iLLest
03-25-2012, 11:05 PM
I've been wanting to attack this AO for about a month now but havent been able to manage to free up time. After sending out some texts during the week, the plan was to attack on Saturday at greylight. Friday afternoon I get a text from Roberto (Murrieta_Angler) telling me that the AO was full of salad and perhaps it would be best to attack another spot. I've been wanting to hit up this spot so bad that I decided to go regardless of the salad. I told myself that I was going to have to work for it and that I did. It felt as if every cast had salad on it....but just looking at the perfect water conditions gave me patience throughout the whole day where I was rewarded nicely.
Data
Date: Sat. March 24, 2012
Duration: 6:20-11am
Conditions: 1 Ft Swells, incoming high tide.
Artillery: LC 110, Shimano Stradic 4000 & Shimano Convergence.
Breakfast of choice: #10 @ McDonalds, with a hazelnut iced coffee. :LOL:
The total for the day was:
2 Legal halibut 23" & 27"
1 Perch 13" (PB) lol
1 Croaker (which at first I thought was a Corvina lol)
1 lost WSB :Angry:
The day started off with a Croaker of all things
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0661.jpg
After finding a trench asking to get a LC thrown at it, I managed to pull this 23" legal hali. Didnt fight at all, it decided to give me the dead weight treatment.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0662.jpg
Half an hour went by without a bite and out of no where I began to get short bit. It frustrated me a bit because I changed the rear hook on my LC with a size #4 to be prepared for the larger models. One must remember that all of those short bites = smaller models. I knew if a fish was going to stick, it had to be a nice model. Finally, I get bit pretty good and set the hook. In came my PB Perch @ 13". I know, I know, not that big but I hardly ever catch perch, so this sucker was a nice lil fat surprise. Preggo's too,so back in the water it went once I took the quick pic.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0679.jpg
As I was making my trek, I saw something was up to shore in front of me. It had the shape of a fish so I walked faster. Once there, I see this poor guy. Bummer.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0663.jpg
I then came across this. A huge hole, maybe 30-40 yards wide and screamingggg for a legal hali to be in it.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0668.jpg
I casted about 10 times and as I'm reeling in the LC, I see baitfish fly out of the water. :Shocked: To many of us, this is a green light that there's a large fishy in the area. I began to fan cast the area. Within about 5 mins BAM, fish on. Headshake, headshake, headshakeeeee. Halibut! But this guy gave me the deadweight treatment too, not one solid run, whats up with that? :Sad: In came a nice wave and I managed to reel it in with it. She taped out at 27" Sweet!!!
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0666.jpg
This guy didnt look too happy.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0676.jpg
I then began to cast in this area for about another 25 mins hoping for another large model to be in the area. I worked this area hard, I mean hard for absolutely nothing! I got a little bummed out but decided to try something new. Knowing that the high tide was rolling in, I decided to let the fish COME TO ME, instead of me FINDING the fish like we always do. Since this spot was wayyyy too fishy, I said ehh why not. I already have a 27" hali to take home.
I stood in this spot for 2 hours! yes, 2 hrs! I kept walking back and forth within the 30-40 yard hole and finally I get a solid hit, SWING, and BAM fish on!!! The first thing the fish did was take a solid 7-10 second run (with no headshakes what so ever) that made my drag scream, Oh Sh*t, OH Sh*t. I can see my line cutting through the waves like a knife on butter. I keep solid pressure on it and after its first initial run, it begins to make sharp runs side to side. Anxious to see what it is, it decided to ride a wave. There it was, the species I came for....a WSB. It didnt make any strong runs after it's initial first run that usually tires them out so I decided to tighten my drag a bit to begin to pull it in (rookie mistake!) It decided to take a strong run out into the ocean and my drag was set too tight, it pulled my rod forward a bit and managed to spit the hook. :Angry: :Rolls Eyes: :Bawling::Explode::Head Bang: I couldnt believe it, I felt terrible. The first thing that came to my mind was Jason's WSB that he lost, it sounded a bit too familiar. After a couple of words I wont mention, I began to re-cast to see if it was still around. After about half an hour, no bites, he was long gone. I took the walk of shame back to the car. :Sad: What sucks even more, is the fact that I lost the fish because of a mistake I did. If I would have played it right, I would have caught one of my dream fish. That's fishing guys, keep my mistake in the back of your head next time you hook onto a big fish so you wont repeat what I did. Lesson learned on my part. There will be revenge!
After arriving home, I began to fillet the hali. Being the curious guy that I am, I remembered that I ended up catching this fish because I saw the baitfish jump out of the water. I decided to cut open its stomach and what do I find? :Shocked:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0684.jpg
can anyone make out what kind of baitfish it is? Anchovy? Smelt?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0687.jpg
Halikabos for dinner, recipe courtesy of the Iron Chef. :Cool:
Raw.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0690.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0691.jpg
Cooked, beautiful. Keep in mind that I also made some halikabobs last time Jason gave me a hali.
I ended up cooking those on a charcoal grill and they came out pretty good.
I cooked these on a gas grill and let me say, 1,000 times better.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0695.jpg
At the end of the day, be thankful for what you have. The fish that got away will always be out there, we're the ones that gotta go out and find em.
P.S. Thank you Arthur, you know for what buddy. :Wink:
Mike, congrats on the PB 41" hali brotha, frikin amazing.
Till next time. :Wink:
Data
Date: Sat. March 24, 2012
Duration: 6:20-11am
Conditions: 1 Ft Swells, incoming high tide.
Artillery: LC 110, Shimano Stradic 4000 & Shimano Convergence.
Breakfast of choice: #10 @ McDonalds, with a hazelnut iced coffee. :LOL:
The total for the day was:
2 Legal halibut 23" & 27"
1 Perch 13" (PB) lol
1 Croaker (which at first I thought was a Corvina lol)
1 lost WSB :Angry:
The day started off with a Croaker of all things
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0661.jpg
After finding a trench asking to get a LC thrown at it, I managed to pull this 23" legal hali. Didnt fight at all, it decided to give me the dead weight treatment.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0662.jpg
Half an hour went by without a bite and out of no where I began to get short bit. It frustrated me a bit because I changed the rear hook on my LC with a size #4 to be prepared for the larger models. One must remember that all of those short bites = smaller models. I knew if a fish was going to stick, it had to be a nice model. Finally, I get bit pretty good and set the hook. In came my PB Perch @ 13". I know, I know, not that big but I hardly ever catch perch, so this sucker was a nice lil fat surprise. Preggo's too,so back in the water it went once I took the quick pic.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0679.jpg
As I was making my trek, I saw something was up to shore in front of me. It had the shape of a fish so I walked faster. Once there, I see this poor guy. Bummer.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0663.jpg
I then came across this. A huge hole, maybe 30-40 yards wide and screamingggg for a legal hali to be in it.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0668.jpg
I casted about 10 times and as I'm reeling in the LC, I see baitfish fly out of the water. :Shocked: To many of us, this is a green light that there's a large fishy in the area. I began to fan cast the area. Within about 5 mins BAM, fish on. Headshake, headshake, headshakeeeee. Halibut! But this guy gave me the deadweight treatment too, not one solid run, whats up with that? :Sad: In came a nice wave and I managed to reel it in with it. She taped out at 27" Sweet!!!
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0666.jpg
This guy didnt look too happy.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0676.jpg
I then began to cast in this area for about another 25 mins hoping for another large model to be in the area. I worked this area hard, I mean hard for absolutely nothing! I got a little bummed out but decided to try something new. Knowing that the high tide was rolling in, I decided to let the fish COME TO ME, instead of me FINDING the fish like we always do. Since this spot was wayyyy too fishy, I said ehh why not. I already have a 27" hali to take home.
I stood in this spot for 2 hours! yes, 2 hrs! I kept walking back and forth within the 30-40 yard hole and finally I get a solid hit, SWING, and BAM fish on!!! The first thing the fish did was take a solid 7-10 second run (with no headshakes what so ever) that made my drag scream, Oh Sh*t, OH Sh*t. I can see my line cutting through the waves like a knife on butter. I keep solid pressure on it and after its first initial run, it begins to make sharp runs side to side. Anxious to see what it is, it decided to ride a wave. There it was, the species I came for....a WSB. It didnt make any strong runs after it's initial first run that usually tires them out so I decided to tighten my drag a bit to begin to pull it in (rookie mistake!) It decided to take a strong run out into the ocean and my drag was set too tight, it pulled my rod forward a bit and managed to spit the hook. :Angry: :Rolls Eyes: :Bawling::Explode::Head Bang: I couldnt believe it, I felt terrible. The first thing that came to my mind was Jason's WSB that he lost, it sounded a bit too familiar. After a couple of words I wont mention, I began to re-cast to see if it was still around. After about half an hour, no bites, he was long gone. I took the walk of shame back to the car. :Sad: What sucks even more, is the fact that I lost the fish because of a mistake I did. If I would have played it right, I would have caught one of my dream fish. That's fishing guys, keep my mistake in the back of your head next time you hook onto a big fish so you wont repeat what I did. Lesson learned on my part. There will be revenge!
After arriving home, I began to fillet the hali. Being the curious guy that I am, I remembered that I ended up catching this fish because I saw the baitfish jump out of the water. I decided to cut open its stomach and what do I find? :Shocked:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0684.jpg
can anyone make out what kind of baitfish it is? Anchovy? Smelt?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0687.jpg
Halikabos for dinner, recipe courtesy of the Iron Chef. :Cool:
Raw.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0690.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0691.jpg
Cooked, beautiful. Keep in mind that I also made some halikabobs last time Jason gave me a hali.
I ended up cooking those on a charcoal grill and they came out pretty good.
I cooked these on a gas grill and let me say, 1,000 times better.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/artistik_pr00f/DSCF0695.jpg
At the end of the day, be thankful for what you have. The fish that got away will always be out there, we're the ones that gotta go out and find em.
P.S. Thank you Arthur, you know for what buddy. :Wink:
Mike, congrats on the PB 41" hali brotha, frikin amazing.
Till next time. :Wink: