Came back in town for a business meeting yesterday and managed to squeeze in a session this morning. :Dancing Banana: Been pretty fortunate the past few weeks with a relatively light travel schedule allowing me to hit the water a couple of times. Hooked up with a couple of my S.W.A.T. Brothers for a recon at one of the A.O. that we haven't hit in awhile. As it turned out, it was a good call... :!!!:
Mission Data.
Duration: 6:15am - 10:00am
A.O: Classified
Conditions: Overcast morning. Incoming tide. Flat 1-2 ft swells in moderate intervals, placid & calm conditions. Water temp. approx. 68 degrees, water clarity excellent, very minimal salad, moderate baitfish presence.
Techniques: Throwing hard baits & swim baits.
Roll Call:
Arthur (Wingnut) S.W.A.T.
Mike (Bones) S.W.A.T.
Marc (BSP) S.W.A.T.
Nick (Dad) Guest
Bill (BamBam) Guest
The bite was so good, I couldn't keep track of everybody's fish count... :LOL:
Here's mine:
(8) Short Halibut, (1) Legal Halibut 26" K.I.A.
(4) Calico Bass
(3) Yellow Fin Croaker
Fantastic conditions! :Big Grin: The best I've seen in quite a long time at this spot. Flat, clear, warm water with virtually no salad. Stepping into the surf at grey light, we could see baitfish scattering everywhere and predators going AIRBORN. :EyePop: We all spread out and started fan casting like mad...
Marc was the first to hook up... BIG fish peeling line off his reel. :Shocked: Then BOINK! Gone... bit off. :mad: I was on a bendo myself during the chaos...
I knew that it would be a good day of fishing when my first THREE casts was greeted with sharp bendos. :Thumbs Up: A chunky Calico Bass, a short Halibut and a fat YFC hit the sand for me in less than 10 minutes. I waved the rest of the guys over and told them to start hammering the spot I was casting to... one by one, they yelled "Fish On!" Unbelievable action for the first hour. Fish of multiple species hit the sand and most were shaken off and released in the surf without any pics taken. We couldn't wait to shake off the shorts and getting the lure back out there again. :Twisted:
The best experience that one can have in the surf is the "anticipation" factor... Yes, some of you guys know exactly what I'm talking about. The feeling in your stomach that you get during a retrieve when you KNOW that something is going to hammer your offering at any second. So much fun to see the fish follow your lure all the way up to the rod tip, lunges forward with a burst of speed at the last moment and hammer the LC. Some would turn away and shoot back out. You make a quick recast to the same spot and the fish comes back and hit it again and you stick it! Or slow rolling the lure over a trough and just as it passes over the "sweet spot", you are rewarded with a bendo. Doesn't get any better than that. I compare it to topwater fishing for Stripers... what a BLAST! :Big Grin:
We had multiple double hook-ups in the surf and I'm not talking about the Surf Perch variety either. :Envious: Marc & I got two double hook-ups and Mike & Bill got one too. Halibut doubles... :Shocked: good stuff!
Sessions like this don't come around very often, so we must enjoy and appreciate it whenever we are blessed with the experience.
I will certainly give thanks at Sunday morning mass tomorrow. :Cool:
Mike, I know that today's hot action doesn't make up for that Black Sea Bass that you lost IN THE SURF on Friday. :EyePop: But I hope it helps to cool the sting... even if only for a day. Good fishing with you again my friend, I'll see ya next Saturday at Dana's Memorial event. :Wink:
Marc, we picked right up where we left off didn't we...? hahahahaha :Big Smile:
Thanks for being my "wingman" today, we absolutely slayed them side my side this morning. :Twisted: We had two double Flatties hook-ups, that was fun... I've never experienced going over and under lines in the surf before, lol.
Good job on acing your midterm exams and I'm looking forward to more fun bantering and laughs the next time we hit the surf.
Nick, you are quite a trooper. You took a nasty tumble on some slippery rocks but carried on like a champ until the pain was too unbearable. :Shocked: Take care of that hand and thank goodness that it wasn't anything more serious... which it could very easily be. Hope to see you back in action very soon sir.
Bill, always nice to have a member of the original Pirate Crew joining us in the surf. Congrats on your first surf caught Halibut... and I'm sure a legal will follow shortly. Thank you for hooking all of us up with some Pelagic gear, that was VERY cool of you bro. Looking forward to hitting the water with you again sometime soon and I'll be in touch. :Cool:
Have a good one everybody. Here's to a great Fall bite! :Big Grin:
Arthur (Wingnut)
You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.
Pics, pics and more pics...
My new custom enhanced LC. "Bleeder" Raked Bait Series. :Twisted:
This was the only LC I threw today... it kicked major 'buts, literally! :LOL:
Hiking through the jungle in the dark...
Gearing up before the grey light.
We didn't hit the surf until we made sure that Nick was okay after his tumble on the rocks. :Cool:
1st cast!
2nd cast!
3rd cast!
1st double hook-ups!
26" Legal #20. :Envious:
Marc's Torpedo Smelt.
One of Mike's short Hali.
Bill's 1st surf caught Halibut! :Applause:
One of my four Calico Bass.
Another one of my short Flatties.
Another double hook-ups!
Another short... pancakes everywhere.
Goofing off... lol
Young Millionaire... hahahaha
Mike... "Why so serious...?" lol
The Pirates.
Hey, stop staring at my 'But... :LOL:
Cool shell.
You find the strangest things in the surf. :Shocked:
What the...@#&!?!? :mad: Professional overun... :LOL: Glad I carry a back-up.
I'm back in action with a lefty... all is good again. :Big Grin:
Laughter is the best medicine. Good times! :Big Grin:
Roll call...
Lunch!
What do guys think about this custom enhanced pattern?
"Mangled" Raked Bait Series. Might put it in action the next time I hit the surf... stay tuned. :Wink:
The story of the lucky penny! :Big Grin:
The Iron Chef and I went out to dinner last night. We were taking an after dinner stroll at the Universal City Walk when she picks up a penny on the sidewalk. Handed it to me and said, "Here's for good luck, bring home a Halibut for me tomorrow..."
I had that penny in the pocket of my waders all morning.
Food pics updates to follow. :Wink:
Parting shot.
My personal bodyguards. :Envious:
Food update pics... 9/17/11
Steamed Clams, Ribeye Steaks and my favorite... Halibut & Shrimp Shish Kabobs. :Envious: