First Surf Session of the Year with My Northern S.W.A.T. Brothers. Sunday 1/13

[Wingnut]

I had a very long and sleepless weekend… :Tired:

I finally had an open weekend in the New Year to hit the surf. :Dancing Banana:

Jason (Jscrib) of SC Surf Fishing (SCSF) and I had plans to hit the surf Saturday morning on his SAMO turf. But the temperature was 36 degrees Saturday morning and Scribby, who’s been surf fishing since he was a kid, never cared to wear waders… :Shocked: So I said to Jason that it would be painful for ME, to see him in the surf with shorts and sandals, lol Let’s skip the surf session and get some breakfast instead. We can wait until things warms up a bit before hitting the surf together. Jason recommended Rae’s on Pico Blvd., and we headed there for breakfast. A nice start to a very long weekend…

Having breakfast with a surf fishing legend and one heck of a nice guy. :Big Grin:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1-4.jpg

Earlier in the week, I promised Mikey (Exfactor) and the Northern S.W.A.T. Brothers, that I would drive up to Santa Barbara on Sunday to fish, do some Clamming and hang out with them all day. :Cool:

Saturday night, Phuong (Blackwater), Binh (Badbeat) and I, were invited to a mutual friend’s house to play in a home garage Poker tournament. The Iron Chef and I was supposed to go out Saturday night, but she said “Go play, if you win, take me shopping!” I said, “You got it honey, you sure drive a hard bargain…”, lol :Envious:

So off I went to show some youngsters how to play Texas hold ‘em’. :Twisted: Two tables, 18 players, we started dealing at 9:00pm.

Fast forward… it’s now 3:00am… and I’m heads-up with John, a friend of ours. I had a 2-1 lead in the chip count. I look at John and said, “Hey bro, it’s three in the morning and I have to leave for Santa Barbara in a couple of hours. I still have to drive home and get my stuff together. I have the big chip lead, let’s make a deal. We’re both already in the money, how about we go all-in blind, one hand, winner takes all? No surprise that John jumped at the deal and we were dealt the last hand face up… a few minutes later, I drove home with second place money… :mad:
Five big ones for the Iron Chef’s shopping spree, not too bad. The funny part is when I told her about the deal I made to get home… she said I should have kept playing for first place... women. :Rolls Eyes:

Wingnut, Blackwater and Badbeat.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/Poker3.jpg

Anyway, I finally got home around 4:00am from the poker tournament. Got my surf gear together and was out the door by 5:00am to go pick up Binh (Badbeat) and we hit the freeway heading North.

Met up with my Northern S.W.A.T. Crew at grey light.
Mikey (Exfactor) and Bill (Which Way Out)
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1001-2.jpg

Before I continue with the report, I have to pause and congratulate Mikey and give him some well deserve recognition.
On Saturday, Mikey participated in the Annual Santa Barbara Perch Surf Fishing Tournament. He was the defending champion of this derby and he did it again! Back to back repeat champion with a three fish total weight of 6.9 lbs at weigh-in. Now that’s three big Barred Surf Perch Mikey! :EyePop:
Not only that, Mikey was also crowned “Angler of the Year” for 2012 by his Santa Barbara Fishing Club. :Applause:
We are extremely proud of you Mikey… you truly are the Fishing Yoda. :UDaMan: Not only is Mikey an honorable and exceptional angler, he is a great friend and an all-around stand-up guy too. Well done Mikey and congrats on your impressive accomplishments. :Thumbs Up:

Mikey with two of his three big BSP.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1021-2.jpg

I’ll make the “fishing” part of the fishing report short… because the fishing wasn’t quite off the hook, good, but not great. But for me, the day wasn’t about the catching. It was about friendship and camaraderie. :Cool: The swells backed down quite a bit on Sunday and that really affected the good Perch bite up North. As you may already know, they like the rough stuff. My goal for the day was to catch a PB 16” Perch, but I fell way short with my biggest going only about 13” for the day. Mikey caught a nice 14” BSP and Bill got a couple of nice ones too. We hit a couple of spots, but the action was slow, again, due to the lack of swells and wave movement. :Neutral:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1002-2.jpg

Caught all the bigger Perch on this FM110, customized by the LC “Artist”
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1005-3.jpg

Only a couple pics of the Perch. Mikey and Bill caught the most fishing with 3” plastic grubs. Binh and I stuck with the hard baits all morning. At one point, I watched Mikey & Bill catch fish after fish as they were all over the grub. :Envious:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1004-2.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1003.jpg

Roy (Q3fishboy) met up with us as we were heading to the second spot.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1006-2.jpg

We hit the second spot and it looked really fishy. Looked like Halibut territory for sure, but the water temperature was quite cool and the flat ones weren’t there or unwilling to play. We worked the area for about an hour or so and headed off to eat lunch.
Binh and I took a little nap on the beach… :Tired:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1007-3.jpg

Mikey came along and woke me up, lol
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1008-4.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1009-4.jpg

We had a few hours to kill before low tide (3:00pm) to do some Clamming, so Mikey took us to a little Mexican restaurant in his neighborhood and we had some authentic Mexican food for lunch… it was delicious, good call Mikey! :Thumbs Up:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1010-1.jpg

After lunch, we still had some time to kill before heading to the Clamming spot, so we stopped by the local tackle shop to check out the goods. Always support your local tackle shops! See what they have before buying on-line or at the bigger chain stores. :Big Grin:
Hook, Line & Sinker in Santa Barbara have the biggest selection of Lucky Craft Flash Minnow 110 I’ve ever seen in any tackle shops. :Shocked: Seriously, their assortment of LC’s is quite impressive. All the popular and hard to find patterns are there! Binh and I couldn’t resist and had to purchase a few lures among other things… lol :Razz:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1011-2.jpg

Finally, around 3:00pm… and the tide was right and we all headed to the Clamming spot for an adult Easter Egg Hunt… Hahaha
The only “Bucket Brigade” activity that I will ever participate in, lol :LOL:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1012-3.jpg

Binh and Bill are Clamming Virgins… they won’t be for long… :Wink:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1013-2.jpg

Clamming is seriously hard work… but so much fun! We split up into two teams and had a blast competing to see who gets the most Clams. But in the end, we ended up putting Clams in each other’s buckets and lost count, lol :Envious: I enjoyed the teamwork the most…

Mikey locates the spot… and pull out some Clams…
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1014-3.jpg

And we all rush in to poach his spot, lol :Big Smile:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1018-2.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1015-3.jpg

Binh with his first ever Cockles. :Smile:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1019-2.jpg

We caught a little Octopus too… way cool!
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1017-1.jpg

Mikey with the Clam gauge making sure all our Clams were legal.
Got two buckets full of delicious Cockles… not bad for a couple hours of hard work.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1020-2.jpg

Cold and tired, we divided up the fruits of our labor, said our goodbyes and Binh & I hit the road for a long drive home… what a day…

Binh, thanks for coming with me on Sunday bro, keeping me company on the long drive and most important of all, to keep awake, lol
Hope you had a good time hanging out with my Northern S.W.A.T. Brothers and I’ll see you at next month’s poker tournament. :Wink:

Roy, thanks for finding some time from your busy schedule to join us young man. Stay on the righteous path and I'll see you next month at the "Gathering." :Big Grin:

Bill, it was great seeing and fishing with you again buddy, it has been too long. I think the last time we saw each other was when you and I were pinned against the rail with those big White Sea Bass, lol I don’t care what Mikey says, you’re still coachable… but just barely! :ROFL:
Good luck again with the new place and let me know when the house warming party will be. See you next month!

Mikey, what can I say my Yoda… you’re the Best! You are my Mentor and an inspiration to us all. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge and experience, not only with myself, but with the rest of the Team as well. The world would be a better place, if it was filled with people with your kindness and generosity. Thanks again for your friendship and I’ll see you next month at the S.W.A.T Gathering. :Cool:

Enjoy your week everybody, remember to be kind to those you meet, even if they don’t deserve it.

Arthur (Wingnut)



A man committed suicide by jumping off a bridge.
Later, people investigating his house found a note on the man’s bed. It read, “If one person smiles at me on my way to the bridge, I will not jump…”
Never underestimate the value of a smile.

“There are hundreds of languages in this world, but a smile speaks them all.”



Extra stuff… women, are too funny.

By the time I dropped off Binh and got home, it was almost 8 o’clock. Going more than two days without any sleep, I was almost dead to the world. I walk in the door, dying for a shower and my warm bed and what do I hear…? "The mall is still open… you promised!"

OMG, seriously? Yes, I promised to take you shopping, but not tonight! No, I’m telling you we’re not going, we’re not… we’re not, we’re not, and that’s final! :Angry:

So there we are at the mall… I couldn’t even keep my eyes open... :Confused:
I hate shopping… I don’t even like shopping for myself. Except for fishing gear of course. :Wink:

Why do women take so long to pick out something…? :Evil:
Trying on twelve different bath robes, TWICE… to finally pick the one that she wants. :Head Bang:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/Lynn1-1.jpg

Okay, that one looks great… can we go now?!? :Rolls Eyes: I still need to rinse off my gear…
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/Lynn2.jpg

Parting shot…

Only if Mankind could get along so well… :Cool:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1006-1.jpg


Announcing!
2012 - S.W.A.T. Challenge Leader Board Winners!

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%208/Wingnut%2010/Wingnut%2011/SWAT1008-13.jpg

2012 Champions!
Biggest Halibut - Bones (41")
Most Legal Halibut - Bones (9)
Biggest White Sea Bass - Mr_Dunev (36.5")
Most Legal White Sea Bass - Bones (3)
Biggest Barred Surf Perch - Mr_Dunev (16.5")
Most Exotic Surf Catch - SP Dan (Striper)
Most Lost Lucky Craft Lures - Bachiboy (16)
Biggest Leopard Shark - SP Dan (55.0")
Biggest Shovelnose - Which Way Out (50.0")
Biggest Bat Ray - Which Way Out (21.0" wingspan)
Biggest Yellow Fin Croaker - Bachiboy (18.0")
Biggest Corbina - Wingnut (22.0")
Biggest Calico Bass - Wingnut (20.0")
Biggest Spotted Bass - Tesserz (17.0")
Biggest Sand Bass - Bachiboy (18.0")
Biggest Barracuda - Wingnut (26.0")
Biggest Cabazon - Midgettosser1 (10.0")
Biggest Salmon - Which Way Out (32.0")

2013 Challenge is in effect! Good luck my S.W.A.T. Brothers & Sisters.:Big Grin:

[SP Dan]

Hi ya Arthur,

Your report had me grinning ear-to-ear, for the entire read Sir! :Big Grin:
What a fun time spent with good friends! Fishing, clamming and.....shopping!.... SHOPPING!*%#! YUCK!*%#!.... What a weekend my friend!
I was wondering to myself if I would have been able to keep up with all of you this past weekend! Oh...I'd try!! :Wink:

Thank you for sharing your session of "the Northern SWAT Boyz" with all of us! It was great to see all of you!
It looked like good times had by all.....indeed! :Thumbs Up:

PS....a personal "Congrat's" to Mikey aka exfactor for defending his title in the Annual Santa Barbara Perch Surf Fishing Tournament.
Arthur mentioned that Mikey was the defending champion of this derby and he did it again! Back to back repeat champion with a three fish of 6.9 lbs at weigh-in.
Not only that, Mikey was also crowned “Angler of the Year” for 2012 by his Santa Barbara Fishing Club.

Mikey....You are a SWAT Super Star! :Envious::UDaMan:

:Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin::Big Grin:

SP Dan <"))><

[PTN]

Arthur,

Looks like you had a great time with all the SWAT brothers and I can relate to shopping with women. My girlfriend loves to shop and of course I get dragged along :Embarrassed:. Clamming looks pretty fun and reminds me of looking for ghost shrimp. Hopefully the water heats up soon and I can chase after my first legal in the surf or maybe even a ghost!

Hope to fish with you/SWAT again this year soon :Smile: Thanks for the report!

-Peter

[Which Way Out]

Yup Space Reserved

Great Report Arthur.
How you found the energy to do it is beyond me. The shopping alone would of put me down for days. Although that store might keep you awake if you know what I mean.:Cool:

Wow what a blast. To bad Sunday seem to go by way to fast. Never really got into any deep conversations, just good old fashion hanging out. Binh looked a lot more tired than you that's for sure.

Started off pretty cold but we worked through it. I had mixed emotions on which bait to use. I know the LC is the go to bait no matter what. But the location we were at is BSP territory this time of year. Never the less, I was hoping you or Binh would hook something grand on the LC's. Like you said last year "the magic number is 63 degrees". Well the water was a lot warmer than the air temperature at least.

Mikey is a wonder isn't he? I know if the SHTF tomorrow he could manage to catch dinner. I just hope its not one of those Boneless fish:Wink::Sad:
Congrats once again Mike on the REPEAT, and you got a head start on this year as well with Saturdays win..

Binh, it was great to meet you for the first time and even better making funny jokes and comments while clamming. Had a great time.
Roy, It was good to see you out and about. How you fished in shorts and didn't freeze your a&* off is crazy.

Well I have the Clams in the bucket purging themselves and can't wait to do something tasty with em. Enjoy yours with your family and friends. Mikey and I will keep scouting the coast for the best location for next months gathering. Can't wait......

Till then
WWO

[exfactor]

OMG! She took you to the mall!!!!! Now that, my friend, is above and beyond the call of duty. She did look good in the robe though lol. For what its worth, I was feeling my age today too. think i'll leave clamming to the youngun's! Oh, if only I could project the surf conditions, from one day to the next, it can change in the snap of your fingers. I'm glad to have gotten to play with you and Binh, and am crossing my fingers on conditions to come.

[bones]

Great report Arthur! Just smiles all the way around. I'm really glad you finally had a chance to put your feet on the sand and breath in a little salt. The new year is here and before we know it the spring swing will be in our face. Good to see Binh and Roy up in the mix too!
I'm really hoping that the flatties show up this season for our northern boys ....... The perch never seem to let anyone down in Santa Barby though.
Nothing but average sized perch-cicles down here for now but it loooks like you guys got into some real slabs.
Good to see that Binh and Bill are no longer "Cockles" virgins any more:ROFL:
Keep up the good work on and off the sand Bro and YES....... A smile can go a long way in this world. It doesn't take much effort to be kind !

[5150fishn]

Sounds like the perfect weekend minus the no sleep thing. Lol! I too have made many a deals in the wee hours at the final poker table. Glad you got out on the water to break in the new year. Sounds like fishing was Ok but the company was top notch. Glad you had a great time now get some sleep! Lol

[connordoyle]

Arthur!

Awesome post, I've been patiently waiting! Your posts (and all S.W.A.T posts) made me want to start surf fishing in the first place. So I just want to say thanks for all the help and tips. I've been out 6 times this year alone! I feel totally lucky and blessed. I really hope we cross paths sometime soon so I can pick your brain!

Also,

Clamming looks like a real good (and tasty) time! Any decent clamming exist a little further south???

Rock n roll
-Connor-

[maxxxedout]

I envy you.... poker, surf fishing, clamming, and mall shopping (not...the shopping). hehehe.... I too am a clam virgin and proud of it...lol, looks like a lot of fun, i have the urge now to clam. "Forgive me father for I have SIN"....jk.

I been fishing perch from the pier but want to get into surf fishing like you guys. I have both grubs and hard baits. I'll give it a try next time. I read reports about Santa Monica bay but wonder if they get as big as the one's mention south of Santa Monica or is north the only way to go? Congrats on the reigning champ and thanks for sharing so many pics....with 1000s of words.

[fishon32]

I'm new to fishing (now an fishing addict)... and new to FNN... seen a few of your post now and you always have great trips. Can't wait until i can learn enough to do as well as you and your friends. Thank for the awesome and envious pics.

[saltman]

Hey

Congratulation to Mikey for back to back win and the Angler of the year. Get some rest Arthur the weekend will be here soon.
Saltman..

[jinbow]

Mikey,
Congratulations on your 2-peat surfing tournament, and the Angler of the Year award. :High Five: Ooh, Yeah!

Arthur,
Havnt slept, 4 am and still heading up Santa Barbara to fish for the whole day. You two are crazy. :LOL: But it sounds FUN to me!
Those clams do look tasty. I went to Coronado Beach, SD and dug up some big pismo clam before, that was fun.
Thanks for the report and pictures.

ALbert (jinbow)

[Ifishtoolittle]

Holy crap! You had quite an amazing weekend Arthur!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your report. It felt like I was right there experiencing your weekend adventure with you!

[skunked4life]

Congrats SWAT members! Do you guys ever get skunked or only catch dinks? :LOL:

Arthur, good job this weekend. You managed to keep most of the major commandments:

Thou shalt not put thy fishing buddy in danger of extreme weather for personal benefit.
Thou shalt fork over all gambling winnings to thy spouse.
Thou shalt put fishing before sleep.
Thou shalt exploit thy fishing buddy's cockle-hole.

[exfactor]

lol skunked "smiley"

[peanutbutter]

as always niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice and very entertaining report

[Homefish]

Sleep is over rated! Keep on fish'n!!! Thank for the report!

[troublehook]

Oh man looks like you guys had a blast. Thanks for the invite Art, but I just couldn't get up. :Neutral:
Really wanted to learn how to catch clams too. I won't miss the next invite.
Mikey, congrats on being the king of the perch, those are some huge ones. :EyePop:
Binh and Art, give me a call, maybe we can hit the surf this weekend. :Wink:

Sokha

[murrieta angler]

I was looking forward to this report and it didn't let me down...:Big Grin:
I knew you guys were going to hit it for some clams, how else would we get to have some of Mikeys clam chowder for next month...:Wink:
Congrats to Mikey for a second year in a row with the win...:Dancing Banana:
The man can flat out fish!!!
Arturo,
You are definately the hardest fishing person I know!!!:Wink:
There is no way I would have went shopping after all that, it would have cost me some..@#$###%%%$
But, time heals everything...:Cool:
Good to see Bill and Binh getting there fish on as well.
How did Binh like the cockle hunt...:Big Smile:
Finally, good to see Roy getting in on some of the fun.
I almsot forgot what he looked like...:ROFL:
Thank you for the report Brotha,
Robert
<><

[bachiboy]

Mikey...

Congrats on winning the tournament and the Angler of the Year award!!!:UDaMan: Well deserved man!

Arthur,

First off, you should know by now that, when it comes to shopping money, enough is NEVER enough! :LOL: AND, when it comes time to go shopping...you lose, no matter how little sleep you've had. :Rolls Eyes: It's a damned shame, but we gotta do those [dang:Censored:] extra things that we hate to score those hallpasses for later.:Wink:

Sounds like overall, you had a great weekend. Got some nice breakfast, made some money *cough*, for her shopping, got on some nice pigs, clams and octopus, and, most of all, got to hang out with some friends...pretty nice payout on that lack of sleep. :Envious: Other than the one frozen skunk session I had to end the year, I haven't seen the surf in a month cuz of work...straight through the holidays, including the weekends...not that I was anxious to go freeze my butt off again.:LOL: Hopefully things will change this weekend. Looking forward to fishing with all the crew again soon!!!

Great report as always sir! Take care...
Don

[iLLest]

Sweet report Arthur
Man you guys look like your having a blast.
The fish bite didnt go your way but the fun with the guys always takes care of that. :Smile:

Mikey, congrats on nailing the tournament bro! & capturing angler of the year. The only thing thats left is chef of the year for the BBQ Tuna. haha

Binh, check it out. :Wink: :ROFL:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/BinhCockle_zps8a6e73ae.jpg

[midgettosser1]

Mikey - congrats on the accomplishments.

Great report.

Thanks a lot, not I want to try out clamming too. Just one more thing I don't have time for.

Binh - that's a pretty serious looking bucket setup. is there something you aren't telling us? haha

[Badbeat]

Binh, check it out. :Wink: :ROFL:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/BinhCockle_zps8a6e73ae.jpg

:ROFL: LMAO! Thanks for the laugh Frank.

Thanks for having me along on the adventure Art, that was so much fun.
Great job on the second place finish at the poker tournament. I'm sure you would probably take 1st place if you kept playing bro. :Wink:

SWAT really knows how to have fun and I enjoyed every minute of fishing, lunch and clamming. Really nice hanging out with Bill and Roy and what more can I say about Mikey. He is the MAN! :Big Grin:

I can't believe Lynn made you take her to the mall, hahaha :LOL:

[Which Way Out]

Sweet report Arthur

Binh, check it out. :Wink: :ROFL:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/BinhCockle_zps8a6e73ae.jpg

Frank that's gonna be hard to top!!! Priceless

Thanks for the laugh
WWO

[crappiemike]

Way to keep fishing in this
Winter weather you guys!!

Nice slabb'ys Mickey........




Cm

[smidge]

Thanks for the up north report you guys are madmen, must still be in your 20s. Congrats Mikey on the double win and AOTY. Those are the biggest perch Ive ever seen from that beach. That clamming looks like a blast, been surfing their my whole life and never knew about the clams. Thanks again.

[murrieta angler]

Sweet report Arthur
Man you guys look like your having a blast.
The fish bite didnt go your way but the fun with the guys always takes care of that. :Smile:

Mikey, congrats on nailing the tournament bro! & capturing angler of the year. The only thing thats left is chef of the year for the BBQ Tuna. haha

Binh, check it out. :Wink: :ROFL:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/BinhCockle_zps8a6e73ae.jpg

That's some funny chit right there Frank....:ROFL:
I busted up out loud and my dogs think I'm crazy.
Robert
<><

[bloox8]

Nice report Arthur. Its about time you had some time out on the sand :Big Grin:. Its also about time you pull out your first legal of the year :Cool::LOL:
Even though they seem to be MIA, I am sure your halibut magnet ability will get you on some flatties soon enough :LOL:
Those clams look pretty tasty. I've been clamming for elephant clams up in Seattle a few times and man.. it was not easy...
Had to dig about 2-4ft down in wet send to get them. It was quite a work out :Shocked:

Mikey, congrats on defending your tournament title. Back to back first place titles is pretty impressive. Whats your secret?? :Secret:

Looking forward to your next post Arthur

Thien

P.S. Semi-Congrats on placing second in that hold'em tourney lol.

[trail blazer]

S.W.A.T,,At it already,,,,,you guys ROCK the beaches,,,,,,,,,WTG

[dlmoo312]

Two straight days of poker, fishing, clamming, and shopping and all on no sleep... how do you do it??:Shocked:
It's good to see the swat crew up and at it again for the new year! Way to go on the big perch! It's been so cold lately I really hope the weather warms up a bit soon.
Congratulations to all the winners of the SWAT challenge! That's an impressive list of fish caught, and I can't wait to see what's going to be pulled out of the surf this year. Congrats on defending your perch title Mikey! Very cool:Cool:


-Daniel

[Wingnut]

Hi ya Arthur,

Your report had me grinning ear-to-ear, for the entire read Sir! :Big Grin:
What a fun time spent with good friends! Fishing, clamming and.....shopping!.... SHOPPING!*%#! YUCK!*%#!.... What a weekend my friend!
I was wondering to myself if I would have been able to keep up with all of you this past weekend! Oh...I'd try!! :Wink:

Thank you for sharing your session of "the Northern SWAT Boyz" with all of us! It was great to see all of you!
It looked like good times had by all.....indeed! :Thumbs Up:

PS....a personal "Congrat's" to Mikey aka exfactor for defending his title in the Annual Santa Barbara Perch Surf Fishing Tournament.
Arthur mentioned that Mikey was the defending champion of this derby and he did it again! Back to back repeat champion with a three fish of 6.9 lbs at weigh-in.
Not only that, Mikey was also crowned “Angler of the Year” for 2012 by his Santa Barbara Fishing Club.

Mikey....You are a SWAT Super Star! :Envious::UDaMan:

:Big Grin:

SP Dan <"))><
Dan, I have no doubt that you would be able to keep up... I've seen you in action and you have more energy than most people half your age. :Wink:
Yes, Mikey is indeed a Super Star! :Big Grin:
Hope to fish with you sometime soon my friend!


Arthur,

Looks like you had a great time with all the SWAT brothers and I can relate to shopping with women. My girlfriend loves to shop and of course I get dragged along :Embarrassed:. Clamming looks pretty fun and reminds me of looking for ghost shrimp. Hopefully the water heats up soon and I can chase after my first legal in the surf or maybe even a ghost!

Hope to fish with you/SWAT again this year soon :Smile: Thanks for the report!

-Peter
Shopping with a woman is a painful experience, lol
I think you use a Ghost Shrimp pump when you hunt them correct? Clamming is with a shovel, a rake and with your bare hands. :Wink:
Yes, hopefully the Spring bite will be a good one this year. I'm confident that you will meet and exceed your goal this year! :Big Grin:
I'll be in touch and we will hit the surf sometime soon...


Yup Space Reserved

Great Report Arthur.
How you found the energy to do it is beyond me. The shopping alone would of put me down for days. Although that store might keep you awake if you know what I mean.:Cool:

Wow what a blast. To bad Sunday seem to go by way to fast. Never really got into any deep conversations, just good old fashion hanging out. Binh looked a lot more tired than you that's for sure.

Started off pretty cold but we worked through it. I had mixed emotions on which bait to use. I know the LC is the go to bait no matter what. But the location we were at is BSP territory this time of year. Never the less, I was hoping you or Binh would hook something grand on the LC's. Like you said last year "the magic number is 63 degrees". Well the water was a lot warmer than the air temperature at least.

Mikey is a wonder isn't he? I know if the SHTF tomorrow he could manage to catch dinner. I just hope its not one of those Boneless fish:Wink::Sad:
Congrats once again Mike on the REPEAT, and you got a head start on this year as well with Saturdays win..

Binh, it was great to meet you for the first time and even better making funny jokes and comments while clamming. Had a great time.
Roy, It was good to see you out and about. How you fished in shorts and didn't freeze your a&* off is crazy.

Well I have the Clams in the bucket purging themselves and can't wait to do something tasty with em. Enjoy yours with your family and friends. Mikey and I will keep scouting the coast for the best location for next months gathering. Can't wait......

Till then
WWO
I agree Bill, Sunday went by way too fast... I really had a great time hanging out with you and Mikey. You were driving me nuts missing all those bites standing next to me. They were all over that plastic grub and weren't very interested in the LC much. I was too lazy to switch over to the grub, I wanted that one big grab from a 16"+ Perch. :Envious:
Clamming was a blast, bantering with each other was so much fun. :LOL:
See you next month at the S.W.A.T. gathering my friend. :Big Grin:


OMG! She took you to the mall!!!!! Now that, my friend, is above and beyond the call of duty. She did look good in the robe though lol. For what its worth, I was feeling my age today too. think i'll leave clamming to the youngun's! Oh, if only I could project the surf conditions, from one day to the next, it can change in the snap of your fingers. I'm glad to have gotten to play with you and Binh, and am crossing my fingers on conditions to come.
The things we do for women, huh Mikey? :LOL:
The next morning, my back, neck, wrists and arms were aching, lol Clamming is really hard work, but totally worth it. But I wouldn't want to do it more than a couple times a year. :Razz:
Thanks again for being our guide for the day Yoda and I'll see you next month at the gathering. :Wink:


Great report Arthur! Just smiles all the way around. I'm really glad you finally had a chance to put your feet on the sand and breath in a little salt. The new year is here and before we know it the spring swing will be in our face. Good to see Binh and Roy up in the mix too!
I'm really hoping that the flatties show up this season for our northern boys ....... The perch never seem to let anyone down in Santa Barby though.
Nothing but average sized perch-cicles down here for now but it loooks like you guys got into some real slabs.
Good to see that Binh and Bill are no longer "Cockles" virgins any more:ROFL:
Keep up the good work on and off the sand Bro and YES....... A smile can go a long way in this world. It doesn't take much effort to be kind !
Congratulations on the new Grand Daughter Grandpa Bones! :Big Grin:
Hopefully, now you can have some breathing room to get back out there to fish!
Swells are backing down big time this weekend, water temp. going back up and the weather looks great... care to join me for a session bro? :Wink:


Sounds like the perfect weekend minus the no sleep thing. Lol! I too have made many a deals in the wee hours at the final poker table. Glad you got out on the water to break in the new year. Sounds like fishing was Ok but the company was top notch. Glad you had a great time now get some sleep! Lol
I can handle the no sleep, not a big deal, been doing it all my life. :Razz:
I probably would have won first place if I kept on playing, but time was running out. But it's all good, left with a good chunk of change. :Wink:
And yes, the company I was in on Sunday was the best! :Big Grin:



Arthur!

Awesome post, I've been patiently waiting! Your posts (and all S.W.A.T posts) made me want to start surf fishing in the first place. So I just want to say thanks for all the help and tips. I've been out 6 times this year alone! I feel totally lucky and blessed. I really hope we cross paths sometime soon so I can pick your brain!

Also,

Clamming looks like a real good (and tasty) time! Any decent clamming exist a little further south???

Rock n roll
-Connor-
Connor, if you want to pick my brains you are welcome to do so... :Wink: Just shoot myself or any S.W.A.T. member a PM (Private Message) with your questions and we will do our best to steer you in the right direction. :Cool:
There are plenty of beaches North or South to Clam... I just think the water quality up North is better to eat shellfish. :Razz:
Rock on...


I envy you.... poker, surf fishing, clamming, and mall shopping (not...the shopping). hehehe.... I too am a clam virgin and proud of it...lol, looks like a lot of fun, i have the urge now to clam. "Forgive me father for I have SIN"....jk.

I been fishing perch from the pier but want to get into surf fishing like you guys. I have both grubs and hard baits. I'll give it a try next time. I read reports about Santa Monica bay but wonder if they get as big as the one's mention south of Santa Monica or is north the only way to go? Congrats on the reigning champ and thanks for sharing so many pics....with 1000s of words.
"Forgive me Father for I have sinned..." that's hilarious. :Big Smile:
I bet your kids would have a great time Clamming. :Big Grin:
SAMO have some really big Perch also, actually, the bite is quite good there right now. :Wink:
Take care and good luck out there!


I'm new to fishing (now an fishing addict)... and new to FNN... seen a few of your post now and you always have great trips. Can't wait until i can learn enough to do as well as you and your friends. Thank for the awesome and envious pics.
Welcome to FNN and the addiction. :LOL:
Read, do the research and spend time in the water, you will learn new things every time you are out there, good luck! :Cool:


Hey

Congratulation to Mikey for back to back win and the Angler of the year. Get some rest Arthur the weekend will be here soon.
Saltman..
I'm ready for the weekend Ramiro... conditions looks great. :Wink:


Mikey,
Congratulations on your 2-peat surfing tournament, and the Angler of the Year award. :High Five: Ooh, Yeah!

Arthur,
Havnt slept, 4 am and still heading up Santa Barbara to fish for the whole day. You two are crazy. :LOL: But it sounds FUN to me!
Those clams do look tasty. I went to Coronado Beach, SD and dug up some big pismo clam before, that was fun.
Thanks for the report and pictures.

ALbert (jinbow)
It was fun Albert. The Clams we got were Cockles, they don't get as big as the Pismo Clams, but tastes just as good. :Big Grin:
Conditions looks really good this weekend, hope you can get out there. :Wink:


Holy crap! You had quite an amazing weekend Arthur!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your report. It felt like I was right there experiencing your weekend adventure with you!
Fun filled weekend for sure... I'm all rest up now and ready for the next one. :Razz:


Congrats SWAT members! Do you guys ever get skunked or only catch dinks? :LOL:

Arthur, good job this weekend. You managed to keep most of the major commandments:

Thou shalt not put thy fishing buddy in danger of extreme weather for personal benefit.
Thou shalt fork over all gambling winnings to thy spouse.
Thou shalt put fishing before sleep.
Thou shalt exploit thy fishing buddy's cockle-hole.
Oh, we catch plenty of dinks, we just don't advertise them, lol :LOL:
I like the commandments, hahaha


as always niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice and very entertaining report
Thanks Jean, looked like you had a good time surf fishing in Mexico. :Wink:


Sleep is over rated! Keep on fish'n!!! Thank for the report!
I agree, lol Fish until you drop! :Envious:


Oh man looks like you guys had a blast. Thanks for the invite Art, but I just couldn't get up. :Neutral:
Really wanted to learn how to catch clams too. I won't miss the next invite.
Mikey, congrats on being the king of the perch, those are some huge ones. :EyePop:
Binh and Art, give me a call, maybe we can hit the surf this weekend. :Wink:

Sokha
You did miss out on a really good time bro, but there's always a next time. :Big Grin:
Gear up, I might be able to hit the surf again this weekend. :Wink:


I was looking forward to this report and it didn't let me down...:Big Grin:
I knew you guys were going to hit it for some clams, how else would we get to have some of Mikeys clam chowder for next month...:Wink:
Congrats to Mikey for a second year in a row with the win...:Dancing Banana:
The man can flat out fish!!!
Arturo,
You are definately the hardest fishing person I know!!!:Wink:
There is no way I would have went shopping after all that, it would have cost me some..@#$###%%%$
But, time heals everything...:Cool:
Good to see Bill and Binh getting there fish on as well.
How did Binh like the cockle hunt...:Big Smile:
Finally, good to see Roy getting in on some of the fun.
I almsot forgot what he looked like...:ROFL:
Thank you for the report Brotha,
Robert
<><
I can't wait to taste some of Mikey's homemade Clam Chowder too. :Envious:
Next month's gathering is going to be fun... see ya there bro.
Good luck this weekend if you get out. :Big Grin:


Mikey...

Congrats on winning the tournament and the Angler of the Year award!!!:UDaMan: Well deserved man!

Arthur,

First off, you should know by now that, when it comes to shopping money, enough is NEVER enough! :LOL: AND, when it comes time to go shopping...you lose, no matter how little sleep you've had. :Rolls Eyes: It's a damned shame, but we gotta do those [dang:Censored:] extra things that we hate to score those hallpasses for later.

Sounds like overall, you had a great weekend. Got some nice breakfast, made some money *cough*, for her shopping, got on some nice pigs, clams and octopus, and, most of all, got to hang out with some friends...pretty nice payout on that lack of sleep. :Envious: Other than the one frozen skunk session I had to end the year, I haven't seen the surf in a month cuz of work...straight through the holidays, including the weekends...not that I was anxious to go freeze my butt off again. Hopefully things will change this weekend. Looking forward to fishing with all the crew again soon!!!

Great report as always sir! Take care...
Don
I agree Don... I think I earned a couple of free passes at least. :LOL:
Things are looking good for this weekend. I'm trying to clear a few things so I can hit the surf myself.
Good luck if you head out this weekend. :Wink:


Sweet report Arthur
Man you guys look like your having a blast.
The fish bite didnt go your way but the fun with the guys always takes care of that. :Smile:

Mikey, congrats on nailing the tournament bro! & capturing angler of the year. The only thing thats left is chef of the year for the BBQ Tuna. haha

Binh, check it out. :ROFL:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h322/swatsILLEST/BinhCockle_zps8a6e73ae.jpg

I agree Frank, Mikey is also Chef of the Year! :Big Grin:
Classic Photoshop bro... had me bustin' up laughing. :ROFL:


Mikey - congrats on the accomplishments.

Great report.

Thanks a lot, not I want to try out clamming too. Just one more thing I don't have time for.

Binh - that's a pretty serious looking bucket setup. is there something you aren't telling us? haha
I only go Clamming once or twice a year... way too much work, lol
Hey, that's MY bucket, I made Binh carry it, hahaha :LOL:


:ROFL: LMAO! Thanks for the laugh Frank.

Thanks for having me along on the adventure Art, that was so much fun.
Great job on the second place finish at the poker tournament. I'm sure you would probably take 1st place if you kept playing bro.

SWAT really knows how to have fun and I enjoyed every minute of fishing, lunch and clamming. Really nice hanging out with Bill and Roy and what more can I say about Mikey. He is the MAN!

I can't believe Lynn made you take her to the mall, hahaha :LOL:
That was a fun poker tournament bro. I had to survive three early all-ins and a long stretch of being card dead, but it all fell into place eventually. :Razz:
I'm glad you had a good time bro, Mikey, Bill and Roy are fantastic hosts. Congrats on your first Cockles! Hahaha :Big Smile:


Way to keep fishing in this
Winter weather you guys!!

Nice slabb'ys Mickey........




Cm
Is it Cachuma time yet Mike? :Big Grin:
Hope you've been getting a few... :Wink:


Thanks for the up north report you guys are madmen, must still be in your 20s. Congrats Mikey on the double win and AOTY. Those are the biggest perch Ive ever seen from that beach. That clamming looks like a blast, been surfing their my whole life and never knew about the clams. Thanks again.
I don't know about everybody else, but I'm still in my 20's. :LOL: :Envious:
Time to give that beach a shot again, you think? :Wink:


Nice report Arthur. Its about time you had some time out on the sand :Big Grin:. Its also about time you pull out your first legal of the year :Cool:
Even though they seem to be MIA, I am sure your halibut magnet ability will get you on some flatties soon enough :LOL:
Those clams look pretty tasty. I've been clamming for elephant clams up in Seattle a few times and man.. it was not easy...
Had to dig about 2-4ft down in wet send to get them. It was quite a work out :Shocked:

Mikey, congrats on defending your tournament title. Back to back first place titles is pretty impressive. Whats your secret?? :Secret:

Looking forward to your next post Arthur

Thien

P.S. Semi-Congrats on placing second in that hold'em tourney lol.
Hopefully, we all get a decent chance to get into some Flat Fish action soon Thien. This weekend looks pretty good. :Wink:
I hope you and Daniel are ready for your "Challenge." :Wink: :Secret: :Big Grin:


S.W.A.T,,At it already,,,,,you guys ROCK the beaches,,,,,,,,,WTG
Thanks Scott... good luck with the "Duct Challenge." :Big Grin:


Two straight days of poker, fishing, clamming, and shopping and all on no sleep... how do you do it??
It's good to see the swat crew up and at it again for the new year! Way to go on the big perch! It's been so cold lately I really hope the weather warms up a bit soon.
Congratulations to all the winners of the SWAT challenge! That's an impressive list of fish caught, and I can't wait to see what's going to be pulled out of the surf this year. Congrats on defending your perch title Mikey! Very cool:Cool:


-Daniel
Easy to find the energy to do what you love to do Daniel. :Wink:
Conditions is looking better for this weekend... you and Thien should hit the surf hard.
Are you ready for your "Challenge"? :Twisted:

[rydharde]

Good times good fishing, thanks so much for your awesome reports. I feel like I'm there fishing with you, that's until my daughter asks me to help her with homework.

[blackwater]

Awesome report Arthur, that was a fun one to read thru. :Big Grin:
Who cares about the fishing when you're in top notched company.
Great job in the poker tournament bro, I got knocked out early on pocket Queens. :mad:
Damn, Lynn looks great without make up, you're a lucky man bro. :Razz: Can't believe she dragged you to the mall. LOL

[Wingnut]

Good times good fishing, thanks so much for your awesome reports. I feel like I'm there fishing with you, that's until my daughter asks me to help her with homework.
Good times indeed. :Big Grin:
Take your daughter and go fishing! :Wink:


Awesome report Arthur, that was a fun one to read thru. :Big Grin:
Who cares about the fishing when you're in top notched company.
Great job in the poker tournament bro, I got knocked out early on pocket Queens. :mad:
Damn, Lynn looks great without make up, you're a lucky man bro. :Razz: Can't believe she dragged you to the mall. LOL
Hey Phuong, I look good without makeup too right? :LOL:
Women and their shopping... I was totally faded in that mall. :mad:
Too bad you got knocked out early bro, better luck at the next tournament. :Wink:


Conditions was great this past weekend, but nothing else wanted to play but Perch. :Neutral:
Here's a few pics of our journey into the suds this past Sunday. Maybe when the water temp. rises more species will come out to play. :Wink:
Have a nice week everybody! :Big Grin:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1003-1.jpg

Peter (PTN)
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1004-3.jpg

One of the many Perch we caught.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1005-4.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1007-4.jpg

Badbeat & Bones. Mike came down with the flu on Monday. :Sad: Get well soon bro!
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1006-3.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1008-5.jpg

[Jesus805]

That's some good fishing!
Next time you are up here let me know. Will go up a little north to gaviota and look for some big Hali's