 'em. I've had the hooks pulled straight out of the split ring on 25lb. Upgrade those bads boys. Seems like overkill in the surf, but for days like this or your next monster halibut, it'll be worth it!
TDG, yeah the picture does kind of suck. If you zoom in really close you can barely make out the yellow on the tail. That sea lion was massive too, and nothing in the shot really gives it any scale. I took your advice and upgraded a few hardbaits with bigger hooks, so I'll definitely be ready when they next show up. Thanks for the help!
Looked like a Mermaid's tail to me... :LOL: When you were telling about the YT boil, I was stunned silent. :Shocked: I was telling Mike & Steve that we should have gone to the spot with you & your Dad. :Envious: Our Sunday trek up North was poor at best, conditions were pretty bad. :Evil: Oh well, there's always next weekend. Congrats on the legal Flat Boy and hopefully one of us will tag a Yellowtail from the surf one of these days. I'll take a YT out of the surf in place of the elusive Striper ANYDAY! :Twisted:
Arthur, believe it or not I was pretty calm when we talked. When it was happening I got an adrenaline rush (pretty lame, I know) and couldn't use complete sentences. :EyePop: My dad and I were both disappointed that the three of you weren't there to share it with us. I know with four guys tossing LCs we would have landed one. I couldn't keep up with the boils since they were moving so fast. Sorry to hear that the Northern trek didn't work out. You'll stick a YT eventually. You've got the spots and the talent, so the timing just needs to work out and the only way for that to happen is more surf fishing trips! Hope to hit the surf again with you and SWAT soon. Maybe even for a recon trip. :Wink:
Hahahaha that amberjack kicked your ***!
El Nino is going to be interesting this year =)
Yeah, no kidding. Can't wait to see if El Nino brings these guys close to shore and keeps them there. :Twisted:
Nice outing bsp! you would've had the best thread so far,landing a yellow from the surf! but landing a legal Hali is still a great day!!!
good job out there..:Big Grin:
Thanks man, I'll try to get that YT from the surf and get that thread up asap. With El Nino conditions it might happen sometime soon! :Razz:
way too bad about the straightened hook...better to love and have lost than not to have at all they say !
congrats on the flats...
That must have been a hoot seeing those YT in the waves...sweet....looks like a fun day
filled with exitement !
I was defienitely ticked when it happened, but I've upgraded the hooks so it won't happen again. It was incredible to see them in the surf, but it woud have been more incredible to get a picture of one on the sand. Eventually. :Twisted:
not trying to steal ur spot or anything
just curious what area this was in
like, what county or something
thanks a bunch
Sorry man, that spot is a closely guarded secret for a small group of people. No details given as to its whereabouts at all, except that it is in either Santa Barbara, LA, Orange, or SD county :Secret:
calico killer kevin
10-27-2009, 05:27 PM
Sometimes a 5" Big Hammer is worth its weight in gold.:Cool:
Crazy seeing YT in the surf. Once in a lifetime experience, but at least you got to see them and a chance(sorta). Those stock LC hooks are crap and any quality 8lb line can bend those things like nothing. ST-36's baby.:Wink: Get em next time.
cjmedina
10-27-2009, 06:55 PM
sweet catches. would love to land a legal halibut, ive only got one short off the oceanside pier.what did you use for bait?
ldsaylor
10-27-2009, 08:32 PM
Cool report BSP. Had to be a trip to see those Yellows in the surf.. That definately would get my blood flowing. Nice job on that legal! Always a good day when a legal butt shows up. Thanks for sharing..
troutdog
10-27-2009, 09:00 PM
Those yellows must have been an awesome sight to see, congrats on the hali...
TD
FISHINGINMYBLOOD9
10-29-2009, 04:56 PM
way to go man! i know how exciting that is, i saw some about 4 years ago way inside of dana point harbor by the baby beach they were jumping around the buoys right there and i had live bait but no love i think they were mating or somthing definety exciting to see that
flyngby
10-29-2009, 09:05 PM
Marc,
When you called Arthur while we were up in the very slow northern region that we were fishing and he said you had called and reported that there were YT in the surf at that spot I had my was thinking that they were the usual playful aerial show of the Mullet in the area!
But those are definetly not YT Mullet!!!! To bad your hookup did not stick!!!!!! How cool would it be to shpw off a Surf YT.
Oh!!!!!!! Forgot you got the Legal Flattie!!!!!!
Maybe see you this weekend if things work out!!!!!!
Steve
Granny Fish
10-29-2009, 09:11 PM
WOW!!! Yellowtail in the surf? That would excite me.
megafisher94
10-31-2009, 09:55 AM
man those are the things i dream about... never thought it would happen but im again proven wrong! nice halis man