Hali del Norte

[efishent]

After not being in the surf since last year the pressure of getting out was building with every report from the south. So when a friend got a license (for the first time!) and started asking me about surf fishing over the phone that just became unbearable - Get out here and we'll do a wet run at it! With blessings from wife and 7 month old daughter we grabbed rods and ran out to check a couple spots north of town.

Conditions : late start, lowest tide, jumbled surf, chilly and murky water, salad, etc .. but WHO CARES - there is a window to fish..

First spot: we got into a nice ripple area and started bringing decent BSP both on crack and LC, some in double digits. I was glad my buddy got into action right away but he was not prepared to go in after post-surgery knee swelling and while he was taking a break I was crisscrossing the deepest part of the hole with LC and got hooked on a flattie that few runs later ended up on the beach and was 21". I let my friend release him knowing he'll get a nice tail splash to get him hooked into hunting halis when he recovers.

Second spot: well, after a couple casts and a chat with a DFG warden (who complained about folks keeping way over limit of perch!) we called it good. It was so refreshing to get out and the clouds and lack of wind made it a pleasant 1.5 h trip.

Hope everyone hooked up this weekend.

[onekrzyboi]

I know how it feels to have that itch to get out on the surf. I think unbearable describes it quite well :LOL:
Having good company is always a plus. Ups to your friend for getting that first license. :Thumbs Up: A hali on the first day back in the water always helps too :Big Grin: Letting your friend release that butt will definitely have him hooked. Good call!

Thanks for the report!
-Danny

[murrieta angler]

It was rough out there, for sure!
You got a bite, reeled it in and just think, you have all year to get another one..:Big Grin:
I really like that picture of the flatty, nice color.
Robert
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[SP Dan]

Hi ya onekrzyboi,

Great to be back in the salt .... eh?!?
Good job on beaching the pancake and for letting your friend release it! WTG!

Thanx for the fish report with pic's! :Cool:
Excellent job on the CPR!

Thanx for the

[bachiboy]

That near legal and those BSP musta been a nice welcome back to the surf! Glad you were able to make a go of it with your small window of opportunity and look forward to more reports in the near future!

Thanks for sharing!
Don

[efishent]

Thanks guys, I feel that I always enhance my luck when bringing a new person into this and help them set up and at least show whatever I'm used to doing out in the surf. With lack of reports from the north and questionable conditions in a short time frame that was what I was hoping for and we were fortunate to get on a good action. The water has been warming up and cooling off again here with shifty winds, and that was the case for baitfish and clarity - I think the conditions are yet to stabilize but are improving.

[skunked4life]

Very nice way to ease back into the salt! Nice job out there and even though the tail splashing part was a little devious, still a nice gesture!

[PTN]

Great write-up and beautiful picture of that halibut. Welcome back to surf fishing and good luck getting rid of that itch. :Cool: Thanks for the report.

-Peter

[Wingnut]

Good to see a report from you again and hope you will be able to get back out there more often. :Big Grin:
Nice job on the Halibut, I predict a legal in the very near future for you. :Wink: