S.W.A.T. Something you don't see everyday..

[dlmoo312]

4/14/13

Hit the surf today with Thien(bloox8) in search of the elusive halibut. We had plans to meet up with Ken (skunked4life), but unfortunately he was unable to make it. We'll fish next time Ken! Long story short, we were unable to hook up to any flat fish today, but I did end the day with a new species! :Big Grin:

Conditions: Overcast skies, 2-3ft swells, light onshore breeze
Weapons: Daiwa Luna 253, 8ft Clarus, LC's
Duration: 6:15-10:30am
AO: OC/LBC
Fish Count: Bloox8: 1 BSP, 1 YFC - Dlmoo312: 1 YFC, 3 Mullet:!!!:

While working down the down the beach, I casted and on the retrieve I started to feel distinct taps that felt like a fish hitting my lure (different from hitting bottom). I casted again to the same spot and felt the same taps, swung, but nothing stuck... I casted one more time, but this time as soon as I felt the hit I set the hooks immediately and it was game on! The fish went on a long, drag peeling run, and put up a nice fight. I thought I had snagged a shovelnose, and then at first glance I thought it could maybe be a striper:Shocked: but it ended up being a mullet...:Razz: I had snagged it's tail, and I ended up snagging another one in the back shortly after. I guess they were schooling in front of me for some time because I would feel the tell-tale taps on my lure every other cast. Now here's the funny part, I ended up hooking into one more before we called it a day, but this one was hooked perfectly in the mouth by the last trebel hook. I've heard that mullet are vegetarian fish, but it looked like this guy went for the lure. I guess they'll maybe nip a baitfish every once in awhile... Just goes to show that the lc really can catch everything the surf has to offer:Razz:

1st 21"
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/dlmoo312/6EE2F3B2-6A74-493F-893D-1A1004A09335-4572-000003EFA22857C1_zps5c900176.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/dlmoo312/media/6EE2F3B2-6A74-493F-893D-1A1004A09335-4572-000003EFA22857C1_zps5c900176.jpg.html)
2nd 21"
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/dlmoo312/C5104097-CAA6-4BBB-B89E-4B0BBBF93195-4572-000003EFB1F85881_zps91aceb4b.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/dlmoo312/media/C5104097-CAA6-4BBB-B89E-4B0BBBF93195-4572-000003EFB1F85881_zps91aceb4b.jpg.html)
3rd 19"
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/dlmoo312/A2F7F622-8957-4757-AA2F-2E66BF23B005-4572-000003EFC1C933C5_zps0d570df3.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/dlmoo312/media/A2F7F622-8957-4757-AA2F-2E66BF23B005-4572-000003EFC1C933C5_zps0d570df3.jpg.html)
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc455/dlmoo312/79EB46D9-5E1E-4B78-81DC-2123F9EAD4C0-4572-000003EFCA6FFD7C_zps2623ebe8.jpg (http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/dlmoo312/media/79EB46D9-5E1E-4B78-81DC-2123F9EAD4C0-4572-000003EFCA6FFD7C_zps2623ebe8.jpg.html)

It was a funny catch and a cool surprise on the last one but the hunt for the legal flatboys continues.. :Evil:


I have a quick question for anyone who uses a daiwa luna reel. I've been having issues lately with the thumb bar sticking. When I try to engage the reel by turning the handle after a cast or putting it in freespool, the thumb bar gets stuck halfway and I have to pop it up the rest of the way by hand. I've completely stripped the reel and cleaned/lubed it but it still has this issue. Besides that, the reel still functions perfectly, but it's getting annoying having to click the thumb bar back up after every cast. I'll be contacting daiwa, but I was just wondering if anyone ele had this issue or could chime in.. Thanks!



-Daniel

[PTN]

Cool mullets on the LC. :Cool: Keep going at those flatties. Thanks for the report Daniel. I had the same exact problem with an old abu ambassadeur 5600 but when I cleaned and re-lubed the whole thing it solved the problem. I'm not sure how the thumb bar works for the Luna but maybe you should check the spring in there that engages the thumb bar (if there is one). It could be getting stuck by the grease if the grease is too thick/waxy. Or worn down. Just becareful with springs, they tend to fly everywhere or can even break. Check Alan Tani's website first, I'm sure someone's had the same exact problem.

-Peter

[jinbow]

Awesome catch Daniel,,,,I hardly hear anyone catch a mullet....the only time I saw someone catching mullets were from the pier,,not using bait or lure...just using a white cloth in the front and a lot of set of hooks following...they also had to snag them to get the catch.

Thanks for the report.

Albert (jinbow)

[saltman]

Daniel

That is a nice looking mullet my bother!
Thanks for your report.

Ramiro

[DockRat]

Some good looking Mullet.
They live up LA river by Anahiem St. Toxic River Fish.
Never heard of them by LB Peninsula.
Check out MulletJunky.com
http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab95/SerialThrillerphotos/mullet.gif (http://media.photobucket.com/user/SerialThrillerphotos/media/mullet.gif.html)DR

' I don't get bit, till I get lit ' :Wink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIBWisQ-jVM

[Nipple Twister]

I have a quick question for anyone who uses a daiwa luna reel. I've been having issues lately with the thumb bar sticking. When I try to engage the reel by turning the handle after a cast or putting it in freespool, the thumb bar gets stuck halfway and I have to pop it up the rest of the way by hand. I've completely stripped the reel and cleaned/lubed it but it still has this issue. Besides that, the reel still functions perfectly, but it's getting annoying having to click the thumb bar back up after every cast. I'll be contacting daiwa, but I was just wondering if anyone ele had this issue or could chime in.. Thanks!



I would suspect the return spring for sure.......either incorrectly installed or missing completely. I would also clean the release bar by removing and re-install........I would also pay close attention to the spur gear under the clutch/drag, since you said you had it apart for cleaning, if that gear is backwards you could have symptoms such as that....make sure the cogs are pushing upward when main shaft is turned in the retrieve direction. This gear pushes the linkage up to return spool release bar.......

Cool report, thx for sharing.......

[skunked4life]

Nice session out there fellas! The baby was fussy that night and I had just fallen asleep when you texted me. Mullet??? Well that should go up on the leaderboard right? Too bad you didn't qualify with mullet! I bet the SWAT seniors would have had a field day with that! :ROFL:

Also, thanks for SWAT blocking Thien for me. :LOL: No offense Thien, I just don't want to be left alone as the sole remaining prospect...:Sad:

P.S. After the text, I couldn't go back to sleep so I hit the sand for 45 minutes...you know the rest. Now I am sick and can't stop thinking about the one that got away...:Bawling:

[Tubbytuba]

cool report, interesting looking fish. i had the plastic cover come off the thumb bar of a quantum real of mine, it was depressing as heck.

Good Hunting

[bloox8]

Nice report Dayner
Still can't believe you managed land 3 mullets, especially the one by the mouth.... RANDOM!
I wonder if they count as an exotic fish??? :EyePop:

TN

[smokehound]

Looks more like it was curious and nose-bumped the bait, and you snagged it on the mouth.

If that mullet was trying to eat the lure, it would've swallowed it :LOL:

[SpinnerBaitKing]

I used to fish the Belmont Pier practically every night until gas went up the roof. When the Grunion run, the Mullet school up too. Don't know why; maybe cuz of the loose roe in the waves; who knows? Anyway, I was with this girl and ask her if she wanted me to get one. "Sure" she replied. I put on the biggest treble hook with a bullet weight and snagged a few; on my freshwater bass gear. These fish strip line like a bad habit. Threw them back of course. It's tough to get through those scales. Latez!

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

nice job....congrats...my buddy Hiro landed one of them in Marina del rey a while back on gulp minnow...it was actually a bit bigger than that one but from a distance we thought it looked like a striper as well....those sucka are hard fighters too...


Way ta go : )

[dlmoo312]

Cool mullets on the LC. :Cool: Keep going at those flatties. Thanks for the report Daniel. I had the same exact problem with an old abu ambassadeur 5600 but when I cleaned and re-lubed the whole thing it solved the problem. I'm not sure how the thumb bar works for the Luna but maybe you should check the spring in there that engages the thumb bar (if there is one). It could be getting stuck by the grease if the grease is too thick/waxy. Or worn down. Just becareful with springs, they tend to fly everywhere or can even break. Check Alan Tani's website first, I'm sure someone's had the same exact problem.

-Peter

Thanks for the info Peter. I took it apart again and i'm thinking it may be a problem with the spring as well. I'll keep playing around with it and see if I can fix it on my own, and if not i'll probably just send it in. I'll be looking for those halis again this weekend.. in some cleaner water this time lol hooking into weeds is better than hooking into trash imo :Razz:


Awesome catch Daniel,,,,I hardly hear anyone catch a mullet....the only time I saw someone catching mullets were from the pier,,not using bait or lure...just using a white cloth in the front and a lot of set of hooks following...they also had to snag them to get the catch.

Thanks for the report.

Albert (jinbow)

Hey Albert. I've seen some fisherman targeting these mullet with large treble hooks on the jetty. It was a funny sight watching these guys running down the rocks, chasing the school of fish. There was a large school of them right in front of me for some time. They're a weird looking fish but surprisingly hard fighters.


Daniel

That is a nice looking mullet my bother!
Thanks for your report.

Ramiro

Thanks Ramiro. I picked up a hudd swimbait recently to try out at castaic. I've tried it out once so far with no luck but I got to witness a guy fishing next to me land a nice striper on one. Let me know if you ever plan to fish there:Big Grin:


Some good looking Mullet.
They live up LA river by Anahiem St. Toxic River Fish.
Never heard of them by LB Peninsula.
Check out MulletJunky.com
http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab95/SerialThrillerphotos/mullet.gif (http://media.photobucket.com/user/SerialThrillerphotos/media/mullet.gif.html)DR

' I don't get bit, till I get lit ' :Wink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIBWisQ-jVM

Lol that's a great video!:LOL:


I would suspect the return spring for sure.......either incorrectly installed or missing completely. I would also clean the release bar by removing and re-install........I would also pay close attention to the spur gear under the clutch/drag, since you said you had it apart for cleaning, if that gear is backwards you could have symptoms such as that....make sure the cogs are pushing upward when main shaft is turned in the retrieve direction. This gear pushes the linkage up to return spool release bar.......

Cool report, thx for sharing.......

Thanks for the advice, i'll be sure to check everything you mentioned.


Nice session out there fellas! The baby was fussy that night and I had just fallen asleep when you texted me. Mullet??? Well that should go up on the leaderboard right? Too bad you didn't qualify with mullet! I bet the SWAT seniors would have had a field day with that! :ROFL:

Also, thanks for SWAT blocking Thien for me. :LOL: No offense Thien, I just don't want to be left alone as the sole remaining prospect...:Sad:

P.S. After the text, I couldn't go back to sleep so I hit the sand for 45 minutes...you know the rest. Now I am sick and can't stop thinking about the one that got away...:Bawling:

Lol I don't know if a mullet is really a special catch. Probably just a junk fish but it was cool actually hooking up to one and it helped me beat the skunk!:Smile: I've seen them cruising around on a few occasions and always wondered if they were catchable. Your text that morning was heartbreaking.. but I know you'll be fishing with a newfound determination in the future:Big Grin: It's going to be an awesome feeling when you get that 30" I hope I can be there to witness it:Big Grin:


cool report, interesting looking fish. i had the plastic cover come off the thumb bar of a quantum real of mine, it was depressing as heck.

Good Hunting

Thanks tubbytuba! I know what you mean, it was working flawlessly up until now, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the spring.


Nice report Dayner
Still can't believe you managed land 3 mullets, especially the one by the mouth.... RANDOM!
I wonder if they count as an exotic fish??? :EyePop:

TN

I don't know about exotic but it was a funny and unexpected catch lol I was just happy to be able to beat the skunk!


Looks more like it was curious and nose-bumped the bait, and you snagged it on the mouth.

If that mullet was trying to eat the lure, it would've swallowed it :LOL:

I'm thinking that might be the case as well. On a couple of the retrieves I would see the mullet cruising with my lure, kind of like they were schooling with it and as soon as they saw me they would all dart away. I'm pretty sure it wasn't trying to eat my lure though.. maybe just a curious nip or a lucky snag.


I used to fish the Belmont Pier practically every night until gas went up the roof. When the Grunion run, the Mullet school up too. Don't know why; maybe cuz of the loose roe in the waves; who knows? Anyway, I was with this girl and ask her if she wanted me to get one. "Sure" she replied. I put on the biggest treble hook with a bullet weight and snagged a few; on my freshwater bass gear. These fish strip line like a bad habit. Threw them back of course. It's tough to get through those scales. Latez!

That make a lot of sense. They were indeed schooling around in the shallows. I also thought that they might be spawning as well, but your theory sounds pretty good. I've seen some guys on the jetty that target these mullet with snagging gear. I've heard they are primarily vegetarian fish and that snagging is the only way to really catch them. I was really surprised by the amount of fight these guys had in them!


nice job....congrats...my buddy Hiro landed one of them in Marina del rey a while back on gulp minnow...it was actually a bit bigger than that one but from a distance we thought it looked like a striper as well....those sucka are hard fighters too...


Way ta go : )

Thanks Gary! Did the fish actually eat the bait? I couldn't help thinking that these fish would be great to battle on light line if you could figure out an effective bait.
In the back of my mind I knew it was a mullet but there's no harm in hoping lol they do have some similar markings and coloration:Razz:

[fishshep]

I thought mullet were vegetariens :Shocked:

See dudes with big hooks at Seal Inlet trying snag them,

never knew or thought they would bite .

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Thanks Gary! Did the fish actually eat the bait? I couldn't help thinking that these fish would be great to battle on light line if you could figure out an effective bait.
In the back of my mind I knew it was a mullet but there's no harm in hoping lol they do have some similar markings and coloration:Razz:

Yeah it hit the bait (4" gulp alive minnow)
and was hooked in the mouth....sucka screamed some drag and was pretty big for a mullet.....probably at least 3lbs possibly bigger....

In the water we saw those stripes and paired with the drag screaming, we though it might be a striper.....when it came to land we were like...WTF a mullet???

He also landed a Sargo on a small live smelt which those are supposed to be vegetarians as well....go figure (Any port in a storm)


Again nice catch...that doesn't occur very often

[bachiboy]

Hey Daniel,

Nice going on the "faux" striper.:Wink: When I was a kid, a boys club I was in would camp in Carlsbad at the YMCA facility that you can see off of the 5 fwy. Guys would occasionally catch mullet on pieces of anchovy. So, although not part of their usual diet, they seem to take a piece of meat from time to time. Since there was a grunion run at that time you caught yours, I'm sure he felt he'd go for the "beef" special of the day.:LOL:

As far as your reel goes, be careful that you clean it out thoroughly. Grease can sometimes trap sand in your reel, and though you may have tried to flush it out, the grease may have just kept the obstruction in place. Might want to use a degreaser or, and be very careful using this nasty stuff, brake cleaner (wear rubber gloves and only use it on your metal parts). I had the same problem with my Curado and it took a couple tries to actually get the button running smooth.

Congrats on the unusual catch and, come to think of it...it was a mullet I must have lost early this year, not a striper!:Rolls Eyes::LOL: Yea right...I wish.:Wink:

Take care...
Don

[ScottyP]

Congrats on the new species. These mullet can be caught on small roostertails, and they put up a great fight on light line!
See my report here: http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?60031-Ballona-Creek-8-23-2011-New-Species!&highlight=ballona+creek

[SP Dan]

Hi ya Brotha Daniel,

Now .... there's a new one for ya! A Mullet!
I see that I need to add another species to my bucket list!
I've cast through them in the past but never a taker for me!

Thanx Daniel for the fun read and the pic's!

SP Dan <"))><

[Wingnut]

The Striped fish of the "wrong" kind... :LOL:
Bummer, but congrats on the new species. :Big Grin:
Let me be the first to congratulate you on your nice catch this morning. :Wink:
The Veterans and Old Timers are going to let you Rookies and Young Whippersnappers burn yourselves out this month... :Envious:
Next month when the real competition starts, it's on! :Twisted:

[PONTOON]

Daniel, I've always felt that anything is better than a skunk and it looks like that skunkbuster may get you on the leaderboard for exotic catches. :Cool:

We'll see you next month at the showdown.:Envious:

[dlmoo312]

I thought mullet were vegetariens :Shocked:

See dudes with big hooks at Seal Inlet trying snag them,

never knew or thought they would bite .

I thought so too. I was pretty surprised when I saw that the last fish was hooked in the mouth


Yeah it hit the bait (4" gulp alive minnow)
and was hooked in the mouth....sucka screamed some drag and was pretty big for a mullet.....probably at least 3lbs possibly bigger....

In the water we saw those stripes and paired with the drag screaming, we though it might be a striper.....when it came to land we were like...WTF a mullet???

He also landed a Sargo on a small live smelt which those are supposed to be vegetarians as well....go figure (Any port in a storm)


Again nice catch...that doesn't occur very often

That's interesting. Thanks for the info Gary. I was surprised at how hard these mullet fought! They put a nice bend in my rod:Big Grin:


Hey Daniel,

Nice going on the "faux" striper.:Wink: When I was a kid, a boys club I was in would camp in Carlsbad at the YMCA facility that you can see off of the 5 fwy. Guys would occasionally catch mullet on pieces of anchovy. So, although not part of their usual diet, they seem to take a piece of meat from time to time. Since there was a grunion run at that time you caught yours, I'm sure he felt he'd go for the "beef" special of the day.:LOL:

As far as your reel goes, be careful that you clean it out thoroughly. Grease can sometimes trap sand in your reel, and though you may have tried to flush it out, the grease may have just kept the obstruction in place. Might want to use a degreaser or, and be very careful using this nasty stuff, brake cleaner (wear rubber gloves and only use it on your metal parts). I had the same problem with my Curado and it took a couple tries to actually get the button running smooth.

Congrats on the unusual catch and, come to think of it...it was a mullet I must have lost early this year, not a striper!:Rolls Eyes::LOL: Yea right...I wish.:Wink:

Take care...
Don

That's what i'm thinking too. I ended up taking the reel in to daiwa today. Hopefully i'll get to pick it up soon as good as new.


Congrats on the new species. These mullet can be caught on small roostertails, and they put up a great fight on light line!
See my report here: http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?60031-Ballona-Creek-8-23-2011-New-Species!&highlight=ballona+creek

Thanks for the info! It's nice to know that they're able to be caught on lures like that


Hi ya Brotha Daniel,

Now .... there's a new one for ya! A Mullet!
I see that I need to add another species to my bucket list!
I've cast through them in the past but never a taker for me!

Thanx Daniel for the fun read and the pic's!

SP Dan <"))><

If you ever get a chance you should try using a roostertail like ScottyP suggested:Big Grin:


The Striped fish of the "wrong" kind... :LOL:
Bummer, but congrats on the new species. :Big Grin:
Let me be the first to congratulate you on your nice catch this morning. :Wink:
The Veterans and Old Timers are going to let you Rookies and Young Whippersnappers burn yourselves out this month... :Envious:
Next month when the real competition starts, it's on! :Twisted:

I think I was being overly hopeful thnking it could be a striper while knowing there are mullet in the area:LOL::Razz:
Thanks Arthur! Don't worry, we're just getting warmed up!:Wink::LOL:


Daniel, I've always felt that anything is better than a skunk and it looks like that skunkbuster may get you on the leaderboard for exotic catches. :Cool:

We'll see you next month at the showdown.:Envious:

I totally agree, especially if it can put up a decent fight:Big Grin:
Looking forward it!

[blackwater]

Oh man, I woulda crap in my waders thinking that it's a Striper, haha:LOL:

[troublehook]

Kinda cool catching something different, nice job man. :Thumbs Up: