k3vin_kim
07-23-2011, 10:25 PM
So, it's been 28 days since i broke my neck... and after i've been sitting on my @$$ at home recovering for the past month - i decided i just can't take it anymore. I need to pull on fish (against my surgeon's advice... but whatever).
There's no way i can commit myself to standing on a rocking boat for 5 to 11 hours so i decided to try my hand at surf/jetty fishing for the first time ever.
Called up my buddy Nick and he agrees to take me out somewhere easy and teach me the basics to fishing from the rocks the next morning. Lights out.
7AM Nick picks me up and we grab some coffee at McDonalds - all the while in the car he explains to me what i am to expect. Let me tell you... talking about it and doing it are 2 COMPLETELY different things.
We drive about 20 minutes to a spot in Long Beach and parked the car. As we were gearing up another fellow angler gave us some tips of where to find the flounders and the spotties.
We both rigged up the same exact thing - 4 inch pearl colored flukes on 12# test and hiked about 50 yards over some rocks and sand.
I must admit, just being near the water again after sitting at home for so long made me smile from ear to ear.
At first, i really didn't know WHAT i was doing (kinda like when i fish on the boats). So i looked to my left and to the right to see what other people were doing. Basically, cast out as far as you can and drag, give the rod some action with the wrist and slow wind back in...
Within the first few minutes Nick got bit and pulled up a lizard fish.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03221.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03222.jpg
He caught a couple of these pesky critters the first 30 minutes we were there.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03217.jpg
The beauty of jetty fishing is - you can move around WHERE you want WHEN you want. I'm so used to waiting for a boat captain to get on the speaker and tell us to "wind em up"
We moved from here to there - all the while I was trying to get the technique down. We moved to a spot where you can CLEARLY see the sand bar and for anyone who's fished the jetty you'll know what i'm talking about when i say "i thought i got a bite" when actually it's your drop shot weight dragging the lip of the sand bar.
WHAMO - Nick hooks on to something that's bobbing the tip up and down - first spottie of the day.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03218.jpg
And then a few minutes goes by and i hear him go "there it is.." and his rod was bent pretty good. He's bringin' it in and bringin' it in and then he hands the rod off to me - and with no shame i grabbed the pole from him cuz i wanted to tug on whatever it was. A nice 17 inch flattie came to the surface and the people around us started to take notice.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03219.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03220.jpg
We made another move where there was some weeds in front of us where my plastic was definitely getting harassed. I hadn't caught a fish by this time yet but i knew enough to know that something was thrashing at my bait. This got my heart pumping and gave me the inspiration to try harder.
We made one final move and my shoulder was getting kinda tired from casting (and cuz my pain killer meds were beginning to wear off). I thought this was a bad thing but it actually worked out well for me cuz i winded in even slower... and slower... when FINALLY...
wind... wiind... wiiind... wiiiind *SLACK* "AHHHHHHHHH"
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/P7230071.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/P7230072.jpg
Landed my first fish ever that wasn't on a boat.
Hi 5's all around and threw back in as fast as i could but then i remembered - nothing should be fast about jetty fishing... slow down. Wind... wiind... wiiiiiiind *SLACK* "GAhhAHHHHAHhHH" again within 5 minutes of each other.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/P7230077.jpg
The second one wasn't as big but it sure was fun getting hooked up again.
In conclusion - thanks Nick for taking me out and teaching me the ways of the rocks. Like i said to you in the car ride back home - this opens up a WHOLE NEW CHAPTER of fishing for me and i can see myself getting pretty hardcore on the surf/jetty scene.
MDR report coming soon.
kk
There's no way i can commit myself to standing on a rocking boat for 5 to 11 hours so i decided to try my hand at surf/jetty fishing for the first time ever.
Called up my buddy Nick and he agrees to take me out somewhere easy and teach me the basics to fishing from the rocks the next morning. Lights out.
7AM Nick picks me up and we grab some coffee at McDonalds - all the while in the car he explains to me what i am to expect. Let me tell you... talking about it and doing it are 2 COMPLETELY different things.
We drive about 20 minutes to a spot in Long Beach and parked the car. As we were gearing up another fellow angler gave us some tips of where to find the flounders and the spotties.
We both rigged up the same exact thing - 4 inch pearl colored flukes on 12# test and hiked about 50 yards over some rocks and sand.
I must admit, just being near the water again after sitting at home for so long made me smile from ear to ear.
At first, i really didn't know WHAT i was doing (kinda like when i fish on the boats). So i looked to my left and to the right to see what other people were doing. Basically, cast out as far as you can and drag, give the rod some action with the wrist and slow wind back in...
Within the first few minutes Nick got bit and pulled up a lizard fish.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03221.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03222.jpg
He caught a couple of these pesky critters the first 30 minutes we were there.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03217.jpg
The beauty of jetty fishing is - you can move around WHERE you want WHEN you want. I'm so used to waiting for a boat captain to get on the speaker and tell us to "wind em up"
We moved from here to there - all the while I was trying to get the technique down. We moved to a spot where you can CLEARLY see the sand bar and for anyone who's fished the jetty you'll know what i'm talking about when i say "i thought i got a bite" when actually it's your drop shot weight dragging the lip of the sand bar.
WHAMO - Nick hooks on to something that's bobbing the tip up and down - first spottie of the day.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03218.jpg
And then a few minutes goes by and i hear him go "there it is.." and his rod was bent pretty good. He's bringin' it in and bringin' it in and then he hands the rod off to me - and with no shame i grabbed the pole from him cuz i wanted to tug on whatever it was. A nice 17 inch flattie came to the surface and the people around us started to take notice.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03219.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/DSC03220.jpg
We made another move where there was some weeds in front of us where my plastic was definitely getting harassed. I hadn't caught a fish by this time yet but i knew enough to know that something was thrashing at my bait. This got my heart pumping and gave me the inspiration to try harder.
We made one final move and my shoulder was getting kinda tired from casting (and cuz my pain killer meds were beginning to wear off). I thought this was a bad thing but it actually worked out well for me cuz i winded in even slower... and slower... when FINALLY...
wind... wiind... wiiind... wiiiind *SLACK* "AHHHHHHHHH"
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/P7230071.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/P7230072.jpg
Landed my first fish ever that wasn't on a boat.
Hi 5's all around and threw back in as fast as i could but then i remembered - nothing should be fast about jetty fishing... slow down. Wind... wiind... wiiiiiiind *SLACK* "GAhhAHHHHAHhHH" again within 5 minutes of each other.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee133/k3vin_kim/P7230077.jpg
The second one wasn't as big but it sure was fun getting hooked up again.
In conclusion - thanks Nick for taking me out and teaching me the ways of the rocks. Like i said to you in the car ride back home - this opens up a WHOLE NEW CHAPTER of fishing for me and i can see myself getting pretty hardcore on the surf/jetty scene.
MDR report coming soon.
kk