One more time.....ventura 9/2

[bones]

Well....I'm going to make this short since it's a repeat of a post that disappeared into cyberspace. I hit up Ventura harbor for some flatties but the tides sucked that day....Oh well.....still beats hanging in the valley with 113 degree heat!
Started off tossing the blue mack krock from the shoreline for nothing but when I migrated onto the jetty and started wotking the shallows I got a big hit.....two long runs and she came unbuttoned :bang:
Fan casted the whole area for about 15 minutes for nada so I moved out on the jetty and rigged up the 4" gulp smelt on the DS and immediately started sticking shorties. My life story in ventura....LOL
I swear...If there was an award for shorties I clearly would take the trophy!
Anyways.....No legals today but here is a pic of the biggest shortie that went 19"

Blah...Blah....blah......

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s298/mdjbones/Dsc05669.jpg

[CoffeaRobusta]

Thanks for the report. Beautiful halibut. I want to find a nice local jetty to fish off of. Ventura is a little far. Know any jetties in Orange county area?

Also, how does one use iron to fish for flaties? Do you keep it a foot or so off the bottom on the retrieve? Or let it hit the bottom and then do a lift/drop type of retrieve (am I making sense?)?

[bones]

I don't know about the OC area but there is plenty of places in LB to fish for them.72nd street is one of the more popular places. Pretty more or less flatties will hit anything that bounces along the bottom that resembles a baitfish. Mega baits,Krocks,swimbaits...you name it. I've seen them all work. I like to toss Lucky Craft hardbaits when the butts are on the chew and I always DS for them as well. DSing is nerve wrecking sometimes but I have the patience to do it due to all of my years fishing for LMB in the FW.

[KID-FISH]

Hey Bones, nice pic there...I've tried fishing the surf with artificials but no luck. I noticed you used a 4" gulp smelt on the DS and got more action, any tips when using this setup or do you just cast and retrieve?

Any tips would be appreciated but I understand if it's your secret technique.

[Troutman65]

Thanks for the report again. :lol:

TM65

[bones]

Hey Bones, nice pic there...I've tried fishing the surf with artificials but no luck. I noticed you used a 4" gulp smelt on the DS and got more action, any tips when using this setup or do you just cast and retrieve?

Any tips would be appreciated but I understand if it's your secret technique.

Nothing secret about it.....Just normal dropshotting. I read a post one time about tying the hook so it layed sideways but I never do that. I just use a normal palomar knot with a DS follow thru and a 12" tag end. I use both long shank 2/0 hooks or a #1 or #2 DS hook. I also upgraded to 10 lb p-line because I've been snapped off by a few big girls lately and I'm lazy!. I HATE retying a DS setup and with 8lb line I can always feel a few nicks from the butts teeth and if I don't retie....I'm sure to lose the next fish due to a snap off. Damn halibut *** up your line real fast....even the shorties......LOL
Just use the same techniques as working any DS setup. A little drag.....a little shake if ya know what I meen.Every now and then a little bump off the bottom to give the bait some vertical movement but not too much IMHO. What's really important is using a weight heavy enough to always keep a good feel of the bottom.There is alot more current in the SW compared to the FW.Nose hooking the baits with a normal DS hook does give the bait more action compared to threading a longshank hook through the bait but both work.
You just got to keep fan casting while moving along the jetty rocks until you find that sweet spot and then work it hard. Also don't reel in your rig too soon. Alot of butts hug the jetty because that's where the baitfish hang out. There is a fine line.........you gotta reel in you rig RIGHT BEFORE it's going to snag on the jetty rocks.
80% of the butts I've caught recently have been within 10 feet of the jetty.I still make those looooong casts though......LOL

[christainmetalhead909]

nice butt.

[Oban]

Nice report, and good information. I plan to start surf fishing more often although I doubt I will fish in Ventura, I thank you for sharing that info.

[fishmaniac]

That's a beautiful hali even though it's short!

Nice report brah!

[KID-FISH]

Thanks for the advice Bones!:thumb: I guess it takes a little more practice...looks like I'm gonna have to hit the surf more often - dang! lol
Maybe I'll post some pics of my fish sometime soon.

Good fishing to ya!