ErikAllen17
02-12-2014, 11:30 PM
This is a fish report for Wednesday, February 12, 2014.
Nick and I have kind of become accustomed to hitting the beach together every other Wednesday. But today was a little different. Today was kind of a special day... Nick and I were meeting up with another fellow FFN'er, Bassmeister, coming all the way out from San Pedro.
We decided to meet up at a Malibu AO for first light. We were on the sand by 6:15am and conditions were wonderful. Super calm seas (with a few rogue waves and an insane undertow), decent temperatures and crystal clear waters. There were bait fish at our feet and at times I'd see them jumping. Today was the day... we were going to catch some halibut!
http://www.allenpix.com/erik/boards/fishing/LeoHighway_02-14-2014_01.jpg
I started casting the LC immediately... then after about 5 minutes, one of those rogue waves I spoke of earlier caught my legs and dunked me completely underwater. What a way to start the morning. No matter, back to casting. I started casting the LC again... over and over again... nothing. I switched to another color LC... nothing still. Then I switched to a Kroc for some HUGE casts... nothing still. By this time, it's about 8:30 and not even a bite to show for my efforts. So, I switch to a Big Hammer and start casting near a small patch of kelp. I get a few nibbles, but nothing special. About 30 minutes later, I cast out right near the boilers... and then the rod loads up and BAM... fish on!! It gave a decent fight, but no running off with my line. I reel it in closer and I can see it's huge, gaping mouth! It's some sort of a rockfish or maybe even a cabezon. I get it right into the shallows and then it happens. A wave deepens the water and the fish unbuttons. Needless to say, I was quite mad as we have been fishing for several hours and this was the first chance of a catch for any of us.
* PLEASE NOTE *
Some mild language in this video. Turn your speakers off if it will offend you.
http://youtu.be/E97VAXDaoXQ
So, I start casting again... same place, same technique. I get a few nibbles again, but for some reason, I can't get anything to stick! So frustrating. Then I hear Scott and look down the beach. He lands a nice size fish and it turns out to be a gorgeous blue-mouth cabezon caught on a Gulp! penny crab. I tape it out at just a hair under 16", all the while explaining how good they are to eat. Scott thanks me for fishing with him and says that I can keep it. Score! Lunch for today! I take my lunch up to the damp sand, bury him deep and give him a fish gripper tombstone. I'll be seeing you in a few hours my friend!!!
http://youtu.be/azrOew7hRig
I start casting again... still with no action. Another rogue wave rolls in and sweeps my legs... argggg! I didn't get rolled like last time, but it was enough to get into my jacket and waders, soaking my clothes (again). I get to the point where I'm like, forget this... I'm going to put on some crack and just try to catch a perch. I can't get skunked... I cast for about 10 minutes without even the slightest tap. This blows...
I switch back to the Big Hammer because that's the only thing I had any action on. I keep hitting the boilers and kelp. I get another hookup and another... all with the same result. A little wave comes in as I'm reeling him in that creates the slightest amount of slack and they're off the hook. CRAP!!! I start to get bold... I wade out deeper and deeper, hoping to hit further out boilers and kelp. Then it happens... again, for the 3rd time. The previous wave that came in starts going back out to sea in small waves. It meets up with an incoming wave and starts to make a super wave. I'm too far out to head back in so I brace myself. I never stood a chance. This one rolls me for a couple of seconds, and then my hat and GoPro go flying off my head. holy crap!!! Where is my camera? As I frantically search the waves for about 3 minutes (which I edited out the 3 minutes of swirling and blackness), I finally see my camera and headstrap. I grab it as Nick is walking past me (he's heading home) and explain how I just received my 3rd baptism of the day.
http://youtu.be/VQzzSyVvAg4
Whoa... time to pack up before something really terrible happens. I shake Nick's hand and thank him for coming out. Then I shake Scott's hand a little while later and head out myself. I have cabezon tacos to make!!!
http://www.allenpix.com/erik/boards/fishing/LeoHighway_02-14-2014_02.jpg
It was great meeting you brutha... we will definitely be doing this again soon!
http://www.allenpix.com/erik/boards/fishing/LeoHighway_02-14-2014_03.jpg
Nick and I have kind of become accustomed to hitting the beach together every other Wednesday. But today was a little different. Today was kind of a special day... Nick and I were meeting up with another fellow FFN'er, Bassmeister, coming all the way out from San Pedro.
We decided to meet up at a Malibu AO for first light. We were on the sand by 6:15am and conditions were wonderful. Super calm seas (with a few rogue waves and an insane undertow), decent temperatures and crystal clear waters. There were bait fish at our feet and at times I'd see them jumping. Today was the day... we were going to catch some halibut!
http://www.allenpix.com/erik/boards/fishing/LeoHighway_02-14-2014_01.jpg
I started casting the LC immediately... then after about 5 minutes, one of those rogue waves I spoke of earlier caught my legs and dunked me completely underwater. What a way to start the morning. No matter, back to casting. I started casting the LC again... over and over again... nothing. I switched to another color LC... nothing still. Then I switched to a Kroc for some HUGE casts... nothing still. By this time, it's about 8:30 and not even a bite to show for my efforts. So, I switch to a Big Hammer and start casting near a small patch of kelp. I get a few nibbles, but nothing special. About 30 minutes later, I cast out right near the boilers... and then the rod loads up and BAM... fish on!! It gave a decent fight, but no running off with my line. I reel it in closer and I can see it's huge, gaping mouth! It's some sort of a rockfish or maybe even a cabezon. I get it right into the shallows and then it happens. A wave deepens the water and the fish unbuttons. Needless to say, I was quite mad as we have been fishing for several hours and this was the first chance of a catch for any of us.
* PLEASE NOTE *
Some mild language in this video. Turn your speakers off if it will offend you.
http://youtu.be/E97VAXDaoXQ
So, I start casting again... same place, same technique. I get a few nibbles again, but for some reason, I can't get anything to stick! So frustrating. Then I hear Scott and look down the beach. He lands a nice size fish and it turns out to be a gorgeous blue-mouth cabezon caught on a Gulp! penny crab. I tape it out at just a hair under 16", all the while explaining how good they are to eat. Scott thanks me for fishing with him and says that I can keep it. Score! Lunch for today! I take my lunch up to the damp sand, bury him deep and give him a fish gripper tombstone. I'll be seeing you in a few hours my friend!!!
http://youtu.be/azrOew7hRig
I start casting again... still with no action. Another rogue wave rolls in and sweeps my legs... argggg! I didn't get rolled like last time, but it was enough to get into my jacket and waders, soaking my clothes (again). I get to the point where I'm like, forget this... I'm going to put on some crack and just try to catch a perch. I can't get skunked... I cast for about 10 minutes without even the slightest tap. This blows...
I switch back to the Big Hammer because that's the only thing I had any action on. I keep hitting the boilers and kelp. I get another hookup and another... all with the same result. A little wave comes in as I'm reeling him in that creates the slightest amount of slack and they're off the hook. CRAP!!! I start to get bold... I wade out deeper and deeper, hoping to hit further out boilers and kelp. Then it happens... again, for the 3rd time. The previous wave that came in starts going back out to sea in small waves. It meets up with an incoming wave and starts to make a super wave. I'm too far out to head back in so I brace myself. I never stood a chance. This one rolls me for a couple of seconds, and then my hat and GoPro go flying off my head. holy crap!!! Where is my camera? As I frantically search the waves for about 3 minutes (which I edited out the 3 minutes of swirling and blackness), I finally see my camera and headstrap. I grab it as Nick is walking past me (he's heading home) and explain how I just received my 3rd baptism of the day.
http://youtu.be/VQzzSyVvAg4
Whoa... time to pack up before something really terrible happens. I shake Nick's hand and thank him for coming out. Then I shake Scott's hand a little while later and head out myself. I have cabezon tacos to make!!!
http://www.allenpix.com/erik/boards/fishing/LeoHighway_02-14-2014_02.jpg
It was great meeting you brutha... we will definitely be doing this again soon!
http://www.allenpix.com/erik/boards/fishing/LeoHighway_02-14-2014_03.jpg