PTN
03-26-2013, 09:37 PM
Planned a surf fishing session looking at promising conditions for grey light. Swells were supposed to be 1-3 feet but ended up being around 2-3+ feet. Water was around 58 degrees and clarity got better as it reached high tide. Fished an incoming high tide. Lots of bait fish present and bird diving close. Clear of salad.
Picked up a friend who has been really getting into surf fishing around 445AM and arrived at the AO around 6AM. It was pitch dark and I was using a Shimano Sedona 2500 on a LC ESGII 771HXF with 20lb. braid and FM110 in MS Ghost Jack Smelt. The new rod felt great. Sandy gave me this rod and only catch was to tell him how it was and to fish with it often :Cool:. The lure was gifted by the commander and I took it as him passing his fishing mojo to me :Big Grin:.
We were tossing our LC's in pitch darkness and I almost hit myself in the face a few times with the lure when I didn't realize how close it was when I retrieved it. The air was pretty cold and my friend Danny was manning it up in swim trunks and a sweater. He said the water felt warm but I could hear his teeth chattering :Razz:. We fished greylight and started to find holes but no fish in them.
As it hit around 830AM I get a nice hit and fish on. I brought my brother's GoPro and I didn't even turn it on for the fight :Embarrassed:. I was just excited for the first fish that I finally felt. The fish put on two good drag burns then just decided to be deadweight and get reeled in. I holler to Danny and tell him that I think it could be legal. I had to time the waves a couple of times to finally get it on dry sand so he could tail it. I finally turned on the camera after the fish came in and just got a video of taping/picturing the halibut with the release. Video is being uploaded soon. The halibut ends up measuring 22 inches but at the time I saw 23 for some reason :Confused:. My first legal in the surf! Thanks again Wingnut for the fishing mojo :LOL:. This fish was released as it was my first legal in the surf and hoping it grows even bigger for someone else to catch another day. My 4th legal for the year overall though.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0601_zps0e7f9143.jpg
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0602_zps8e35998f.jpg
We tried for another hour and a half and I only got one more hit that I lost. Just another fish story with the fishing pulling good drag and popping off. Danny switched over to the gulp sandworm to get the skunk off and he ended up catching two large smelt, a perch, and a 1 1/2 foot leopard.
He was pretty excited with his catches because he's had the skunk on his back the last couple of sessions he's been on and I know that feeling where you finally catch a fish :Smile:.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0603_zpsf6959b22.jpg
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0606_zps5e3cf5bb.jpg
Although I did end up catching another species, I don't know if this counts as exotic :ROFL:
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0608_zps3416546c.jpg
Guys? This counts right? :LOL: At least the lure matches the bait fish out there.
We head over to the next AO off the rocks for a quick session and I end up picking up a 20 inch hali on a really fast retrieve and Danny didn't get any.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0609_zps4caed954.jpg
Although I didn't succeed in completing the S.W.A.T. challenge, I still reached one of my goals to catch a legal in the surf and enjoyed the day with a good friend. Ended the day on a good note and hope everyone the best out there. Let's hope these are signs of a good fishing year. Thanks for reading.
-Peter
Picked up a friend who has been really getting into surf fishing around 445AM and arrived at the AO around 6AM. It was pitch dark and I was using a Shimano Sedona 2500 on a LC ESGII 771HXF with 20lb. braid and FM110 in MS Ghost Jack Smelt. The new rod felt great. Sandy gave me this rod and only catch was to tell him how it was and to fish with it often :Cool:. The lure was gifted by the commander and I took it as him passing his fishing mojo to me :Big Grin:.
We were tossing our LC's in pitch darkness and I almost hit myself in the face a few times with the lure when I didn't realize how close it was when I retrieved it. The air was pretty cold and my friend Danny was manning it up in swim trunks and a sweater. He said the water felt warm but I could hear his teeth chattering :Razz:. We fished greylight and started to find holes but no fish in them.
As it hit around 830AM I get a nice hit and fish on. I brought my brother's GoPro and I didn't even turn it on for the fight :Embarrassed:. I was just excited for the first fish that I finally felt. The fish put on two good drag burns then just decided to be deadweight and get reeled in. I holler to Danny and tell him that I think it could be legal. I had to time the waves a couple of times to finally get it on dry sand so he could tail it. I finally turned on the camera after the fish came in and just got a video of taping/picturing the halibut with the release. Video is being uploaded soon. The halibut ends up measuring 22 inches but at the time I saw 23 for some reason :Confused:. My first legal in the surf! Thanks again Wingnut for the fishing mojo :LOL:. This fish was released as it was my first legal in the surf and hoping it grows even bigger for someone else to catch another day. My 4th legal for the year overall though.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0601_zps0e7f9143.jpg
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0602_zps8e35998f.jpg
We tried for another hour and a half and I only got one more hit that I lost. Just another fish story with the fishing pulling good drag and popping off. Danny switched over to the gulp sandworm to get the skunk off and he ended up catching two large smelt, a perch, and a 1 1/2 foot leopard.
He was pretty excited with his catches because he's had the skunk on his back the last couple of sessions he's been on and I know that feeling where you finally catch a fish :Smile:.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0603_zpsf6959b22.jpg
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0606_zps5e3cf5bb.jpg
Although I did end up catching another species, I don't know if this counts as exotic :ROFL:
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0608_zps3416546c.jpg
Guys? This counts right? :LOL: At least the lure matches the bait fish out there.
We head over to the next AO off the rocks for a quick session and I end up picking up a 20 inch hali on a really fast retrieve and Danny didn't get any.
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/ptfishing/03-26-13/IMG_0609_zps4caed954.jpg
Although I didn't succeed in completing the S.W.A.T. challenge, I still reached one of my goals to catch a legal in the surf and enjoyed the day with a good friend. Ended the day on a good note and hope everyone the best out there. Let's hope these are signs of a good fishing year. Thanks for reading.
-Peter