Technique
06-17-2011, 05:34 PM
Location: Orange county
Date: June 17, 2011
Time: 6:30am to 1:00pm
Conditions: Morning clouds afternoon sun. A lot of bait present
Tackle: LC and Drop shot
Fish count: Technique, 1 short halibut and 1 Legal halibut released
Other fishermen: All in total 3 keeper halibuts; all three were kill in action
Bought my first waders and couldn’t wait to try them out. I was pumped and decided to hit a local spot where I use to surf. I got there early and was surprised to see that there were no fishermen in the scene. Oh well, more fish for me oh so I thought! Water was not too rough and casting out was no problem.
As the day progressed, I noticed a fisherman getting bit on a led head, we’ll call this fisherman “Guy”. “Guy” told me that he had landed a short halibut and that he lost a good fish not too long ago. Out of nowhere his rod gets bent. He fought the fish for about two minutes when it broke off. That pumped me up and I was ready to catch my fish.
It was low tide and I saw a beautiful trough, through my LC parallel to it and let the current take it as I retrieved it slowly. Some kelp was headed right for my LC, when all of a sudden my line stiffened up. Awkward, the kelp was about three feet away from my LC and then I felt a headshake… I reeled slowly and next thing I know the fish takes off. Ooh yea; it’s on! At first it felt like a short halibut, but once it saw me, it fought with all its might. Awesome fight! Something emerged from the water and looked like a guitarfish, but all of a sudden the fish swam right for me and I was able to see it. Halibut for sure! I noticed that for a few second I had zoned out, that was fun… After a couple of runs I was finally able to beach the halibut. It looked like a twenty incher. It turned out to be twenty-two and a half. I decided to let it go for being my first legal halibut off the surf! Next thing I knew “Guy” landed a twenty-three inch halibut. Two halibut in less than five minutes.
An hour went by with no action. By this time there were more fishermen in the scene. A guy caught a short halibut and that set the tone again. Then everyone was catching short halibuts. I managed to catch a short, but it got away when I tried to take a picture of it. (Must have been camera shy!) There was a particular fisherman who had live jack smelt, they were probably five to six inches long. He ended up catching a twenty-five and a half inch halibut. I was not able to get his name from all the excitement but managed to get a picture of him and his fish. Right after that “Guy” landed another keeper halibut after catching some shorts. This one was twenty-four inches long. Way to go “Guy”!!!
Hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
These are the pictures of my catch!
31210
31211
Same Fish
31208 31209
Same Fish
31207
This is "Guy's" 23 incher
31212
Fisherman who was using live bait 25 1/2 inches
Date: June 17, 2011
Time: 6:30am to 1:00pm
Conditions: Morning clouds afternoon sun. A lot of bait present
Tackle: LC and Drop shot
Fish count: Technique, 1 short halibut and 1 Legal halibut released
Other fishermen: All in total 3 keeper halibuts; all three were kill in action
Bought my first waders and couldn’t wait to try them out. I was pumped and decided to hit a local spot where I use to surf. I got there early and was surprised to see that there were no fishermen in the scene. Oh well, more fish for me oh so I thought! Water was not too rough and casting out was no problem.
As the day progressed, I noticed a fisherman getting bit on a led head, we’ll call this fisherman “Guy”. “Guy” told me that he had landed a short halibut and that he lost a good fish not too long ago. Out of nowhere his rod gets bent. He fought the fish for about two minutes when it broke off. That pumped me up and I was ready to catch my fish.
It was low tide and I saw a beautiful trough, through my LC parallel to it and let the current take it as I retrieved it slowly. Some kelp was headed right for my LC, when all of a sudden my line stiffened up. Awkward, the kelp was about three feet away from my LC and then I felt a headshake… I reeled slowly and next thing I know the fish takes off. Ooh yea; it’s on! At first it felt like a short halibut, but once it saw me, it fought with all its might. Awesome fight! Something emerged from the water and looked like a guitarfish, but all of a sudden the fish swam right for me and I was able to see it. Halibut for sure! I noticed that for a few second I had zoned out, that was fun… After a couple of runs I was finally able to beach the halibut. It looked like a twenty incher. It turned out to be twenty-two and a half. I decided to let it go for being my first legal halibut off the surf! Next thing I knew “Guy” landed a twenty-three inch halibut. Two halibut in less than five minutes.
An hour went by with no action. By this time there were more fishermen in the scene. A guy caught a short halibut and that set the tone again. Then everyone was catching short halibuts. I managed to catch a short, but it got away when I tried to take a picture of it. (Must have been camera shy!) There was a particular fisherman who had live jack smelt, they were probably five to six inches long. He ended up catching a twenty-five and a half inch halibut. I was not able to get his name from all the excitement but managed to get a picture of him and his fish. Right after that “Guy” landed another keeper halibut after catching some shorts. This one was twenty-four inches long. Way to go “Guy”!!!
Hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
These are the pictures of my catch!
31210
31211
Same Fish
31208 31209
Same Fish
31207
This is "Guy's" 23 incher
31212
Fisherman who was using live bait 25 1/2 inches