Jeremy Wade Jr
08-25-2011, 05:05 AM
I finally decided to take a stab at surf fishing.. i've been itching to catch a halibut, let alone a legal hali for some time now, I bought an LC recently and figured it was time to get'er done.. no more BS
after doing my research and using all the tools of the trade, the Long Beach Jetty seemed like the closest destination to get to work, I got there extra early once the gates opened, but wasn't aware about the no fishing 1 hour before sunset deal.. no biggie, I wait it out. (been fishing at 5:30am at the Pudd, didn't realize the sun now rises at 6:30am)
Once I see the light shimmer, I gear up and hit the surf
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/beach.jpg
saw a bunch of birds dive bombing and the bait fish were jumping out of the water with every cast, so I felt my odds were good, I carolina rig one of my rods with some gulp sand worms and toss the LC with the other...
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/shoes.jpg
These aren't booties by the way.. I didn't realize how quickly the waves can sneak up on you.. lol. by then I say the heck with it and get closer in hopes of catching that hali.. all of a sudden I see my other pole jump around so I run over to it..
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/stuck.jpg
could this be it?! nope.. a rock. :Neutral:
Fortunately I didn't lose my rig, but I lose my bait so I see if I can dig up a sand crab, instead I find a sand worm.. not even 10 seconds into my first cast
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/1stfish.jpg
my first YFC in a long time and my first fish caught from the surf :Surprised:
no skunk for me, but still itching for that halibut.. I see what looks like a baby leopard shark not even 5ft away from the shore.. :Shocked:
I know that pancake is around here somewhere, so I start making my way up the beach but no luck so far :Sad:
sand, rocks, clam shells.. you name it.. they're all living in my boots and my feet are killing me! so I head back to my chair and try for another YFC.. I find some orange minnow grubs in my pouch and sure enough.. on my first cast
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/2ndfish.jpg
another YFC :Smile:
by then I realize the parking meter is about to run out so I throw some more quarters at it and see if I'll have better luck on the jetty itself.. the water was really choppy on the beach side of the jetty so I was having trouble getting my LC to get to its depth..
I try the other side.. sure enough
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/lizardfish.jpg
I finally break in my $20 LC.. not exactly what I was going for, but still fun nonetheless.
by then my stomach is growling, and finally realize that I haven't slept in the past 24 hours. :EyePop:
it's already noon and that good ol California sun is beaming down on me.. yup.. time to call it a day, I'm instantly hooked! don't know why I haven't done it before, but I definitely had fun with it yesterday.
now I know what I want for my upcoming birthday.. a good set of waders. :Razz:
I vow not to rest until I catch my first legal halibut :Envious:
I feel like a whole new can of worms has been opened up for me though.. born and raised in Los Angeles all my life, I spent a great deal of time around the ocean, I was in the Navy for four years and stationed in Guam, so many great opportunities to take advantage of the surf and 27 years later it finally hit me.. smh @ myself haha
after doing my research and using all the tools of the trade, the Long Beach Jetty seemed like the closest destination to get to work, I got there extra early once the gates opened, but wasn't aware about the no fishing 1 hour before sunset deal.. no biggie, I wait it out. (been fishing at 5:30am at the Pudd, didn't realize the sun now rises at 6:30am)
Once I see the light shimmer, I gear up and hit the surf
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/beach.jpg
saw a bunch of birds dive bombing and the bait fish were jumping out of the water with every cast, so I felt my odds were good, I carolina rig one of my rods with some gulp sand worms and toss the LC with the other...
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/shoes.jpg
These aren't booties by the way.. I didn't realize how quickly the waves can sneak up on you.. lol. by then I say the heck with it and get closer in hopes of catching that hali.. all of a sudden I see my other pole jump around so I run over to it..
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/stuck.jpg
could this be it?! nope.. a rock. :Neutral:
Fortunately I didn't lose my rig, but I lose my bait so I see if I can dig up a sand crab, instead I find a sand worm.. not even 10 seconds into my first cast
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/1stfish.jpg
my first YFC in a long time and my first fish caught from the surf :Surprised:
no skunk for me, but still itching for that halibut.. I see what looks like a baby leopard shark not even 5ft away from the shore.. :Shocked:
I know that pancake is around here somewhere, so I start making my way up the beach but no luck so far :Sad:
sand, rocks, clam shells.. you name it.. they're all living in my boots and my feet are killing me! so I head back to my chair and try for another YFC.. I find some orange minnow grubs in my pouch and sure enough.. on my first cast
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/2ndfish.jpg
another YFC :Smile:
by then I realize the parking meter is about to run out so I throw some more quarters at it and see if I'll have better luck on the jetty itself.. the water was really choppy on the beach side of the jetty so I was having trouble getting my LC to get to its depth..
I try the other side.. sure enough
http://www.sublogic.net/fishing/surf/lizardfish.jpg
I finally break in my $20 LC.. not exactly what I was going for, but still fun nonetheless.
by then my stomach is growling, and finally realize that I haven't slept in the past 24 hours. :EyePop:
it's already noon and that good ol California sun is beaming down on me.. yup.. time to call it a day, I'm instantly hooked! don't know why I haven't done it before, but I definitely had fun with it yesterday.
now I know what I want for my upcoming birthday.. a good set of waders. :Razz:
I vow not to rest until I catch my first legal halibut :Envious:
I feel like a whole new can of worms has been opened up for me though.. born and raised in Los Angeles all my life, I spent a great deal of time around the ocean, I was in the Navy for four years and stationed in Guam, so many great opportunities to take advantage of the surf and 27 years later it finally hit me.. smh @ myself haha