Nipple Twister
07-05-2013, 10:52 AM
Having the entire week off lended itself well to hittin some A.O.s to try and see if I could put some points on the board. During the week fishing brings about some other options as far as picking a spot due to the "crowd factor". Checking out the predicted conditions and developing a tactful plan to make some sort of sweep from northern to southern including mileage from my HQ.
I basically started around El Porto and went as far as Palos Verdes, doing a lttle more hop scotching and driving around then I had planned but gained some Intel during some recon which eventually paid off as I was able to find some fish and place some points up............nothing epic but points is points and these sessions where some of the funnest ever..........
MONDAY:
This was a last minute stop to this area for some recon for the upcoming tide conditions that where being predicted. After some observation from previous visits the tide was going to be optimum this week. Today's session was maximum low at greylight but incoming, fished the holes that I found previously which where continuing to flood as the morning went on, if the wind stays calm this could be sweet. Casted out at dark and was rewarded with clean retrieves....no salad, off shore breeze made for some fast, long casts and long clean retrieves. With the currents you could either cast upcurrent and let it sweep thru or go downhill and pull straight back to you in the trenches and during one of these retrieves the LC was wiggling thru I could feel it in the rod just swimming away I get a heavy but almost soft hit and then "tug, tug, tug" I pulled and begain my retrieve......yeah FISH ON! A good strong fighter with a quick stop to "pull. pull, pull" trying to wiggle off....careful wave timed and:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070113c_zpsec7dde72.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070113c_zpsec7dde72.jpg.html)
I was able to get a quick pic and get this one unbuttoned 'cause that nostral hook looked painful! Ouch!!!! :ROFL:
Sorry, is that being insensitive?
On with the morning making some wide fan casting as the water deepened it just seemed to be improving as the morning wore on..........less the 30 mins later I get a similar hook up and it's FISH ON!!! With the same hard pulling fight with the stopping to "pull, pull, pull" was fun as it gets with these guys.......pulling closer to shore I stalled to time the wave and BING! Gone....crap. :Explode:
Ok, carry on .......... back to flinging and listening to the music I get in a nice groove working my way down the beach enjoying the hell outta the clean water and less then 15 mins.....same as before BAM....FISH ON!!!!!! Played back ond forth a little bit and pulled from the surf was another:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070113b_zpse17b92ad.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070113b_zpse17b92ad.jpg.html)
Quick pic and back to water for this one I was back to flinging. Although I am on vacation I was going to share some of the day with the little woman some I made a turn around and began making my way back down this wide, open, sandy beach watching the sun rise with tunes going and nobody else on the beach but me!
Getting a few more bumps but nuthing sticking and then BAM....FISH ON!!!! yeahhhhhhhhh, nice fighter and maybe not a YFC this time.......Hmm, more then just "pull, pulll, pull" and more like headshake.........nice, flatty......maybe? Had to work a little harder for this one and in the deep water it seemed to have more fight in it......again stalling but keeping it tight it pulls and .......BING! LC comes shooting outta the water at me ............ fishless..........:EyePop:
After dodging a flying meathook I went back to flinging and wouldn't you know it less then 10 casts later BAM!!.....FISH ON!
Keeping a tighter drag and pull a little quicker it feels like a solid hook-up and the familiar "pull, pull, pull" I fight this guy back to shallow water and up the wet sand:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070113a_zps494142ca.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070113a_zps494142ca.jpg.html)
Another C,P & R for this guy and back to flinging
Feeling pretty good about the morning and now I was back to the LZ, I stalled there a while not really caring about catching more fish at the moment just enjoying the open casting and clean retrieves and the beauty of the morning...........the wind was picking up and effecting the casts of the LC so either I switch up or call it..........
.......I'm good, see you tomorrow......
TUESDAY:
Armed with the knowledge of the past days sessions and recon and with Mons fish count I made my A.O. the same. Got to the LZ a little earlier then yesterday, conditions seemed similar except for the wind, which there was zero, and the fog. Surf seemed to be same which I thought was going to be smaller but no biggy, it was large in intervals and glassy with now deeper tide water earlier........nice right about 3 ft incoming right at grey light.....sweet!
Will all of this positive data, more knowledge of the A.O., having pulled legals outta here before and yesterdays activity I have to admitt, I was gleeming with it being a epic session.
The wife came with me this morning and went about doing some beachcombing she was still close by.....I began flinging the Lucky Craft Flashminnow into the dark sky above the surf.......had to really pay attention to the spool speed on the Daiwa Luna 253L and time your stop perfectly 'cause you can't see thru the dark foggy morning. Lots of deep water, clean retrieves, had to really watch the surf, some of those shore breaks were enough to knock you over.
Just as she was getting ready to walk the other way down the beach I get hooked up, really close to shore in one of the nice trenches and was able to quickly bring to light a:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zpseb91a340.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zpseb91a340.jpg.html)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zps1c319ab1.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zps1c319ab1.jpg.html)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zps4187b2ef.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zps4187b2ef.jpg.html)
After a good C, P & R I was feeling pretty good about the session and the conditions couldn't be better which also improved as the morning went on I went about covering the same stretch of beach as yesterday and wouldn't ya know it, not long after the first Halibut I get hooked up to another familiar headshake and begin my retrieve it was farther then the norm and was fighting hard.........I was able to bring it close and thinking about my landing it went BING..........gone.......
I worked that beach for a few more hours for nadda.........few more bumps but nothing stuck so we called it and headed north for some more recon.........
THURSDAY July 4, 2013: HAPPY FORTH DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!
As I sit here typing this out stopping every now and then looking out the window playing back in my mind the day before which was one the most fun memorable sessions I have had.
Based on the predicted condition reports it was my opinion that Thurs was gonna be the pinacle day of the period. Just the right depth at greylight and incoming all morning. Surf was reported as being less then 1 foot so the only real deal breaker was the So Cal Crowd factor which did play out as a tactical factor but ya know it didn't take away from the days session at all, the company was to good to ruin this day.:Cool:
I had soft plans with Pontoon to hit a A.O. that he prefered and I hadn't been to recently for this day, after getting the text the night before confirming plans for a quick session before the beaches become overun with holiday beach goers. He also added that Trollmiester was coming along, we needed to get Trolly with a legal flatty:Fishing Catch:
So, excited like a little schoolgirl I was up and out the door early in anticipation of that mornings session with two of the great Legends of fishing, Team Trolltoon!
I was at the A.O. early which got me my choice in parking (hey, thats an issue here on OC on a holiday morning). In the LZ in the dark which I was familiar with from previous years and it felt good to be back. Water was smooth, flat, warmer, super clean and, wait for it....and.................nobody else here.....yet.
I began flinging onto the dark noticed a couple of headlights bouncing around the waters edge a ways down the beach but I don't think it was Pontoon and Trolly, not that early. :whistle:
Worked it for some time in the dark getting nice clean retrieves but not getting much interest. I kept at it as the sky began to lighten you could now see the nice deep trenches that are present with this awesome conditions. Yoou can stand at waters edge only knee deep which put you right at the slope of the deep water and you could reach it all from there.
Taking a few minutes to light a cigar it wasn't three cast later I was just about ready to lift the LC from the surf when WHAM....BAM.........FISH ON!......yeah, a very quick pull to wet sand was this nice shorty:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413a_zps66589321.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413a_zps66589321.jpg.html)
"Yeah, nice"........
After a quick CP&R it was back to flinging.......continually looking over my shoulder for Team Trolltoon but notice more anglers making their way to the waters edge, buckets and bait at the ready.
After a n hour or so the sky begins to lighten it was getting a little closed in on by some the late arrivals keepiong my eye peeled for any familiar faces.
In the early morning light I can see some anglers making their way down the beach which I could easily reconize:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413b_zps1249890f.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413b_zps1249890f.jpg.html)
After some handshakes and hellos we went right to work, considering all the pressure there at the time it was still great atmosphere to be a part of. Without going any further I have to say "good time boys, always a pleasure to handg with Team Trolltoon and being able to be teamates for this S.W.A.T Challenge is a absolute honor.....thanks gentlemen"
Starting from the other end of the beach they reported nadda as of yet. We kept at it exchanging comments and giggling ...........:Cart:
I see Pontoon get latched to something but it had that boat anchor kinda tug to it which meant a flatfish of the wrong kind:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413c_zps87242f59.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413c_zps87242f59.jpg.html)
After a quick release we ent back at it, moving around a little switching spots with each other sliding up and down the beach staying in the deep water enjoying all the flat, clean, windless water.
In the middle of the banter I get hooked up........close to shore again it was quick to beach:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413d_zps28ddb8aa.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413d_zps28ddb8aa.jpg.html)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413e_zps9eabff81.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413e_zps9eabff81.jpg.html)
We get some pics......Pontoon took some more which I'm sure he'll post up too. Released the shorty and back to flinging but now Trolly is crying about the :Skunk:
"No worries Chris, there out there....this ain't The 'Vine...........:ROFL:
I moved over a bit to give Chris some room and wouldn't ya know it I see Pontoon hooked up and landing a fish. From my location wasn't sure what it was but later found out it was a short Halibut which he CP&R'd. I moved back over and congratulated Pontoon, stayed with them there as we commented on how Trolly was still stinking up the place I get hooked up on a L O N G cast. This one was way out there and was hard pulling but no "tug, tug, tug" or headshake just fast hard pull.....felt solid but with the deep water right to waters edge it had a good fight but I was able to time it just right and washed ashore a CORBINA! ON THE LC!!!!!!!!
I don't have the pics so we'll have to wait for Ppontoon to post it but I have proof.......sweet! My first and PB on the Lucky Craft.............Lucky Craft, you guys rock!!!!!!!
So, now after a quick CP&R I was grinning from ear to ear and with all the attention it was getting a little more crowded but we stayed a hour or so more but wasn't able to get anything more.
Trolly was soaked from head to toe, he went at it hard but it just missed him this time.....good time none then less Chris, thanks for coming out buddy.
Wet and hungry Pontoon offered up breakfast which he so kindly picked up the tab..........Thanks Kemo, more then generous my friend..........:Thumbs Up:
We talked, laughed, told stories and shared experiences so much so that breakfast went by too fast but we all had others waiting on us we said good bye and went our ways..........
Again, Chris, Terry.........was a blast session, love reliving the racing days, Trolly owes me a ride in the Chevy............can't wait 'til the next one......
Thanks for reading everyone, 'til next time, tight lines......
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/300b0d85-4f93-44de-b89d-e32d18e6414d_zpsfcb60b7e.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zpsb5954737.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zpsb5954737.jpg.html)
I basically started around El Porto and went as far as Palos Verdes, doing a lttle more hop scotching and driving around then I had planned but gained some Intel during some recon which eventually paid off as I was able to find some fish and place some points up............nothing epic but points is points and these sessions where some of the funnest ever..........
MONDAY:
This was a last minute stop to this area for some recon for the upcoming tide conditions that where being predicted. After some observation from previous visits the tide was going to be optimum this week. Today's session was maximum low at greylight but incoming, fished the holes that I found previously which where continuing to flood as the morning went on, if the wind stays calm this could be sweet. Casted out at dark and was rewarded with clean retrieves....no salad, off shore breeze made for some fast, long casts and long clean retrieves. With the currents you could either cast upcurrent and let it sweep thru or go downhill and pull straight back to you in the trenches and during one of these retrieves the LC was wiggling thru I could feel it in the rod just swimming away I get a heavy but almost soft hit and then "tug, tug, tug" I pulled and begain my retrieve......yeah FISH ON! A good strong fighter with a quick stop to "pull. pull, pull" trying to wiggle off....careful wave timed and:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070113c_zpsec7dde72.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070113c_zpsec7dde72.jpg.html)
I was able to get a quick pic and get this one unbuttoned 'cause that nostral hook looked painful! Ouch!!!! :ROFL:
Sorry, is that being insensitive?
On with the morning making some wide fan casting as the water deepened it just seemed to be improving as the morning wore on..........less the 30 mins later I get a similar hook up and it's FISH ON!!! With the same hard pulling fight with the stopping to "pull, pull, pull" was fun as it gets with these guys.......pulling closer to shore I stalled to time the wave and BING! Gone....crap. :Explode:
Ok, carry on .......... back to flinging and listening to the music I get in a nice groove working my way down the beach enjoying the hell outta the clean water and less then 15 mins.....same as before BAM....FISH ON!!!!!! Played back ond forth a little bit and pulled from the surf was another:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070113b_zpse17b92ad.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070113b_zpse17b92ad.jpg.html)
Quick pic and back to water for this one I was back to flinging. Although I am on vacation I was going to share some of the day with the little woman some I made a turn around and began making my way back down this wide, open, sandy beach watching the sun rise with tunes going and nobody else on the beach but me!
Getting a few more bumps but nuthing sticking and then BAM....FISH ON!!!! yeahhhhhhhhh, nice fighter and maybe not a YFC this time.......Hmm, more then just "pull, pulll, pull" and more like headshake.........nice, flatty......maybe? Had to work a little harder for this one and in the deep water it seemed to have more fight in it......again stalling but keeping it tight it pulls and .......BING! LC comes shooting outta the water at me ............ fishless..........:EyePop:
After dodging a flying meathook I went back to flinging and wouldn't you know it less then 10 casts later BAM!!.....FISH ON!
Keeping a tighter drag and pull a little quicker it feels like a solid hook-up and the familiar "pull, pull, pull" I fight this guy back to shallow water and up the wet sand:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070113a_zps494142ca.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070113a_zps494142ca.jpg.html)
Another C,P & R for this guy and back to flinging
Feeling pretty good about the morning and now I was back to the LZ, I stalled there a while not really caring about catching more fish at the moment just enjoying the open casting and clean retrieves and the beauty of the morning...........the wind was picking up and effecting the casts of the LC so either I switch up or call it..........
.......I'm good, see you tomorrow......
TUESDAY:
Armed with the knowledge of the past days sessions and recon and with Mons fish count I made my A.O. the same. Got to the LZ a little earlier then yesterday, conditions seemed similar except for the wind, which there was zero, and the fog. Surf seemed to be same which I thought was going to be smaller but no biggy, it was large in intervals and glassy with now deeper tide water earlier........nice right about 3 ft incoming right at grey light.....sweet!
Will all of this positive data, more knowledge of the A.O., having pulled legals outta here before and yesterdays activity I have to admitt, I was gleeming with it being a epic session.
The wife came with me this morning and went about doing some beachcombing she was still close by.....I began flinging the Lucky Craft Flashminnow into the dark sky above the surf.......had to really pay attention to the spool speed on the Daiwa Luna 253L and time your stop perfectly 'cause you can't see thru the dark foggy morning. Lots of deep water, clean retrieves, had to really watch the surf, some of those shore breaks were enough to knock you over.
Just as she was getting ready to walk the other way down the beach I get hooked up, really close to shore in one of the nice trenches and was able to quickly bring to light a:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zpseb91a340.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zpseb91a340.jpg.html)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zps1c319ab1.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zps1c319ab1.jpg.html)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zps4187b2ef.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zps4187b2ef.jpg.html)
After a good C, P & R I was feeling pretty good about the session and the conditions couldn't be better which also improved as the morning went on I went about covering the same stretch of beach as yesterday and wouldn't ya know it, not long after the first Halibut I get hooked up to another familiar headshake and begin my retrieve it was farther then the norm and was fighting hard.........I was able to bring it close and thinking about my landing it went BING..........gone.......
I worked that beach for a few more hours for nadda.........few more bumps but nothing stuck so we called it and headed north for some more recon.........
THURSDAY July 4, 2013: HAPPY FORTH DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!
As I sit here typing this out stopping every now and then looking out the window playing back in my mind the day before which was one the most fun memorable sessions I have had.
Based on the predicted condition reports it was my opinion that Thurs was gonna be the pinacle day of the period. Just the right depth at greylight and incoming all morning. Surf was reported as being less then 1 foot so the only real deal breaker was the So Cal Crowd factor which did play out as a tactical factor but ya know it didn't take away from the days session at all, the company was to good to ruin this day.:Cool:
I had soft plans with Pontoon to hit a A.O. that he prefered and I hadn't been to recently for this day, after getting the text the night before confirming plans for a quick session before the beaches become overun with holiday beach goers. He also added that Trollmiester was coming along, we needed to get Trolly with a legal flatty:Fishing Catch:
So, excited like a little schoolgirl I was up and out the door early in anticipation of that mornings session with two of the great Legends of fishing, Team Trolltoon!
I was at the A.O. early which got me my choice in parking (hey, thats an issue here on OC on a holiday morning). In the LZ in the dark which I was familiar with from previous years and it felt good to be back. Water was smooth, flat, warmer, super clean and, wait for it....and.................nobody else here.....yet.
I began flinging onto the dark noticed a couple of headlights bouncing around the waters edge a ways down the beach but I don't think it was Pontoon and Trolly, not that early. :whistle:
Worked it for some time in the dark getting nice clean retrieves but not getting much interest. I kept at it as the sky began to lighten you could now see the nice deep trenches that are present with this awesome conditions. Yoou can stand at waters edge only knee deep which put you right at the slope of the deep water and you could reach it all from there.
Taking a few minutes to light a cigar it wasn't three cast later I was just about ready to lift the LC from the surf when WHAM....BAM.........FISH ON!......yeah, a very quick pull to wet sand was this nice shorty:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413a_zps66589321.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413a_zps66589321.jpg.html)
"Yeah, nice"........
After a quick CP&R it was back to flinging.......continually looking over my shoulder for Team Trolltoon but notice more anglers making their way to the waters edge, buckets and bait at the ready.
After a n hour or so the sky begins to lighten it was getting a little closed in on by some the late arrivals keepiong my eye peeled for any familiar faces.
In the early morning light I can see some anglers making their way down the beach which I could easily reconize:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413b_zps1249890f.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413b_zps1249890f.jpg.html)
After some handshakes and hellos we went right to work, considering all the pressure there at the time it was still great atmosphere to be a part of. Without going any further I have to say "good time boys, always a pleasure to handg with Team Trolltoon and being able to be teamates for this S.W.A.T Challenge is a absolute honor.....thanks gentlemen"
Starting from the other end of the beach they reported nadda as of yet. We kept at it exchanging comments and giggling ...........:Cart:
I see Pontoon get latched to something but it had that boat anchor kinda tug to it which meant a flatfish of the wrong kind:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413c_zps87242f59.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413c_zps87242f59.jpg.html)
After a quick release we ent back at it, moving around a little switching spots with each other sliding up and down the beach staying in the deep water enjoying all the flat, clean, windless water.
In the middle of the banter I get hooked up........close to shore again it was quick to beach:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413d_zps28ddb8aa.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413d_zps28ddb8aa.jpg.html)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/070413e_zps9eabff81.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/070413e_zps9eabff81.jpg.html)
We get some pics......Pontoon took some more which I'm sure he'll post up too. Released the shorty and back to flinging but now Trolly is crying about the :Skunk:
"No worries Chris, there out there....this ain't The 'Vine...........:ROFL:
I moved over a bit to give Chris some room and wouldn't ya know it I see Pontoon hooked up and landing a fish. From my location wasn't sure what it was but later found out it was a short Halibut which he CP&R'd. I moved back over and congratulated Pontoon, stayed with them there as we commented on how Trolly was still stinking up the place I get hooked up on a L O N G cast. This one was way out there and was hard pulling but no "tug, tug, tug" or headshake just fast hard pull.....felt solid but with the deep water right to waters edge it had a good fight but I was able to time it just right and washed ashore a CORBINA! ON THE LC!!!!!!!!
I don't have the pics so we'll have to wait for Ppontoon to post it but I have proof.......sweet! My first and PB on the Lucky Craft.............Lucky Craft, you guys rock!!!!!!!
So, now after a quick CP&R I was grinning from ear to ear and with all the attention it was getting a little more crowded but we stayed a hour or so more but wasn't able to get anything more.
Trolly was soaked from head to toe, he went at it hard but it just missed him this time.....good time none then less Chris, thanks for coming out buddy.
Wet and hungry Pontoon offered up breakfast which he so kindly picked up the tab..........Thanks Kemo, more then generous my friend..........:Thumbs Up:
We talked, laughed, told stories and shared experiences so much so that breakfast went by too fast but we all had others waiting on us we said good bye and went our ways..........
Again, Chris, Terry.........was a blast session, love reliving the racing days, Trolly owes me a ride in the Chevy............can't wait 'til the next one......
Thanks for reading everyone, 'til next time, tight lines......
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/300b0d85-4f93-44de-b89d-e32d18e6414d_zpsfcb60b7e.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/nippletwister_photos/Fishing/null_zpsb5954737.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/nippletwister_photos/media/Fishing/null_zpsb5954737.jpg.html)