Nipple Twister
11-12-2012, 08:28 PM
Well I have to say it has been a tough year for fish, if you where getting any, either fresh or salt, it seems the word around the tackle shops is “you have to bring your game and fish’em up”.
I can’t say it has been all bad, I did manage a WSB earlier this year that was pretty epic in my book but as I said it wasn’t a walk in the park or petting puppies under the rainbow. I had to fish it hard and brought out some of the S.W.A.T big guns to take point and lead this smokewagon….Murrieta Angler, Pontoon, Capt. Croaker and the Bolsa Boys, Bones, Wingnut, FlyngBy, SPDan……… and I still find it necessary to pinch myself once in a while just to make sure it is really happening.
But this past summer has lead to some unusual low fish counts, hittin up some of my “go to” “for sure to beat the skunk” A.O.s only to be left going “Huh” after working it for hours for nadda, but they all have been educational in one form or another.
Some sessions have been marred with equipment failures:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/50EBF7E7-4B30-4124-843E-2BF1D654240A-1984-0000085F09CBC75B.jpg
But Shimano’s great warranty and customer service a new rod was sent directly to my house as a replacement!
The Orange County influence has tapered some for me since I recently moved from that area so I have been working some beaches I hadn’t been to in a while, or at all, which has been nice and rewarding:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/728FE971-0AC2-42DD-9158-3913B165A2AE-1984-0000085F1DFE2FE8.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/7146158B-2E05-4548-B46C-E31E809A910E-1984-0000085F0F2A9ACE.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/8C13DCF3-2E50-4D1C-822D-BF63503A7A6F-1984-0000085F17D67EB1.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/43D31D3B-AF7A-42F0-897A-3747C8B2FEB5-1984-0000085F1EDD55FC.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/072812h.jpg
I digress and that is all water dried to salt deposits now (for all you fresh water anglers, that mean its old news), on to the report at hand…………
Date: Mon, Nov 12, 2012
Time: 0530-1100
A.O: since I was invited, Classified
Weather: Cold….Cold….Cold and windy(off shore) in the AM, by E.O.W nice, clear but still windy.
Surf; 1-3 ft large intervals
Tide: 4+ incoming
Water Clarity: good but with heavy salad
Water Temp: not sure but defiantly colder, maybe high 50s
Terrain: Wide sandy beach with rocky sections
Bait: LC with custom stink on a 7’ Carrot Stix using a Daiwa Luna 253L loaded with Powerpro 50lb braid.
Fish Count: 1 halibut, 1 Perch
Was reading through some reports and read where Wingnut asked about some other plans for the upcoming days for which I had expressed some interest (ah, like how I put that Arthur…..huh, huh? J). Looking thru the surf reports and checking conditions I concurred with the Intel I was given and confirmed my attendance with a quick text to the proper representative for addition to the roster. Upon arrival:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212a.jpg
A fast liquid relief, greeting my fellow anglers, Arthur and Peter, who where dressed and ready:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212b.jpg
They quickly made their way to the water with me right behind. Looking down the beach I could see those two working it good fan casting down the beach with an occasional stop for weed removal (no Lucas, not that kind….hehehe). It was heavy salad but making my way down the beach it looked like it might thin some so we kept at it. I eventually caught up with Arthur and he seemed content with a nice spot for a while so he paused his forward advancement and made sure to cover that area well before moving on, he mentioned some hits there but nothing stuck.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/100_0249.jpg
After some short chatting I made my way past and on down the beach towards Peter. Now the sun wasn’t up yet and with the steady off shore wind blowing IT WAS COLD! Peter was out here in shorts and a sweatshirt, Brrrrrrrrr…..
Tough Guy.
As we made our way I was getting nadda, lots of seaweed and grass, lots of hook clearing but the casting was nice!
Zoooooooommmmmmmmmm……”yeah, nice”. All the way out to Striper country! Nice long retrieves but half way back it was “bump” and drrrrrraaaaaggggggg in a large clump of green stuff!
With the weather and the salad conditions I wasn’t sure how long everyone was going to stick it out but for me I had all day, or at least until the wind change direction and casting sucked.
We had got a good lead on Arthur and once while looking back for him (he must have felt something about that spot ‘cause he was working it over good) I saw someone come down to the sand and approach Arthur. Couldn’t see who it was but it looked like they exchanged words, handshakes and departed…..hmmm, dunno.
(I later learned it was DFG checking to see if your papers are in order!)
Shortly later Arthur had caught up to us and he was moving past me, he and Peter decided to go a little further down the beach, I on the other hand stalled where I was ‘cause it just looked fishy and I have been to this spot before. Salad had thinned out as I had hoped it would and with the blazing fast and far casting I was getting some good retrieves….tide was peaking and deep, splashing against the boulders behind us…….I started to play games with the surf trying to time my casts just as a backwave was hitting an incoming wave to have it land just behind the crash and get a good pull in the retrieve with the outgoing current……I could feel the LC wiggle as soon as it hit the water and give me a good presentation. Playing around too much, getting complacent and loosening my grip almost cost me a nice fish and a very expensive rod/reel. (and the wife was with me rock hounding, would have to listen to THAT all the way home would not be fun!):
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212d.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212c.jpg
Just as I laid it over a wave it hit the water but instead of the little wiggle of the the LC it was BAM! With my rod trying to pull loose from my fingers I make recovery, make my swing and its FISH ON! Nice good heavy pull but no headshake, it was trying both ways up the beach but the hook set felt solid so retrieve was going my way…….in the shallow water it made surface…..”YEAH, HALIBUT BABY!
Careful timing, Arthur making his way back to me to assist on ‘bout the third wave I was able to beach a nice 28” halibut:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212j.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212i.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212h.jpg
After some quick pics and measurements this fish had taken that LC deep and was fatally injured during the battle……I had already set my PB so this fish was going to the dinner table.
I can’t begin to tell you how much of a rush it is landing one of these great creatures, no matter how many times in the past it just as exciting as the last, and with some of the upper brass there to see it…….priceless!
We continued for some time, Peter getting a Perch:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212e.jpg
Arthur driving even harder, I decided to turn back early as to get this fish to the cooler. Tide was receding, wind was changing and by 10ish I could see Arthur and Peter making there way back:
Thanks Commander, great Intel and even better company…..
We chatted a bit, Arthur as usual had the other end of his candle burning too so he had to depart as did Peter so with a few handshakes it was down the fwy to home and tacos…….
Thanks for reading, ‘til next time……tight lines everyone…..
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/bth_50A70B14-53FD-40FD-B264-76BFD38319EB-2528-0000099B423D13D9.jpg?t=1352772357
I can’t say it has been all bad, I did manage a WSB earlier this year that was pretty epic in my book but as I said it wasn’t a walk in the park or petting puppies under the rainbow. I had to fish it hard and brought out some of the S.W.A.T big guns to take point and lead this smokewagon….Murrieta Angler, Pontoon, Capt. Croaker and the Bolsa Boys, Bones, Wingnut, FlyngBy, SPDan……… and I still find it necessary to pinch myself once in a while just to make sure it is really happening.
But this past summer has lead to some unusual low fish counts, hittin up some of my “go to” “for sure to beat the skunk” A.O.s only to be left going “Huh” after working it for hours for nadda, but they all have been educational in one form or another.
Some sessions have been marred with equipment failures:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/50EBF7E7-4B30-4124-843E-2BF1D654240A-1984-0000085F09CBC75B.jpg
But Shimano’s great warranty and customer service a new rod was sent directly to my house as a replacement!
The Orange County influence has tapered some for me since I recently moved from that area so I have been working some beaches I hadn’t been to in a while, or at all, which has been nice and rewarding:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/728FE971-0AC2-42DD-9158-3913B165A2AE-1984-0000085F1DFE2FE8.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/7146158B-2E05-4548-B46C-E31E809A910E-1984-0000085F0F2A9ACE.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/8C13DCF3-2E50-4D1C-822D-BF63503A7A6F-1984-0000085F17D67EB1.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/43D31D3B-AF7A-42F0-897A-3747C8B2FEB5-1984-0000085F1EDD55FC.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/072812h.jpg
I digress and that is all water dried to salt deposits now (for all you fresh water anglers, that mean its old news), on to the report at hand…………
Date: Mon, Nov 12, 2012
Time: 0530-1100
A.O: since I was invited, Classified
Weather: Cold….Cold….Cold and windy(off shore) in the AM, by E.O.W nice, clear but still windy.
Surf; 1-3 ft large intervals
Tide: 4+ incoming
Water Clarity: good but with heavy salad
Water Temp: not sure but defiantly colder, maybe high 50s
Terrain: Wide sandy beach with rocky sections
Bait: LC with custom stink on a 7’ Carrot Stix using a Daiwa Luna 253L loaded with Powerpro 50lb braid.
Fish Count: 1 halibut, 1 Perch
Was reading through some reports and read where Wingnut asked about some other plans for the upcoming days for which I had expressed some interest (ah, like how I put that Arthur…..huh, huh? J). Looking thru the surf reports and checking conditions I concurred with the Intel I was given and confirmed my attendance with a quick text to the proper representative for addition to the roster. Upon arrival:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212a.jpg
A fast liquid relief, greeting my fellow anglers, Arthur and Peter, who where dressed and ready:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212b.jpg
They quickly made their way to the water with me right behind. Looking down the beach I could see those two working it good fan casting down the beach with an occasional stop for weed removal (no Lucas, not that kind….hehehe). It was heavy salad but making my way down the beach it looked like it might thin some so we kept at it. I eventually caught up with Arthur and he seemed content with a nice spot for a while so he paused his forward advancement and made sure to cover that area well before moving on, he mentioned some hits there but nothing stuck.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/100_0249.jpg
After some short chatting I made my way past and on down the beach towards Peter. Now the sun wasn’t up yet and with the steady off shore wind blowing IT WAS COLD! Peter was out here in shorts and a sweatshirt, Brrrrrrrrr…..
Tough Guy.
As we made our way I was getting nadda, lots of seaweed and grass, lots of hook clearing but the casting was nice!
Zoooooooommmmmmmmmm……”yeah, nice”. All the way out to Striper country! Nice long retrieves but half way back it was “bump” and drrrrrraaaaaggggggg in a large clump of green stuff!
With the weather and the salad conditions I wasn’t sure how long everyone was going to stick it out but for me I had all day, or at least until the wind change direction and casting sucked.
We had got a good lead on Arthur and once while looking back for him (he must have felt something about that spot ‘cause he was working it over good) I saw someone come down to the sand and approach Arthur. Couldn’t see who it was but it looked like they exchanged words, handshakes and departed…..hmmm, dunno.
(I later learned it was DFG checking to see if your papers are in order!)
Shortly later Arthur had caught up to us and he was moving past me, he and Peter decided to go a little further down the beach, I on the other hand stalled where I was ‘cause it just looked fishy and I have been to this spot before. Salad had thinned out as I had hoped it would and with the blazing fast and far casting I was getting some good retrieves….tide was peaking and deep, splashing against the boulders behind us…….I started to play games with the surf trying to time my casts just as a backwave was hitting an incoming wave to have it land just behind the crash and get a good pull in the retrieve with the outgoing current……I could feel the LC wiggle as soon as it hit the water and give me a good presentation. Playing around too much, getting complacent and loosening my grip almost cost me a nice fish and a very expensive rod/reel. (and the wife was with me rock hounding, would have to listen to THAT all the way home would not be fun!):
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212d.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212c.jpg
Just as I laid it over a wave it hit the water but instead of the little wiggle of the the LC it was BAM! With my rod trying to pull loose from my fingers I make recovery, make my swing and its FISH ON! Nice good heavy pull but no headshake, it was trying both ways up the beach but the hook set felt solid so retrieve was going my way…….in the shallow water it made surface…..”YEAH, HALIBUT BABY!
Careful timing, Arthur making his way back to me to assist on ‘bout the third wave I was able to beach a nice 28” halibut:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212j.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212i.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212h.jpg
After some quick pics and measurements this fish had taken that LC deep and was fatally injured during the battle……I had already set my PB so this fish was going to the dinner table.
I can’t begin to tell you how much of a rush it is landing one of these great creatures, no matter how many times in the past it just as exciting as the last, and with some of the upper brass there to see it…….priceless!
We continued for some time, Peter getting a Perch:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/SWAT111212e.jpg
Arthur driving even harder, I decided to turn back early as to get this fish to the cooler. Tide was receding, wind was changing and by 10ish I could see Arthur and Peter making there way back:
Thanks Commander, great Intel and even better company…..
We chatted a bit, Arthur as usual had the other end of his candle burning too so he had to depart as did Peter so with a few handshakes it was down the fwy to home and tacos…….
Thanks for reading, ‘til next time……tight lines everyone…..
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/bth_50A70B14-53FD-40FD-B264-76BFD38319EB-2528-0000099B423D13D9.jpg?t=1352772357