“The Bestest Day Ever!” PLUS HG7 Annoucement!!! Save the Date!
So, I haven’t been out in the surf for a while now and things have been sounding pretty nice. So made a last minute decision to give it a try. The problem is that the weekend was filled with family plans and I only had a small window of opportunity on Sunday to give it a shot. I had STRICT instructions to be home no later than 9am or I’d miss my son’s Taekwondo belt test.
Got in touch with Arthur (wingnut) and met him at the A.O. at zero dark thirty.
While gearing up, we got a message from Mike (bones) that he had a last minute change of plans and would now be meeting us on the sand. Arthur and I ventured out, walked down the beach a ways and started casting. Around the fifth cast, I hook up to this slimey little guy.
Shortly after, I get my second species for the morning. Followed by another (not pictured).
Those aren’t what we came for and I had told Arthur before we started that it’s been about a year since we’ve had a successful session together so we were due. Well, open the flood gates...
We come up on some good structure and I start nailing checkers...one, two, three. Each one getting bigger. Capping it with a 20” fish.
After the third or fourth fish, Arthur decided to change patterns and right after my 20, he hooks up...right as Lt. Bones makes his entrance.
I keep on the fish but the bite starts to die down. I manage five more checkers and a pancake for the day and miss quite a few more. Here are a couple shots of the remaining victims. Only one fish came on the Kroc. Everything else came on the LC...and I didn’t even lose an LC for once.:LOL:
Arthur managed to score some fish, including this pancake, but poor Mike was snake bit. Not even a tap.:Angry:
After talking about it for a bit, we deduced that it may have been the technique. Mike was casting in the same areas and using the same color LC. The difference was all my bites came on a dead stick. I’d drag and pause while reeling up the slack and they hit on the pause. Mike was using a straight slow retrieve. Like he said...lesson learned.
So, with the bite starting to die, a retreating tide and my LC ready to turn into a pumpkin, I hauled by rear home. You know you've had a good day when your thumb gets all raked up.
At my son’s test, he had to break a board for the first time. It took a couple of tries, I think cuz of nerves, but he nailed it in the end and got his orange belt. On the car ride home he says, “This is the bestest day ever!!!!” Well, the fishing wasn’t the “bestest”, but it was pretty dang good. Seeing the look on his face after he was handed his belt made it the “bestest” day.:Wink:
Arthur and Mike, great fishing with the top brass again. I’m sure there may have been a couple of “F&*&ing Don!” comments thrown out there.:ROFL: Just glad we were able to spend some time out there together. Got to do it again soon. Mike, REALLY glad you got some payback later.:Wink:
Final tally...
Me:
8 Calicos (two rats, two 14-15”, three 17-18”, one 20”)
2 YFC
1 Barracuda
1 Short hali
Arthur:
5 Calicos
1 Short hali
Mike:
Ummm...well...he did kick the snot outta them the next day!!!!!!:Big Grin:
Bonus picts from a session yesterday. got 4 barracuda and two checkers, one that taped at 18”.
Saw this on my trek out. BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE!
SAVE THE DATE!
The HG7 Event is planned for Saturday October 3rd. We are confirming our reservation this week and a formal announcement will be made once all the red tape clears. Please be on the look out for the official announcement which will have the registration instructions and event details. Look forward to seeing everyone out there!!!
Hope you enjoyed the read!
Don
