gavin310
12-26-2009, 11:02 PM
Wingnut, congrats on your PB halibut! 40 inches is incredible! (It gets bigger with every congrats so I thought I'd keep adding to it...)
The bigger perch are showing up so I loaded up my lightweight trout gear with 4 lb. line and set off to go perchin'! I also took along my lures and casting rod since I know I can't stick to one species.
Left Santa Monica and headed up to Ventura where the perch get bigger, hoping for a 16 incher or bigger.
All fish were eaten raw immediately after catching. J/k... CPR.
First spot I got to was literally a nice sized perch or at least a bite on every cast, but out of 7 casts I lost 3 rigs. Very rocky area. First one was smaller, but the next one was a nicer size.
Little guy. Probably like 7 inches.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/1.jpg
Gettin bigger... (My measuring tape is brand new so I couldn't get it flattened out.)
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/2.jpg
Set off in search of the next spot. Looked out for sandy shores this time because I was low on hooks. Found a decent spot and got set up. This time when I setup my carolina rig I used lighter weights thinking I could control it in the waves successfully. I couldn't. It just wasn't enough weight to keep the line to where I could feel bites. Switched out the weight to a 3/4oz and first cast got caught a dink. Fished a while longer with no luck, so I headed further north to a spot I caught a 16 incher a few weeks ago.
Got to the new spot and casted out the sand worm for a bit. Got this guy...
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/3.jpg
The perching slowed down so I figured I'd bust out the Cardiff with a Krocodile for some halibut. Second cast I got the biggest perch of the day. He slammed it about 6 feet from me. Probably about 11 1/2 inches if you flattened out the tape measure :)
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/4.jpg
That was the last fish of the day. I fished my lure for a bit longer and then tried the sand worm again with no luck. Left about 30 minutes after the last fish.
Little tip... long shank worm hooks are great for perch. Perch tend to swallow the hooks and it's much easier to remove the long shanked hooks.
Also just gotta say, props to the surf fisherman on here who document their trips so well (Wingnut, fishshep, etc.) It's not east to pull out your camera, tape measure, grip, etc. while keeping your reel off the sand and containing a flopping fish. It takes lots of effort. Well done guys.
The bigger perch are showing up so I loaded up my lightweight trout gear with 4 lb. line and set off to go perchin'! I also took along my lures and casting rod since I know I can't stick to one species.
Left Santa Monica and headed up to Ventura where the perch get bigger, hoping for a 16 incher or bigger.
All fish were eaten raw immediately after catching. J/k... CPR.
First spot I got to was literally a nice sized perch or at least a bite on every cast, but out of 7 casts I lost 3 rigs. Very rocky area. First one was smaller, but the next one was a nicer size.
Little guy. Probably like 7 inches.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/1.jpg
Gettin bigger... (My measuring tape is brand new so I couldn't get it flattened out.)
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/2.jpg
Set off in search of the next spot. Looked out for sandy shores this time because I was low on hooks. Found a decent spot and got set up. This time when I setup my carolina rig I used lighter weights thinking I could control it in the waves successfully. I couldn't. It just wasn't enough weight to keep the line to where I could feel bites. Switched out the weight to a 3/4oz and first cast got caught a dink. Fished a while longer with no luck, so I headed further north to a spot I caught a 16 incher a few weeks ago.
Got to the new spot and casted out the sand worm for a bit. Got this guy...
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/3.jpg
The perching slowed down so I figured I'd bust out the Cardiff with a Krocodile for some halibut. Second cast I got the biggest perch of the day. He slammed it about 6 feet from me. Probably about 11 1/2 inches if you flattened out the tape measure :)
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/gavin310/Ventura%20Christmas%20Eve/4.jpg
That was the last fish of the day. I fished my lure for a bit longer and then tried the sand worm again with no luck. Left about 30 minutes after the last fish.
Little tip... long shank worm hooks are great for perch. Perch tend to swallow the hooks and it's much easier to remove the long shanked hooks.
Also just gotta say, props to the surf fisherman on here who document their trips so well (Wingnut, fishshep, etc.) It's not east to pull out your camera, tape measure, grip, etc. while keeping your reel off the sand and containing a flopping fish. It takes lots of effort. Well done guys.