Bucket brigade boogie!!!

[anchor3n1]

TAKE MY WORD FOR ITOK I decided to post today's fishing experience even though my cool GoPro Hero video camera didn't work for me:Embarrassed: so I have no video to show and I didn't get my cell phone out to snap some pics either. Guess you'll either have to read this post and use your imagination or just blow it off and chalk this one up to Nick is telling another "fish story" ... again:Secret:

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCEED...Met my friend, the retired army vet whom I'm teaching how to catch fish in the surf, today before sunrise at our designated AO (my buddy Erik - ErikAllen17 - couldn't join us today). I've been dreaming about working this AO for months but each time conditions have been terrible. Yup, it happened again. It was totally blown out with strong onshore winds:Evil: One of these days...But while we were there we did a little recon and the beach there is magnificent. So yes it is on our schedule to hit it hard especially when the water warms up in a few months but, in the meantime I still want it fish it soon anyway.

So we moved down the coast to our "go to" AO and arrived there over an hour before HT (plenty of good fish time still). First thing we notice is the rough angry surf/not high though. The 2nd thing we notice, as soon as we are on the beach, are birds diving like crazy maybe 150' offshore. I went dashing after them with the LC. The birds were too far to reach and moving up the beach too fast.

LET THE FUN BEGINMy baitfish bird dash ended up by a bucket brigader using crack. He had one BSP (in his plastic grocery bag). So I decided to stop right there and I started tossing the LC bout 40' away from him. 2nd cast whamo nice BSP. Released him, cast again bammo, nuther one. He was staring at me especially as I tossed them back:Explode:

I kept catching nice BSPs (they were piggies but I didn't take time to tape em) and tossing em back. One of the bucket guys came over and basically asked me for the fish - "I'm sorry I catch and release only". Now I was in a playful mood. Each time I caught one after that I held up for all the other brigaders (there were a total of four)on the beach to see (and I'd wait till they waved at me). Then I would throw the fishies back (guess I was feeling ornery:whistle::whistle::whistle:). Another one of them asked me why I was throwing them back and I said, "because they aren't big enough":Shocked:(trust me they were pigs). One finally ran down to me to ask me what I was using (I told him the truth - "hard bait":Cool:).

CONFESSIONOK so I felt guilty about teasing those guys today. They seemed like nice people and it would have been better to just fish and educate them about my fishing philosophy instead. Oh well, I promise to do right next time. Maybe I'm not my right self today. I woke with a sore throat, headache,
Stuffy nose. Maybe it would have been better to have have stayed in bed instead :Rolls Eyes:

FINAL TALLY too many hits, landed 17 piggies, farmed 3 or 4

Thanks for reading this wordy post and for forgiving my misbehavior on the sand:Surprised:

Nick

[ErikAllen17]

No video... ahhhh... bummer. What am I going to do with all of this popcorn now?

At first I was super bummed that I actually had to go to work today instead of meeting you guys to fish... but after that story, it's probably a good thing I wasn't there. I live under the philosophy of "always mess with their minds". I would've totally tied a granola bar or something to the line and said, "yup... this is how I catch the big ones!" I don't like the guys who take every fish they catch... I'm kind of like the Forax (Lorax for fish), I speak for the fish! If they're under 10", send them back!!! If they're a female, no matter what size, send them back!

Glad you and Roldy got on some good action.

[Wingnut]

Entertaining report as always Nick. :Big Grin:
I've met some really nice Bucket Commandos... a majority of them are really cool and "most" of their catches are legal. :LOL:
They just need some education that's all... I think most of them are just trying to feed their families. :Cool:
Thanks for the PM's... it made me smile. :Cool:

Even though I'm sure you don't celebrate it... I want to wish you and your family a Happy Vietnamese / Chinese New Year! :Razz:

Chúc mừng năm mới!

[bachiboy]

Great report Nick! You can try and educate people on the importance of C&R, but you can't really fault people for wanting to feed their families, as long as they are within the law...to each their own, I say. I may not agree with it, but I can't force my views on them...your approach cracks me up though.:LOL: Nice job out there and looking forward to that report when you hit that new A.O. on prime conditions.:Wink:

Don

[Which Way Out]

Well Nick I must say I've done something quite the same. Long story so to not bore anyone,
I walked up and spotted a Large mouth bass in Big Bear Lake one afternoon that was sitting on its nest. 20+ people along the cove bank baiting and waiting. I rigged up and bam fish on, Lipped it and showed a buddy of mine as well as the crowd, then gently sat her back in the water and left. The crowd was quite and still as we walked away with a slight chuckle to ourselves.

ps I am glad you don't eat the BSP, they taste like &%#$, IMO. But I would bet in the right type of soup as a protein supplement you could live on em.

WWO

[anchor3n1]

...I would've totally tied a granola bar or something to the line and said, "yup... this is how I catch the big ones!"

Erik, I knew that's how you did it, bro!! Now your secret's out. HaHa:LOL:


[SIZE=3]...
I've met some really nice Bucket Commandos... a majority of them are really cool and "most" of their catches are legal. :LOL:
They just need some education that's all... I think most of them are just trying to feed their families...

Arthur, I agree. The ones I talk to are always nice. In fact it's rare that I've met any fisher folk who aren't pleasant. It's their right and privilege.:Wink:


...your approach cracks me up though.:LOL:

...looking forward to that report when you hit that new A.O. on prime conditions.:Wink:

Don, I was kinda being silly actually. It was a rather comical (to me) morning. Conditions were nearly impossible for C-riggers and other bait fisherman. There was a tremendous southern cross current on that beach making it super hard to keep your hook in the strike zone. Besides the guy near me with his BSP and one that my buddy caught (on his C rig), I was the only guy getting any action and it was crazy action. People were watching my pole bend every few casts with a fish or a hit (cuz I was using an LC and all I needed to do was be focused on placement and wave timing to get it to the fishes). Kind made me giddy I guess.

Yes the new AO is a location that very few ever get access to so thats one reason (plus it looks killer) that I want too give it a try as it sees minimal pressure relative to most other places.


...Long story so to not bore anyone,
I walked up and spotted a Large mouth bass in Big Bear Lake one afternoon that was sitting on its nest. 20+ people along the cove bank baiting and waiting. I rigged up and bam fish on, Lipped it and showed a buddy of mine as well as the crowd, then gently sat her back in the water and left. The crowd was quite and still as we walked away with a slight chuckle to ourselves.

Bill, Now that makes for a good visual. I would have loved to see the crowds faces as you landed the bass AND THEN PUT HER BACK!!! priceless:Shocked:


ps I am glad you don't eat the BSP, they taste like &%#$, IMO. But I would bet in the right type of soup as a protein supplement you could live on em. You made me look like a fool with this.:Rolls Eyes: I was hanging out with my family today when I read this part on my iPad and just started cracking up:LOL::LOL::LOL: There all looking at me like I'm crazy or something (it just struck me as pretty hilarious). You are very funny:Envious:

Ps: your right, I don't eat em:Bug Eyes:

[fishincrave]

anchor3n1 you sure are full of your self aren't you lol .

[smokehound]

the trick is to keep them in a SALTWATER slurry. freshwater ice will ruin the flavor and meat.

Also, they taste far better when not gravid. The smaller perch taste the best, i wish people would keep the small ones, instead.

[pargo lsb]

hello nick,
good job you did on team bucket
notice that there are lot more traffic at the spot lately
lok forward to see you one the sand one of these day
richard

[anchor3n1]

anchor3n1 you sure are full of your self aren't you lol .

fishincrave, I'm not sure how to take that. However, if my post and replies come off that way, then l am sad. I certainly wasn't trying to sound like the hero. On the contrary, I felt bad about my actions towards those guys.

I appreciate you pointing it out to me.


the trick is to keep them in a SALTWATER slurry. freshwater ice will ruin the flavor and meat.

Also, they taste far better when not gravid. The smaller perch taste the best, i wish people would keep the small ones, instead.

Good advice.

Thanks smoke hound


see you one the sand one of these day
richard

I look forward to it Richard

[seal]

BSP's really? Why are they so damn easy to catch and reside all over the coast, do you really need to torment others that intend to bring a few BSP's home? Is the surf fishing community the next to go all LMB C&R nuts?

At the same time I find this kinda funny, kind of like during Christmas time walking around a parking lot acting like you are going to get into your parked car then veering off and pissing off the car that was following you hoping to use your parking spot, FREAKING HILARIOUS!

[skunked4life]

Nick,

To teach is to learn twice. Good job out there engaging in fellowship with your Vet friend. Tell him thanks for me for his service. And see, you were rewarded with a plentiful bounty - 17 BSP!!!

Skunked4life, aka Corporal Croaker, aka Ken