Barbie Pole Challenge… Part 2. Pre-Easter S.W.A.T. Mission - Saturday 3/30.

[Wingnut]

Warning: Long report… :Razz:

Some of you may remember this “Challenge” a few years ago… :Wink:

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?34968-The-quot-Barbie-Pole-quot-Challenge-Legal-Halibut-Marvel-Comic-Style-Monday-6-22-09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de2pZpdzhas

My buddy Phuong (Blackwater) and I make a fishing bet every year. So far, my record is 6 wins and 1 loss between us. The only loss I had was last year when Phuong challenged me that I couldn’t catch a double digit Striper on the Barbie style rod on topwater. Well, the Striper bite never really took off last season and I only targeted them a few times, so Phuong got his only win. I had to let him drive my car for a month, which he promptly racked up almost 2000 miles on it in 30 days. :Evil: He still rubs that one and ONLY win in my face from time to time. :Rolls Eyes: That’s okay Phuong, I know that’s your only claim to fame, lol

Okay, back to the present…
A couple of weeks ago, we were sitting around the poker table with some friends. I was just annihilating Phuong’s chip stack and had him heading for the rails. :Twisted: Phuong was on tilt and was talking mad crap. One thing led to another and he brought up our last bet and started taunting me again. Phuong says we should have another challenge… I said “whatever…” and ignored him. He kept at it, even after he was knocked out from the table, continuing to yap... So I finally said, “Okay, go away, come back when you come up with a good challenge and I’ll think about it…”

He comes back a little while later and presented his challenge… Catch a legal Halibut with a Barbie style kiddie rod from the surf. I thought that was a good challenge and we started talking about the particulars and working out the details.

Details of the Challenge.
The stakes = $500.00
The Prey = Legal Halibut from the open surf (no boats or harbors).
The Weapon = 4ft version Barbie style kiddie pole with stock #6 line. I negotiated the 4ft instead of the 2ft version because I knew that I would need the longer rod to cast the LC.
The Ammo = On artificial lures only.
The Timeframe = I wanted until the end of the year to complete the challenge, but Phuong wanted it done in 30 days… we finally agreed on 3 months. I have until the end of June to complete the challenge.
The Handshake Witness = Binh (Badbeat)

Earlier in the week, I went to Big 5 to buy a 4ft version Kiddie Pole. I wanted Superman, but they don't have it. The choices they had were; Nemo, Little Mermaid, Disney Princess, Peter Pan and Spiderman… hmmmmmm, it was really tough deciding on which to choose, but I finally went with Spiderman. :LOL:

I wanted so bad to change out the line, I think the stock line is #6 and had crazy memory. :Neutral: But the deal was that in order to use a 4ft version rod, I had to keep the stock line… so be it.

Fishing with this set-up required optimal surf conditions. I mean perfect or near perfect conditions. Now, check out how lucky I am… This Easter weekend, I can’t fish on Sunday. The only time I had to hit the surf was this morning for 2 hours at grey light before I have to go to the office. I can’t believe my luck when checking conditions. Saturday had the best conditions this week! Flat swells, good zero tide at one of my favorite A.O.’s, moderate offshore wind, this will definitely help with the casting… it was a good sign… destiny I tell ya, destiny. :Envious:

I told a few of the guys that I was hitting the surf for a couple of hours this morning to test out a new Ultra-Secret S.W.A.T. Weaponry. :Secret: If anybody wanted to join me, come on out! Don (Bachiboy) and Nate (BBQSushi) decided to come. Don brought along his wife’s uncle, Steve, from Northern California who wanted to try surf fishing here in Southern California. :Cool:

We met up and hit the sand in the grey light. The look on Don and Nate’s faces when they saw my Spiderman rig was priceless… S.W.A.T. Ultra-Secret Weaponry my a**, hahahahaha. :ROFL:

I brought along my standard E21 Carrot Stix / Daiwa Luna rig, just in case the Spidey rig suffered a catastrophic failure, lol

The boys gearing up.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1-6.jpg

Instead of feeling sorry or sympathizing with my daunting situation, they made me lead the charge in the surf… you guys know how I prefer NOT to lead in the surf. :Crying:
But that’s cool, I only have 2 hours, so I was just going to power fish all the key spots on this beach and see what happens… :Wink:

My first cast went about 10 yards… as a matter of fact, the first dozen or so casts didn't go very far. :mad: I turn and saw Don laughing behind my back… :Angry: It took a few dozen casts before I got the hang of this noodle-like rod. Then, I finally figured how to cast the LC effectively. Either straight up with a high arc or whip it sidearm to get the best results. Either way gets me a maximum distance of about 30 yards, still terrible, but doable. I also had to wade in extra deep to get extra yardage, I was chest to neck high in the surf... lucky the swells were super flat today. :Razz:

Still in the grey light… Nate and I get a double hook-up… whoohoo! :Dancing Banana:
Nate pulls in a nice 16” Calico and it took me a little bit longer, but I finally land a 18” short Halibut. I was surprised at how well this little rod handled the fight. The parabolic action absorbed the head shakes pretty well and the drag was a bit jerky but not too bad. I was more concerned about the poor quality of the 6 lb test line than anything else.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1005-12.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1007-13.jpg

Short on time, I flipped the turbo switch and pressed on down the beach leaving Don, Nate and Steve behind.

I approached some large boiler rocks sticking out of the surf in the low tide and started casting in between them. After a few casts, the LC gets hit again… the drag in the Spidey reel screamed with delight. The weight of the fish and the pronounced head shakes had me hoping that it would be the flat fish of the “right” kind and that is was... I caught a glimpse of the fish in waist deep water and it looked like it could be a legal. Playing the Hali extra carefully, I slid the fish up on the sand and immediately recognized that it was a legal. I let out a loud roar and held the fish up for the boys down the beach to see. Taped it out, took a few pics and back in the surf it went. I still had plenty of Halibut fillets left in the freezer from the 30 incher I caught a couple of weeks ago. :Big Grin:

Challenge accomplished! In the very 1st outing.. AGAIN! Poor Phuong. :LOL:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1009-13.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1011-12.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1012-11.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1013-10.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1014-10.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1016-10.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1018-9.jpg

The release...
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1019-9.jpg

Worked my way a little bit further down the beach to a kelp bed that was within casting distance due to the low tide and made a few casts. I was rewarded with a decent 15” Calico, the Spidey rod claims another victim. :Envious:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1026-6.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1022-8.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1020-8.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1021-8.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1023-6.jpg

I looked down at my watch and it was 8:30am… time to go. Said goodbye to the boys and hiked my way back to the car. Don, Nate and Steve continued to fish for a few more hours. They caught some nice fish and will post up some pics later.

Steve, Don (Bachiboy) and Nate (BBQSushi).
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1031-5.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1025-5.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1029-4.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1008-13.jpg

Steve, it was nice meeting you... I looked down the beach and saw you in the heat of battle with that fish. :Wink:
Hope you enjoyed your stay here in SoCal and maybe we'll fish together again the next time you come into town. :Cool:

Don, didn't I tell you that the new Super-Secret S.W.A.T. weaponry will blow you away?!? Hahahaha :Big Smile:
Glad that we didn't go in the opposite directions this morning. :Wink:
Have a Happy Easter my friend.

Nate, Happy Birthday, it was great sharing the surf with you for the first time. We saw each other at HG4, when you went batty, lol But I didn't fish that day. You came awfully close to completing your mission with that 16" Calico. The quest continues, good luck! :Big Grin:

Phuong, pay up sucka! :Nut Kick:

Have a blessed Easter everybody!

Arthur (Wingnut)


The only disability in life is a bad attitude.


Extra Pics…
Some parting shots of the boys on my way out...
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1033-5.jpg

Don in Halibut stalking mode... look how nice the conditions were. :Shocked:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1039-3.jpg

Nate creeping up on the kelp bed.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1040-3.jpg

Wild Lupine, all over the hillsides.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1044-3.jpg

Wild mushrooms... edible? :Shocked:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1042-2.jpg

Parting shots…

Food update pic. The 30" Halibut I caught a couple of weeks ago.
Stir Fried Halibut & Shrimp Udon Noodle Pasta with Tofu. Compliments of the Iron Chef. :Big Grin:
Yummy! :Envious:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1-5.jpg

Back by popular demand... Romeo. :Razz:

Romeo is such a little Terrorist, lol :LOL:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1008-10.jpg

Now, that's more like it... :Big Grin:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1002-12.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/SWAT1009-11.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/Romeo1.jpg

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut%2012/Romeo4.jpg

[bones]

I gotta get you to pick me six numbers for the Lottery Arthur:ROFL:

That being said......Congrats my friend on yet another fruitfull adventure in the suds. I would have loved to see you get a BIG GRAB on that stick.....LOL
I swear......I'm going to start packing my "Ronco" pocket fisherman as a backup combo just to see if it can handle the surf!
Even though it looks like I missed out on a great time with you guys I really had a great time "Not Fishing" but rather spending some quality time with my daughter for the day. Your phone call with the details really started our day off with a wonderful feeling about your accomplishment. I could hear the excitement and pride in your voice. When Tara got into my car and I explained what you just pulled off ....

She replied "That Figures....He is Blessed and very Lucky!"
I added "And also a skilled angler.......This is WHY he has proven time and time again WHY HE IS THE SWAT COMMANDER !"

Pretty much sums it up bro........AWESOME JOB out there my friend.

Happy Easter Brotha....God Bless You and your loved ones!


Psst...
Hey Phuong......Sometimes your "The bug" and sometimes your the "Windshield of a CL63" :ROFL:





---------<><

[PTN]

So THAT'S what you were talking about the secret weaponry :LOL:. I'm here complaining about how my expensive reel isn't working smoothly as should and you're showing me up on a superman pole :Embarrassed:.

Congrats on the catches and you always have a knack at finding the fish in challenged situations. Always a good time when you can catch fish and hang out with the S.W.A.T. brothers and company. Too bad for Phuong about losing the bet :Big Smile:.

That picture with the halibut and pole in your mouth is pretty funny. Looks like you're trying to squish in the picture.

Hope you had a great Easter!

-Peter

[PONTOON]

As I started to read into this post I started to think that maybe, just maybe, Phuong had suckered Arthur into a challenge with a timeframe that couldn't be met and then with a grin thought to myself I might just side up with Phuong on this one and make it interesting........Hmmm? :Big Grin:
Then, doing the smart thing, I read on through the report to find that Arthur wasn't going to even make a multi part quest out of this post. He just got it done! :Cool:

Well, when it comes to Arthur............."Don't give Wingnut a challenge you aren't willing or capable of paying the price of defeat" ..... I'm sorry Phuong I thought you might have him on that one.:Wink:

Great Report arthur and it's good the see the SWAT Brothers having a great day on the water!:Thumbs Up:

[bachiboy]

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE SECRET WEAPON OUTING

So, I get this text from Arthur that he is going to test out the new S.W.A.T. secret weapon. I knew that he had just bought a new stick on a recent trip up north and thought, “Okay, he REALLY likes the new rod, but ‘secret weapon’? I thought he wrote about it in another post?” I had done a recon trip the day before to check out the A.O. that I had lost a jailbird a couple of weeks ago, but there was no sign that it was going to produce and I wanted to put Nate (BBQ Sushi) on some fish to try and help complete his 'challenge' and to let my wife's Uncle Steve (visiting from San Fran for the Easter holiday) experience some good surf action down here in the southland. To top it off, it was Nate’s birthday, so there was a little extra incentive to get on some action. So, we decided to meet up with Arthur at the designated A.O. since it seemed like the likely spot.

I pick up Nate and my Uncle Steve and head over to the A.O. in the dark. I walk up to Arthur’s car and he shows me the arsenal for the day and tells me about the wager. When I go back to my car and gear up, I tell Nate about the bet and say, “he’s gonna do it on the first day, you watch.” He tells Arthur what I said and the commander replies, “Aww man, don’t jinx it.” Jinx it? Heck, a bet with Blackwater is almost a sure sign that we’re gonna get ‘em! :LOL:

We start out at gray light and about 15 minutes into the session, Nate and Arthur go double on a short and Nate first surf-caught calico...and nice 16” checker.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/the_boys_zps21e5a571.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Nate_calico_measurement_zps9a15c378.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Nate_calico_tail_zps9ddf981c.jpg

Arthur proceeds up the beach a ways from us and we keep working a spot of kelp that looked promising. Steve is the next one to go bendo and he gets a big shovelnose. It never took huge runs and gave us some phantom headshakes so we thought he might have hooked a good flattie. Either way I’m stoked that he got to pull on something.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Steve_zpsb2f89b1e.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/steve_wiggles_zps737d0243.jpg

Shortly after I hook up and start getting smoked! :Shocked: It swirls the surface by some kelp and I figure it’s not a SNGF but can’t get a glimpse of it. It goes for the nearest kelp and hangs me up. I end up working this thing for what feels like an eternity...more like 20-30 min. Walk right, left, slack up the line...nothing seems to be working. I even hand off my backpack and think about swimming in after it, since it’s a small patch of kelp and not very far away. I’m thinking it might be a WSB, but since I couldn’t be certain, I decided not to chance the swim, or long wade, and just keep working it. I’m wondering where Arthur is and look toward the direction he headed. In the far distance, I see a quick flash of a camera. I tell Nate, “Hey man, Arthur nailed something. He wouldn’t be taking pictures like that if he didn’t.” To my relief, I end up getting the mystery fish free and end up working it to shore only to find out it’s a mud-marlin with about a 2 1/2’ wingspan. I wasn’t really looking forward to messing with this thing so it wasn’t a huge disappointment when the line finally snapped and the bat got away with a new piece of jewelry...my first lost LC of the year, and hopefully my last, although I doubt it.:Wink: During my little scuffle, Nate brings in his second calico so we’re feeling pretty good about the day already. As we work up the beach and the time comes up when Arthur has to get going, the commander comes up and tells us what the photo session we glimpsed was all about. High fives around and glorious celebration commenced. It was a great day. Arthur departed and I nail a decent calico (about 14-15") and later Nate nails his second new surf species, a rockfish.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/calico1_zpsc9812ae0.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/calico2_zps322c79f7.jpg

That rounded out the capture list for what was an incredible day for us. Good times!

Congrats Arthur on another $$$ conquest!:Applause::UDaMan: UNREAL is all I can think about how you keep pulling these out.:Wink:

Phuong...Man, I feel your pain. That's a pretty steep price you keep paying to keep us all entertained and awed! :Big Grin:

Nate...GREAT birthday outing...again! Hope this is the second of a long running annual event for us.

Uncle Steve...REALLY happy that we got to fish together again after so many years and now we have something to look forward to on your southland visits.

Enjoy...and hope you all had a VERY Happy Easter! We did!

Don

[ml8fish]

:Applause: very well done sir! that is flat out impressive.

line tied to a bamboo stick next?

[dlmoo312]

Arthur, you never cease to amaze me!
Not only did you catch a legal hali on that thing but a calico to boot :Shocked:
I've never used one of those barbie poles and have always thought they were just toys lol
I bet those fish put quite a bend on that rod, especially that calico!
A big congratulations to you on winning another challenge! I can't wait to see the next one:Thumbs Up:
It would be fun to see Phuong take a turn at the barbie pole challenge:LOL:


-Daniel

[skunked4life]

Ok, so i get a mysterious first text to "report up."

Who is this? I report to only three four people: 1) God, 2) my parents - that's right, they are one legal unit, 3) my wife - that's right, laugh it up..., and 4) the Commander.

Well, it was the Commander. So i look on the forums to see what shenaningans the SWAT boys are up to.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Really? c'mon Arthur...I can deal with Daniel's 36 incher, your 30 some incher and Jaysuun's 37 incher, but this is simply not fair! congrats are in order :Worship:

Another thing, if you have guests in town and want to show them West Coast surf fishing...."who you gonna call?"

WINGNUT!

Great report (although i felt a little pressured while reading it) and thanks for bringing a smile to my face brother!

Ken

[bbqsushi]

BARBIE POLE CHALLENGE - THIRD POV

I think that there are some events in life that mean significantly more when you're actually there, in person, watching - you know, like hockey games, live concerts, baby births... No amount of pictures, videos, or storytelling can really properly recreate the experience that you were just witness to. This past Saturday was one of those events for me - I WAS THERE. Now I've heard and read many o' fish tales - especially where The Commander was involved in some way or another. That day was the first time that Arthur and I had assaulted the beach together, so my expectations were wide open. I was happy just to have received an invitation from Don (Bachiboy). On our way up to the AO, Don was telling me about some "new secret weapon" that Arthur was going to "unleash" this morning, and since the Fred Hall show was last month, I figured it was going to be some fancy schmancy piece of hardware with a G Loomis icon on it or something of that nature. When Arthur released the weapon from his car, we all had a big laugh. A Zebco Spidey pole?? Are you KIDDING ME??? But some how, deep down, Don and I knew that this, would not be a handicap. It would be business as usual. Off to the sand we go.

We fanned out according the Commander's usual tactics, under his orders, and started whizzing the LC's in to the lake-like conditions. Arthur's first cast was a scant 15 yards in to the surf. (at that point, I was like, wow, this IS going to be a challenge for him). His second a little farther. Then he started to venture deeper in to the water (I've never seen anyone go that deep before), and the casts kept on improving. Just as we started to get in to a rhythm, Arthur and I hook up. The pressure was on ME.... My first hookup, while fishing with "the MAN", and he's hooked up as well - only, I'm all geared up, and he's on a frick'n kiddie pole with 6# test!!! Jeeeeesuz if I lose this fish, I am going to be ridiculed for the rest of the season, I HAVE to bring it in. Fortunately, I beached a decent Calico, and of COURSE, Arthur pulled up a flattie. Albeit short, he was on the right path for nailing the winner, and we suddenly knew for sure that he was going to make it happen.

Don's story (above) recounts the rest of our mission on that section of the beach. When Arthur came back from the area that he was working, he said, "well how'd you guys do?" I gave him our count, and then he shyly said, "well for me, mission accomplished." .... Silence.... Crickets.... me, with my jaw now in the 57 deg water - "WHAT????? Are you KID, WHAT the.. Are you SERIOUS??? NO WAY!!!??" (it took about 15 seconds for it to sink in) Arthur calmly said "yup". That's when the hi-fives and hoot'n and holler'n started. I couldn't believe that he pulled it off in under 2 hours. Crazy, but not surprising. As a guy who grew up with a fishing pole in his hand, I can truly say that I haven't seen many other people fish as hard, or intently as Arthur does. He works for every fish that he catches - it is absolutely NO coincidence that he pulls the kind of prizes out of the surf that he does. He is methodical and precise, and he has garnered that respect from me.

When I congratulated him on his prize, he gave me the standard (asian) self-deprecating, humble response of "yahh, just lucky I guess". Right..... just lucky? Hardly. After he left, he told us to work our way down to the hole where he caught the "winning" legal. So, feeling "lucky", I was happy to follow orders. I went down to that hole, and I tell you - I worked that sucker for the next hour and a half, pretty hard. My arm was getting tired, and the ONLY thing that I pulled out of there was a little rock fish. (see below). "Just got a little lucky"????? Nope. After all, I just totally got schooled by a guy with a Spidey pole, and here I was with my cool St Croix/Ci-4 combo,in the exact same hole, just minutes after him. But looking at the whole picture, I took in the whole scene and walked away with this: Do right by others outside the surf (creating the good Karma that brings "luck"), and fish you ***** off when you're in the surf. I think Arthur does both. And maybe not just the Commander. Seems like that's the M.O. of all the SWAT crew. My quest to complete the SWAT challenge continues, and I'm sure that the lessons in and out of the surf will determine when the "lucky" fish will come my way.

http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q761/BBQSushi/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20NATHANs%20iMac/P1000251_zpscb7c1e6b.jpg

Arthur: I had a great time attacking the surf with you. Thanks for winning the bet while I was around - it was a kick to witness!! I look forward to more sand sessions.

Don: Thanks for another successful Bday outing. And I would be remiss not to mention Kris and Nori for doing double duty on the home front while we get to play in the surf.

Steve: Nice meeting you, and hopefully we'll get to do the Norcal tour of duty. Stripers, Salmon, Steelhead. Sweet...



Nate

[FishingwithDave]

Wingnut, that's amazing. You probably just put Shimano, Diawa, etc. out of business! Going to Walmart tonight and to the Duct tomorrow.

[DockRat]

Awesome catch on the kiddie pole, congrats on the WON pic too.
DR

[Which Way Out]

Alright lets see you do that up here! And to top it off, against the one and only Yoda.
I could get a Pay Per View show out of that.

Once again you kicked some butt, (H-Butt and not to mention Phuong's) Good show :Dancing Banana:
Sorry Phuong, you mess with the Bull you're gonna get the horns.:Horns: You have to admit he is one lucky %#@!!!

WWO

[FishinElectrician]

Nice!

Very nice!!!

:Applause:

[Ifishtoolittle]

Haha! Epic stuff Wingnut! WTG on your Spideyman success!

[SP Dan]

Hi ya Wingnut,
"Congratulations" on yet another challenge victory!
As they say ....... "To the victor goes the spoils"!
I know this AO by the boilers and by the kelp bed formation.....nice spot!
Thanx for the fishing challenge report w/ pic's.
PS....Sorry for your losses Phuong.
SP Dan. <"))><

[peanutbutter]

awesome on that "spidey pole"
:Big Grin:

[sidified]

Unbelievable, Arthur.. And beyond that, consistently unbelievable!
Have a blessed and enlightening Easter, one and all..

[Lightline]

Congratulations...

The only thing left is to hand line a lucky craft without hooking oneself....:LOL::LOL:

[Nipple Twister]

WWO said:
Sorry Phuong, you mess with the Bull you're gonna get the horns.:Horns: You have to admit he is one lucky %#@!!!


NO KIDDING!.......lol:ROFL:

Well done gentlemen!!!!!!!!!!! Truely epic and inspiring......thx for sharing......

[DanyoWanyo]

way to go wingnut!!!

[saltman]

Athur

That is very cool hooking those fishs on a kids pole!

Congratz
Saltman...

[Jaysuuun]

I was LOL when I got your text about the Barbie pole. Too bad you didn't literally hook that legal on a "Barbie" rod.:LOL: It just goes to show that nobody needs any fancy shmancy equipment to catch quality fish in the surf. WTG commander and congrats on winning your bet with Phuong. Did he not learn from the first Superman challenge?!

Oh, and you blew Mike's theory out of the water by leading the pack and still catching some quality fish! So is it best to lead or follow? Hmmmm :Confused:

[MikesOcean]

WOW! ENJOYABLE READ!!! Now I am inspired to grab my daughters Barbie pole and burn the drags! Haha sweet report!

[FishNFurious]

I saw Phuong at the shop this morning, he's not a happy camper. :Explode: :LOL:
Congrats on the insane catch and winning the bet. Happy birthday again my friend and hope you had a nice Easter. :Big Grin:

[bsp]

Arthur... fishing that AO with the barbie rod and actually landing the fish is unbelievable! I can't count the number of times I've been kelped/rocked by a fish in that area! Still, you showed everybody that you don't need top of the line equipment whatsoever to stick legals. I have a feeling Phuong will think a bit more carefully before your next bet!

Marc

[Nhatster]

Outstanding, speechless. :Applause: You took it to Phuong once again bro. :LOL:

[bloox8]

Way to go Commander! :Not Worthy:

Congratulations on winning yet another one of your friendly bets.
I remember talking to you one time about catching a legal halibut from the surf with a barbie doll pole. I thought it would've been an awesome challenge but I didn't expect someone to actually do it LOL. But then again... you are the commander of SWAT and no one expects anything less. I think the next challenge should involve using your left and a pole and reel that you personally crafted, using bamboo perhaps??? HAHAHA :LOL: ... Think about it :Shocked:

I on the other hand am still on the quest for my trophy fish :Smile: Hopefully the ghosts start rolling up on to our beaches soon.
Great report. Can't wait till the next one.


Thien

[troublehook]

That was a great read, I was laughing the whole time. :LOL:
Binh told me about the bet and I immediately thought that you could do it, but not so damn fast. :EyePop:
Amazing, simply amazing Commander. :Thumbs Up:

Sokha

[TroutOnly]

I remember that rod and you beating phoung the other time,he's lucky the striper didnt present itself ,but the halibut did congrats art ,sorry phoung you just wont never learn,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[The Fishing Queen]

Arthur, you are a crazy man and you did it again. Congrats!! It must be great joy to achieve such a challenge. Never underestimate the power of the Barbie pole! Great read, love the report!

[Re8elmonk0341]

Hahaha that's great! Win, lose, or draw looked like y'all had one heck of a time out there.

-m0nk

[Sonnyyy]

Man, you guys are good! great pictures and nice catch!

[midgettosser1]

Wow. I thought he would have at least let you upgrade the line. Makes it even that much more impressive. Amazing.

[Wingnut]

I gotta get you to pick me six numbers for the Lottery Arthur:ROFL:

That being said......Congrats my friend on yet another fruitfull adventure in the suds. I would have loved to see you get a BIG GRAB on that stick.....LOL
I swear......I'm going to start packing my "Ronco" pocket fisherman as a backup combo just to see if it can handle the surf!
Even though it looks like I missed out on a great time with you guys I really had a great time "Not Fishing" but rather spending some quality time with my daughter for the day. Your phone call with the details really started our day off with a wonderful feeling about your accomplishment. I could hear the excitement and pride in your voice. When Tara got into my car and I explained what you just pulled off ....

She replied "That Figures....He is Blessed and very Lucky!"
I added "And also a skilled angler.......This is WHY he has proven time and time again WHY HE IS THE SWAT COMMANDER !"

Pretty much sums it up bro........AWESOME JOB out there my friend.

Happy Easter Brotha....God Bless You and your loved ones!


Psst...
Hey Phuong......Sometimes your "The bug" and sometimes your the "Windshield of a CL63" :ROFL:


---------<><
I've always been lucky with my timing Mike... pulling many Rabbits out of the hat. :Razz:
I don't make unattainable bets... I knew that I could do this one, just weren't sure how long it would take, lol.
Phuong haven't returned my calls... still butt hurt I'm sure... :LOL:


So THAT'S what you were talking about the secret weaponry :LOL:. I'm here complaining about how my expensive reel isn't working smoothly as should and you're showing me up on a superman pole :Embarrassed:.

Congrats on the catches and you always have a knack at finding the fish in challenged situations. Always a good time when you can catch fish and hang out with the S.W.A.T. brothers and company. Too bad for Phuong about losing the bet :Big Smile:.

That picture with the halibut and pole in your mouth is pretty funny. Looks like you're trying to squish in the picture.

Hope you had a great Easter!

-Peter
I love a good challenge... challenges are the spice of life. :Big Grin:
Congrats on completing your S.W.A.T. Challenge today Peter, very well done! :Thumbs Up:


As I started to read into this post I started to think that maybe, just maybe, Phuong had suckered Arthur into a challenge with a timeframe that couldn't be met and then with a grin thought to myself I might just side up with Phuong on this one and make it interesting........Hmmm? :Big Grin:
Then, doing the smart thing, I read on through the report to find that Arthur wasn't going to even make a multi part quest out of this post. He just got it done! :Cool:

Well, when it comes to Arthur............."Don't give Wingnut a challenge you aren't willing or capable of paying the price of defeat" ..... I'm sorry Phuong I thought you might have him on that one.:Wink:

Great Report arthur and it's good the see the SWAT Brothers having a great day on the water!:Thumbs Up:
I've made some risky bets before Terry, this is not one of them... :Razz:
Let's set-up that one-on-one surf session soon my friend. :Wink:


ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE SECRET WEAPON OUTING

So, I get this text from Arthur that he is going to test out the new S.W.A.T. secret weapon. I knew that he had just bought a new stick on a recent trip up north and thought, “Okay, he REALLY likes the new rod, but ‘secret weapon’? I thought he wrote about it in another post?” I had done a recon trip the day before to check out the A.O. that I had lost a jailbird a couple of weeks ago, but there was no sign that it was going to produce and I wanted to put Nate (BBQ Sushi) on some fish to try and help complete his 'challenge' and to let my wife's Uncle Steve (visiting from San Fran for the Easter holiday) experience some good surf action down here in the southland. To top it off, it was Nate’s birthday, so there was a little extra incentive to get on some action. So, we decided to meet up with Arthur at the designated A.O. since it seemed like the likely spot.

I pick up Nate and my Uncle Steve and head over to the A.O. in the dark. I walk up to Arthur’s car and he shows me the arsenal for the day and tells me about the wager. When I go back to my car and gear up, I tell Nate about the bet and say, “he’s gonna do it on the first day, you watch.” He tells Arthur what I said and the commander replies, “Aww man, don’t jinx it.” Jinx it? Heck, a bet with Blackwater is almost a sure sign that we’re gonna get ‘em! :LOL:

We start out at gray light and about 15 minutes into the session, Nate and Arthur go double on a short and Nate first surf-caught calico...and nice 16” checker.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/the_boys_zps21e5a571.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Nate_calico_measurement_zps9a15c378.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Nate_calico_tail_zps9ddf981c.jpg

Arthur proceeds up the beach a ways from us and we keep working a spot of kelp that looked promising. Steve is the next one to go bendo and he gets a big shovelnose. It never took huge runs and gave us some phantom headshakes so we thought he might have hooked a good flattie. Either way I’m stoked that he got to pull on something.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Steve_zpsb2f89b1e.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/steve_wiggles_zps737d0243.jpg

Shortly after I hook up and start getting smoked! :Shocked: It swirls the surface by some kelp and I figure it’s not a SNGF but can’t get a glimpse of it. It goes for the nearest kelp and hangs me up. I end up working this thing for what feels like an eternity...more like 20-30 min. Walk right, left, slack up the line...nothing seems to be working. I even hand off my backpack and think about swimming in after it, since it’s a small patch of kelp and not very far away. I’m thinking it might be a WSB, but since I couldn’t be certain, I decided not to chance the swim, or long wade, and just keep working it. I’m wondering where Arthur is and look toward the direction he headed. In the far distance, I see a quick flash of at camera. I tell Nate, “Hey man, Arthur nailed something. He wouldn’t be taking pictures like that if he didn’t.” To my relief, I end up getting the mystery fish free and end up working it to shore only to find out it’s a mud-marlin with about a 2 1/2’ wingspan. I wasn’t really looking forward to messing with this thing so it wasn’t a huge disappointment when the line finally snapped and the bat got away with a new piece of jewelry...my first lost LC of the year, and hopefully my last, although I doubt it.:Wink: During my little scuffle, Nate brings in his second calico so we’re feeling pretty good about the day already. As we work up the beach and the time comes up when Arthur has to get going, the commander comes up and tells us what the photo session we glimpsed was all about. High fives around and glorious celebration commenced. It was a great day. Arthur departed and I nail a decent calico (about 14-15") and later Nate nails his second new surf species, a rockfish.

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/calico1_zpsc9812ae0.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/calico2_zps322c79f7.jpg

That rounded out the capture list for what was an incredible day for us. Good times!

Congrats Arthur on another $$$ conquest!:Applause::UDaMan: UNREAL is all I can think about how you keep pulling these out.:Wink:

Phuong...Man, I feel your pain. That's a pretty steep price you keep paying to keep us all entertained and awed! :Big Grin:

Nate...GREAT birthday outing...again! Hope this is the second of a long running annual event for us.

Uncle Steve...REALLY happy that we got to fish together again after so many years and now we have something to look forward to on your southland visits.

Enjoy...and hope you all had a VERY Happy Easter! We did!

Don
I actually just got a Daiwa Lexa 300 to match up with that GLoomis rod, can't wait to try it out in the surf. :Wink:
I'm glad that you guys joined me Saturday morning, I needed witnesses, lol
You can tell that I was kinda frustrated at first trying to get some distance with the casting. I ventured out a bit past my comfort level... luckily, the swells was pretty docile that morning. :Razz:
I was watching Steve fight that Shovelnose from a distance and couldn't figure out why he kept pointing his rod downwards. :Shocked: Can you ask him what fighting technique is that? Is he trying to keep the fish from jumping? Keep the head in the water? :Idea:
We all had a decent day, Don got a couple of new species out of the surf and none of us got skunked. :Big Grin:
Good times, let's do it again!


:Applause: very well done sir! that is flat out impressive.

line tied to a bamboo stick next?
Nah, some line wrapped around a Coke can, lol


Arthur, you never cease to amaze me!
Not only did you catch a legal hali on that thing but a calico to boot :Shocked:
I've never used one of those barbie poles and have always thought they were just toys lol
I bet those fish put quite a bend on that rod, especially that calico!
A big congratulations to you on winning another challenge! I can't wait to see the next one:Thumbs Up:
It would be fun to see Phuong take a turn at the barbie pole challenge:LOL:


-Daniel
Thanks Daniel, it was pretty fun. I thought that it would take me a little longer, but I'm not complaining, lol


Ok, so i get a mysterious first text to "report up."

Who is this? I report to only three four people: 1) God, 2) my parents - that's right, they are one legal unit, 3) my wife - that's right, laugh it up..., and 4) the Commander.

Well, it was the Commander. So i look on the forums to see what shenaningans the SWAT boys are up to.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Really? c'mon Arthur...I can deal with Daniel's 36 incher, your 30 some incher and Jaysuun's 37 incher, but this is simply not fair! congrats are in order :Worship:

Another thing, if you have guests in town and want to show them West Coast surf fishing...."who you gonna call?"

WINGNUT!

Great report (although i felt a little pressured while reading it) and thanks for bringing a smile to my face brother!

Ken
Thank you for the support Ken and good luck on your "Challenge." :Cool:


BARBIE POLE CHALLENGE - THIRD POV

I think that there are some events in life that mean significantly more when you're actually there, in person, watching - you know, like hockey games, live concerts, baby births... No amount of pictures, videos, or storytelling can really properly recreate the experience that you were just witness to. This past Saturday was one of those events for me - I WAS THERE. Now I've heard and read many o' fish tales - especially where The Commander was involved in some way or another. That day was the first time that Arthur and I had assaulted the beach together, so my expectations were wide open. I was happy just to have received an invitation from Don (Bachiboy). On our way up to the AO, Don was telling me about some "new secret weapon" that Arthur was going to "unleash" this morning, and since the Fred Hall show was last month, I figured it was going to be some fancy schmancy piece of hardware with a G Loomis icon on it or something of that nature. When Arthur released the weapon from his car, we all had a big laugh. A Zebco Spidey pole?? Are you KIDDING ME??? But some how, deep down, Don and I knew that this, would not be a handicap. It would be business as usual. Off to the sand we go.

We fanned out according the Commander's usual tactics, under his orders, and started whizzing the LC's in to the lake-like conditions. Arthur's first cast was a scant 15 yards in to the surf. (at that point, I was like, wow, this IS going to be a challenge for him). His second a little farther. Then he started to venture deeper in to the water (I've never seen anyone go that deep before), and the casts kept on improving. Just as we started to get in to a rhythm, Arthur and I hook up. The pressure was on ME.... My first hookup, while fishing with "the MAN", and he's hooked up as well - only, I'm all geared up, and he's on a frick'n kiddie pole with 6# test!!! Jeeeeesuz if I lose this fish, I am going to be ridiculed for the rest of the season, I HAVE to bring it in. Fortunately, I beached a decent Calico, and of COURSE, Arthur pulled up a flattie. Albeit short, he was on the right path for nailing the winner, and we suddenly knew for sure that he was going to make it happen.

Don's story (above) recounts the rest of our mission on that section of the beach. When Arthur came back from the area that he was working, he said, "well how'd you guys do?" I gave him our count, and then he shyly said, "well for me, mission accomplished." .... Silence.... Crickets.... me, with my jaw now in the 57 deg water - "WHAT????? Are you KID, WHAT the.. Are you SERIOUS??? NO WAY!!!??" (it took about 15 seconds for it to sink in) Arthur calmly said "yup". That's when the hi-fives and hoot'n and holler'n started. I couldn't believe that he pulled it off in under 2 hours. Crazy, but not surprising. As a guy who grew up with a fishing pole in his hand, I can truly say that I haven't seen many other people fish as hard, or intently as Arthur does. He works for every fish that he catches - it is absolutely NO coincidence that he pulls the kind of prizes out of the surf that he does. He is methodical and precise, and he has garnered that respect from me.

When I congratulated him on his prize, he gave me the standard (asian) self-deprecating, humble response of "yahh, just lucky I guess". Right..... just lucky? Hardly. After he left, he told us to work our way down to the hole where he caught the "winning" legal. So, feeling "lucky", I was happy to follow orders. I went down to that hole, and I tell you - I worked that sucker for the next hour and a half, pretty hard. My arm was getting tired, and the ONLY thing that I pulled out of there was a little rock fish. (see below). "Just got a little lucky"????? Nope. After all, I just totally got schooled by a guy with a Spidey pole, and here I was with my cool St Croix/Ci-4 combo,in the exact same hole, just minutes after him. But looking at the whole picture, I took in the whole scene and walked away with this: Do right by others outside the surf (creating the good Karma that brings "luck"), and fish you ***** off when you're in the surf. I think Arthur does both. And maybe not just the Commander. Seems like that's the M.O. of all the SWAT crew. My quest to complete the SWAT challenge continues, and I'm sure that the lessons in and out of the surf will determine when the "lucky" fish will come my way.

http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q761/BBQSushi/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20NATHANs%20iMac/P1000251_zpscb7c1e6b.jpg

Arthur: I had a great time attacking the surf with you. Thanks for winning the bet while I was around - it was a kick to witness!! I look forward to more sand sessions.

Don: Thanks for another successful Bday outing. And I would be remiss not to mention Kris and Nori for doing double duty on the home front while we get to play in the surf.

Steve: Nice meeting you, and hopefully we'll get to do the Norcal tour of duty. Stripers, Salmon, Steelhead. Sweet...



Nate
Thank you for being THERE Nate. :Big Grin:
I'm sure you heard me cursing up a storm the first 15 minutes or so, I had the hardest time getting that Spidey rig dialed in, lol
Congrats on the two new species in the surf. :Thumbs Up:
I'm sure we will be celebrating the completion of your mission soon and I don't want to hear that it was all luck. :LOL:
Pleasure fishing with you my friend and hope we get a chance to do it again soon. :Cool:


Wingnut, that's amazing. You probably just put Shimano, Diawa, etc. out of business! Going to Walmart tonight and to the Duct tomorrow.
Dave, hooking a big Striper in the Duct with the kiddie pole set-up will give you quite a run for the money... have fun!


Awesome catch on the kiddie pole, congrats on the WON pic too.
DR
:Cool:


Alright lets see you do that up here! And to top it off, against the one and only Yoda.
I could get a Pay Per View show out of that.

Once again you kicked some butt, (H-Butt and not to mention Phuong's) Good show :Dancing Banana:
Sorry Phuong, you mess with the Bull you're gonna get the horns.:Horns: You have to admit he is one lucky %#@!!!

WWO
Yeah, if there were some frickin' fish up there we might be able to have a challenge, lol
I'm the luckiest fisherman alive, and proud of it! :Envious:


Nice!

Very nice!!!

:Applause:
:Razz:


Haha! Epic stuff Wingnut! WTG on your Spideyman success!
That was a blast, I must admit. :Big Grin:


Hi ya Wingnut,
"Congratulations" on yet another challenge victory!
As they say ....... "To the victor goes the spoils"!
I know this AO by the boilers and by the kelp bed formation.....nice spot!
Thanx for the fishing challenge report w/ pic's.
PS....Sorry for your losses Phuong.
SP Dan. <"))><
Thanks Brother Dan... enjoy the rest of your European vacation and we'll get together and fish when you get back! :Wink:


awesome on that "spidey pole"
:Big Grin:
I predict you will catch a legal Halibut this year Jean. :Razz:


Unbelievable, Arthur.. And beyond that, consistently unbelievable!
Have a blessed and enlightening Easter, one and all..
Thanks Sid, and it was nice chatting with you via PM's.
One of these days, our schedules will align so that we can hit the sand together my friend. :Cool:


Congratulations...

The only thing left is to hand line a lucky craft without hooking oneself....:LOL::LOL:
Thanks man... :Cool:


WWO said:

NO KIDDING!.......lol:ROFL:

Well done gentlemen!!!!!!!!!!! Truely epic and inspiring......thx for sharing......
I've witnessed your "luck" before John. :Envious:
Keep hitting the surf hard my friend.


way to go wingnut!!!
Thank you!


Athur

That is very cool hooking those fishs on a kids pole!

Congratz
Saltman...
Thanks Ramiro, hope you got a chance to hit the surf now and then bro... :Wink:


I was LOL when I got your text about the Barbie pole. Too bad you didn't literally hook that legal on a "Barbie" rod.:LOL: It just goes to show that nobody needs any fancy shmancy equipment to catch quality fish in the surf. WTG commander and congrats on winning your bet with Phuong. Did he not learn from the first Superman challenge?!

Oh, and you blew Mike's theory out of the water by leading the pack and still catching some quality fish! So is it best to lead or follow? Hmmmm :Confused:
Phuong will never learn, he will continue to come up with challenges and I'll continue to collect! :LOL:
I just got my copy of Western Outdoor News in the mail today. Nice photo of you and that Monster Halibut! :Big Grin:


WOW! ENJOYABLE READ!!! Now I am inspired to grab my daughters Barbie pole and burn the drags! Haha sweet report!
Go gettem' Mike, I guarantee a great time no matter what you catch on that set-up. :Big Grin:


I saw Phuong at the shop this morning, he's not a happy camper. :Explode: :LOL:
Congrats on the insane catch and winning the bet. Happy birthday again my friend and hope you had a nice Easter. :Big Grin:
He's not calling me back Vince. I think I just need to give him some time to lick his wounds. :Twisted:
Thanks for the B-day wish my friend and see you at the next poker tournament. :Cool:


Arthur... fishing that AO with the barbie rod and actually landing the fish is unbelievable! I can't count the number of times I've been kelped/rocked by a fish in that area! Still, you showed everybody that you don't need top of the line equipment whatsoever to stick legals. I have a feeling Phuong will think a bit more carefully before your next bet!

Marc
The Calico actually took me into the kelp Marc. :mad: I had to let out a lot of line until it worked itself out, which it eventually did... I was lucky once again. :Big Grin:
Congrats on your new Internship! :Dancing Banana:


Outstanding, speechless. :Applause: You took it to Phuong once again bro. :LOL:
Phuong knew what he was getting into... I'll give him chance to get his money back. :Wink:


Way to go Commander! :Not Worthy:

Congratulations on winning yet another one of your friendly bets.
I remember talking to you one time about catching a legal halibut from the surf with a barbie doll pole. I thought it would've been an awesome challenge but I didn't expect someone to actually do it LOL. But then again... you are the commander of SWAT and no one expects anything less. I think the next challenge should involve using your left and a pole and reel that you personally crafted, using bamboo perhaps??? HAHAHA :LOL: ... Think about it :Shocked:

I on the other hand am still on the quest for my trophy fish :Smile: Hopefully the ghosts start rolling up on to our beaches soon.
Great report. Can't wait till the next one.


Thien
Thien, I know it's driving you nuts, but take your time and get the Challenge done. I'm sure we will be celebrating your victory soon. :Wink:


That was a great read, I was laughing the whole time. :LOL:
Binh told me about the bet and I immediately thought that you could do it, but not so damn fast. :EyePop:
Amazing, simply amazing Commander. :Thumbs Up:

Sokha
Sokha, glad that you're over that nasty flu bug bro. Let's fish this weekend! :Wink:


I remember that rod and you beating phoung the other time,he's lucky the striper didnt present itself ,but the halibut did congrats art ,sorry phoung you just wont never learn,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It's true Bob, Phuong will never learn, but I'll always be happy to take his donations, lol


Arthur, you are a crazy man and you did it again. Congrats!! It must be great joy to achieve such a challenge. Never underestimate the power of the Barbie pole! Great read, love the report!
It's a good feeling to accomplish something so off the wall, lol. :LOL:
Long live the Barbie pole! :Razz:
Thanks Alice, I totally enjoy your reports too. :Big Grin:


Hahaha that's great! Win, lose, or draw looked like y'all had one heck of a time out there.

-m0nk
Thanks Rithy... succeed or fail, as long as you have fun doing it. :Big Grin:


Man, you guys are good! great pictures and nice catch!
More lucky than good... thanks man. :Envious:


Wow. I thought he would have at least let you upgrade the line. Makes it even that much more impressive. Amazing.
That line was flimsy as hell Mike, just have to really take your time while fighting the fish. It's the drag burning runs that made me held my breath, lol
You need to get out there bro. :Wink:

[VietReefer]

What a fun read Arthur. Amazingly done. Congrats on winning the $. :)

[murrieta angler]

Sweet report as always Arthur..:Big Grin:
When I received the text and there was no size for the legal, I thought, " GREAT, He caught another 30"er " :Envious:
But after reading the report, I now know why it was such a nice fish...:Wink:
Another legal added to your tally, a few bucks in your pocket and time spent with friends...WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?! :Cool:
I also need to thank you for the hats that you sent me. The box came with another shipment from my supplier and had been sitting in my storage.
When I pulled out my stuff and saw the hats, I was pleasantly surprised.
THANKS BROTHA!!
Robert
<><

[5150fishn]

Unbelievable! A legal flattie on the spiderman pole. LMAO! That is one impressive feat bro. Congrats on another challenge knocked out of the park Arthur! Skills out way gear all day long.

[Badbeat]

Yes I witnessed the handshake between Wingnut and Blackwater. At the time I thought that was a tough challenge, but when Arthur turn to me and winked, I knew Phuong was in trouble. :Twisted: Unbelievable how you did it so fast Art, I thought for sure it would take you at least a half dozen trips to the surf to get it done. :EyePop:
I do believe that you have some kind of pact with Poseidon. :LOL:
Hey Phuong, keep those bets on the poker table bro, safer that way, or maybe not, hahaha

[midgettosser1]

That line was flimsy as hell Mike, just have to really take your time while fighting the fish. It's the drag burning runs that made me held my breath, lol
You need to get out there bro. :Wink:

I will soon. Fiance and I just bought a house, so with work, grad school, and remodeling, free time has been few and far between. Good news is, remodeling and school will be done soon, and I can get back to what's really important... slamming butts. lol

[bachiboy]

I was watching Steve fight that Shovelnose from a distance and couldn't figure out why he kept pointing his rod downwards. :Shocked: Can you ask him what fighting technique is that? Is he trying to keep the fish from jumping? Keep the head in the water? :Idea:

I asked Steve the purpose of his techinique. Here is his reply. Interesting, not sure all of this applies to what we do though...

Inverted technique I pickup river fishing Salmon. The theory is when holding the rod tip down you are using the tinsel strength of your line. When holding the
rod perpendicular the pressure is on the knot. You'd be surprised at the power you gain by inverting your rod. I can beach 30 lb salmon & stripers by holding the rod horizontal to the beach Thumb the spool and using the rod and wave to slide the fish onto the beach. The other theory when river fishing and hook a salmon, he will run. To control the fish by inverting the rod tip in the water your pulling the fishes mouth down and the tail up therefore the fish looses tail thrust for lack of water.

[bbqsushi]

datta was ahh 'Leaning Mantis" techu-nique, young grass-hoppah. Maybe you no familiar witha dis ancient method. It take manny manny moons to learn and a practice. Require much discipline. Maybe you not notice mastah Steve have eyes closed during fight. :Not Worthy:

- Sifu

[blackwater]

Alright, I'm over it now. :Envious:
It was a fair bet, even money I would say. I thought that there was a good chance that you could have done it. But I didn't expect you to do it so damn fast! :mad:
You are certainly blessed bro. You want cash or you want me to put a check in the mail? :Wink:
Back to the drawing boards.

[Wingnut]

What a fun read Arthur. Amazingly done. Congrats on winning the $. :)
Thanks Dylan... where have you been dude? Marriage life ruined your fishing career? :LOL:
The HG5 event is coming up on September 28th, see you there! Unless, you're getting married again, lol


Sweet report as always Arthur..:Big Grin:
When I received the text and there was no size for the legal, I thought, " GREAT, He caught another 30"er " :Envious:
But after reading the report, I now know why it was such a nice fish...:Wink:
Another legal added to your tally, a few bucks in your pocket and time spent with friends...WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?! :Cool:
I also need to thank you for the hats that you sent me. The box came with another shipment from my supplier and had been sitting in my storage.
When I pulled out my stuff and saw the hats, I was pleasantly surprised.
THANKS BROTHA!!
Robert
<><
No problem Roberto, thanks for representing the Team. :Big Grin:
Had a great time fishing with you and Sid this morning. Hope we can do it again soon! :Cool:


Unbelievable! A legal flattie on the spiderman pole. LMAO! That is one impressive feat bro. Congrats on another challenge knocked out of the park Arthur! Skills out way gear all day long.
Luck outweighs skills also Dan. :LOL:


Yes I witnessed the handshake between Wingnut and Blackwater. At the time I thought that was a tough challenge, but when Arthur turn to me and winked, I knew Phuong was in trouble. :Twisted: Unbelievable how you did it so fast Art, I thought for sure it would take you at least a half dozen trips to the surf to get it done. :EyePop:
I do believe that you have some kind of pact with Poseidon. :LOL:
Hey Phuong, keep those bets on the poker table bro, safer that way, or maybe not, hahaha
Thanks for not warning Phuong bro. :LOL: I didn't expect to complete the challenge on the 1st session, but I'm not complaining, lol
See you tonight at the poker tournament bro. :Wink:


I will soon. Fiance and I just bought a house, so with work, grad school, and remodeling, free time has been few and far between. Good news is, remodeling and school will be done soon, and I can get back to what's really important... slamming butts. lol
Congrats on the new house Mike. :Big Grin:
The Halibut bite is hot right now... hurry up and get back out there bro. :Wink:


I asked Steve the purpose of his techinique. Here is his reply. Interesting, not sure all of this applies to what we do though...

Inverted technique I pickup river fishing Salmon. The theory is when holding the rod tip down you are using the tinsel strength of your line. When holding the
rod perpendicular the pressure is on the knot. You'd be surprised at the power you gain by inverting your rod. I can beach 30 lb salmon & stripers by holding the rod horizontal to the beach Thumb the spool and using the rod and wave to slide the fish onto the beach. The other theory when river fishing and hook a salmon, he will run. To control the fish by inverting the rod tip in the water your pulling the fishes mouth down and the tail up therefore the fish looses tail thrust for lack of water.


Don, Thanks for getting the explanation from Steve... very interesting. :Idea:


datta was ahh 'Leaning Mantis" techu-nique, young grass-hoppah. Maybe you no familiar witha dis ancient method. It take manny manny moons to learn and a practice. Require much discipline. Maybe you not notice mastah Steve have eyes closed during fight. :Not Worthy:

- Sifu
Exactly! :ROFL:


Alright, I'm over it now. :Envious:
It was a fair bet, even money I would say. I thought that there was a good chance that you could have done it. But I didn't expect you to do it so damn fast! :mad:
You are certainly blessed bro. You want cash or you want me to put a check in the mail? :Wink:
Back to the drawing boards.
Hang on to the money bro, I'll give you a chance to win it back... :Wink: Let's talk about your latest challenge offer tonight at the poker tournament. :Razz: