GotBass?
06-25-2010, 12:07 PM
So Ray Lopez and myself decided to take a break from the slayage at Castiac and hit the surf for only the second time this year.
Met RayLo at his place at 4:30 in the morning with the goal of hitting up the NLA beaches and unfamiliar spots for some recon. Figured we bring the light tackle and a surf road. Quickly made our way down to Malibu only to find the surf loaded with salad. Took a quick look around and decided to head north.
Went up into the SBC where I am most familiar hitting the surf and decided to hit my usual spot. Really wanted to get on some beans or butts yesterday but more then anything just wanted to get onto the fish. Got to our locale around 8 and were set up and on our spot by 8:30, just in time to catch the 2 hours before the high tide. Water temp was about 60
Start my usual pattern of working my way up the beach looking for structure and throwin the LC. Then the bite begins. I see Ray pullin in perch within the first couple casts. Then quicker then you can say "fish on" Ray is grabbing his surf rod and slammin in a hook set. BENDO! Ray's surf road, which we shall call the Eliminator, goes off! Not even on the spot for 30 mins and already got a big fish on! Good size 3.5' to 4' SNGF. (Sorry but Ray has the pics). Next up on the Eliminator is yours truly. Get the squid on the dropper loop and quickly start soaking it beyond the waves.
To ensure that I atleast catch something I switch over to the CRig with crack and within minutes Im on the perch. Only a few feet down Ray is pullin in perch after perch. Got maybe another 20 mins on the perch and the Eliminator has got something on it again. Quickly toss Ray my rig. Grab the surf pole. Thump. Hookset. BENDO! Eliminator is on once again and once again another nice SNGF. Been on the same spot maybe an hour already 2 SNFG and already about 20 perch between the two of us. With confidence I tell Ray I think we have found the right spot.
The morning continued on in that same fashion. Perch lovin on the CRig with a fish on the surf pole about every 20 to 30 mins.
2 hours passed high tide and the bite hasnt slowed an inch, if anything the perch bite has started to pick up. I stopped counting after 20 and we got into a rhythm where we were pulling perch out on every cast. Many back to back double hookups. Then nothing. No love for the next 30 mins. I was beginning to wonder if maybe the bite shut off when the Eliminator starts thumpin again. Ray gets in a solid hook set and drag starts peelin. Straight out to sea. This is no SNGF. The monster takes a turn and starts running parallel with the surf. No match for the Eliminator or Ray although it looked like it put up a good fight. Start to get a view of it in the waves and its a BAT RAY! Atleast 20 lbs!
Now Im thinking is today really the day. One of those epic days in the surf where fish find you instead of you finding fish.
The perch bite all of a sudden came right back and we were quick on them again. The afternoon continued with perch slay and just before we decided to grab lunch the Eliminator strikes again! This time Im up on it. I forgot to grab my surf pole so Ray was badass enough to switch off every other catch on his. Grab the pull with line peelin off, disengage the bait runner, and hookset. BENDO! The rate of line loss was not letting up any even with the drag engaged now. Work the beast down the beach and after a good fight pull up another big Bat Ray! Good way to finish off before lunch.
Got back out on the surf after getting lunch and resuppling our squid. Already the day had been great. 2 SNGF, 2 Bats, and atleast 60 perch all averaging 6" to 8" with a few in the 12" range between the two of us.
Went right back to the same spot for the final showdown and just like earlier the perch were happy to bite but this time the big fish were out to play. Felt good. Got to put on a big pole big fish display for a father and his two kids who came to see what all the action was about. Hung out with us for the next hour and the kids got a nice lesson in Fish on the California Coast. Pulled in another 2 Bat Rays, 2 SNGF and 3 Thornbacks?? (not sure what they are called, have never seen this caught off our coast. Looks a lot like the SNGF but has hard short spikes running in four rows the length of its back and tail). Every time one of us would catch a perch the kids would come bouncing over to us to see what we caught. Ray and myself started handing the kids the fish so they could throw them back in (hope child labor laws dont have anything against that).
The bite never slowed from here on out and we left the beach around 7:30 battered, burned and sore. Stopped counting perch so not really sure what our exact total was but figured around 150 perch between us with 5 Bat Rays, 4 SNGF, 3 Thornbacks.
I have spent a lot of time in the surf from Mailbu to Goleta and never have I had a day this EPIC! This was just one of those days you dont get a feeling for until you have experienced it yourself and I can only hope I can experience it again before I hang up my rods for good. Sorry for not having pics they are on Rays phone. All fish were caught and released with no harm to any of the animals involved.
Met RayLo at his place at 4:30 in the morning with the goal of hitting up the NLA beaches and unfamiliar spots for some recon. Figured we bring the light tackle and a surf road. Quickly made our way down to Malibu only to find the surf loaded with salad. Took a quick look around and decided to head north.
Went up into the SBC where I am most familiar hitting the surf and decided to hit my usual spot. Really wanted to get on some beans or butts yesterday but more then anything just wanted to get onto the fish. Got to our locale around 8 and were set up and on our spot by 8:30, just in time to catch the 2 hours before the high tide. Water temp was about 60
Start my usual pattern of working my way up the beach looking for structure and throwin the LC. Then the bite begins. I see Ray pullin in perch within the first couple casts. Then quicker then you can say "fish on" Ray is grabbing his surf rod and slammin in a hook set. BENDO! Ray's surf road, which we shall call the Eliminator, goes off! Not even on the spot for 30 mins and already got a big fish on! Good size 3.5' to 4' SNGF. (Sorry but Ray has the pics). Next up on the Eliminator is yours truly. Get the squid on the dropper loop and quickly start soaking it beyond the waves.
To ensure that I atleast catch something I switch over to the CRig with crack and within minutes Im on the perch. Only a few feet down Ray is pullin in perch after perch. Got maybe another 20 mins on the perch and the Eliminator has got something on it again. Quickly toss Ray my rig. Grab the surf pole. Thump. Hookset. BENDO! Eliminator is on once again and once again another nice SNGF. Been on the same spot maybe an hour already 2 SNFG and already about 20 perch between the two of us. With confidence I tell Ray I think we have found the right spot.
The morning continued on in that same fashion. Perch lovin on the CRig with a fish on the surf pole about every 20 to 30 mins.
2 hours passed high tide and the bite hasnt slowed an inch, if anything the perch bite has started to pick up. I stopped counting after 20 and we got into a rhythm where we were pulling perch out on every cast. Many back to back double hookups. Then nothing. No love for the next 30 mins. I was beginning to wonder if maybe the bite shut off when the Eliminator starts thumpin again. Ray gets in a solid hook set and drag starts peelin. Straight out to sea. This is no SNGF. The monster takes a turn and starts running parallel with the surf. No match for the Eliminator or Ray although it looked like it put up a good fight. Start to get a view of it in the waves and its a BAT RAY! Atleast 20 lbs!
Now Im thinking is today really the day. One of those epic days in the surf where fish find you instead of you finding fish.
The perch bite all of a sudden came right back and we were quick on them again. The afternoon continued with perch slay and just before we decided to grab lunch the Eliminator strikes again! This time Im up on it. I forgot to grab my surf pole so Ray was badass enough to switch off every other catch on his. Grab the pull with line peelin off, disengage the bait runner, and hookset. BENDO! The rate of line loss was not letting up any even with the drag engaged now. Work the beast down the beach and after a good fight pull up another big Bat Ray! Good way to finish off before lunch.
Got back out on the surf after getting lunch and resuppling our squid. Already the day had been great. 2 SNGF, 2 Bats, and atleast 60 perch all averaging 6" to 8" with a few in the 12" range between the two of us.
Went right back to the same spot for the final showdown and just like earlier the perch were happy to bite but this time the big fish were out to play. Felt good. Got to put on a big pole big fish display for a father and his two kids who came to see what all the action was about. Hung out with us for the next hour and the kids got a nice lesson in Fish on the California Coast. Pulled in another 2 Bat Rays, 2 SNGF and 3 Thornbacks?? (not sure what they are called, have never seen this caught off our coast. Looks a lot like the SNGF but has hard short spikes running in four rows the length of its back and tail). Every time one of us would catch a perch the kids would come bouncing over to us to see what we caught. Ray and myself started handing the kids the fish so they could throw them back in (hope child labor laws dont have anything against that).
The bite never slowed from here on out and we left the beach around 7:30 battered, burned and sore. Stopped counting perch so not really sure what our exact total was but figured around 150 perch between us with 5 Bat Rays, 4 SNGF, 3 Thornbacks.
I have spent a lot of time in the surf from Mailbu to Goleta and never have I had a day this EPIC! This was just one of those days you dont get a feeling for until you have experienced it yourself and I can only hope I can experience it again before I hang up my rods for good. Sorry for not having pics they are on Rays phone. All fish were caught and released with no harm to any of the animals involved.