A Christmas Present from Poseidon. Xmas Morning PB Halibut 12/25/09

[Wingnut]

Went to Midnight Mass with my family last night… the service was a two hour celebration of what the Holiday Season is all about. Took the hour and a half drive back home to the Valley and pulled into my driveway at 3:30am. I thought to myself… why not just stay up and head out to the surf to fish the grey light for a couple of hours. Since the swells are projected to get pretty big by Saturday and Sunday, I figured why not? Make Christmas Day my last trip to the surf this year. I’ve been working like a madman for the last few weeks and really needed to get out there to relax. At most, I can only fish for a couple of hours since I have to assist with aToy Drive at the local Children’s Hospital.

Conditions:
Very cold and clear morning. There was a light film of ice on the windshield when I left the house and the outside temperature reads 34 degrees. By the time I got to the location it was 46 degrees. Started fishing about an hour after high tide, swells 1-2 feet, excellent water clarity with very little salad. Small 1-2 inch baitfish in the water.

Fishing duration:
6:45am to 8:30am

Technique:
Throwing hard baits.

Fish count:
(2) Legal Halibut
36” Personal Best (released).
23” Kept (the “only” legal Halibut I took home this year).



Details of the morning session:
Started throwing the LC in the grey light… after about 45 minutes with no action, I finally hooked up. Brought the fish into the shallow surf where I can see that it was a nice grade Flattie about 25-26 inches. Just as I was thinking to myself it’s gonna be a great Christmas morning… ZING! The LC comes flying back at me and the Hali was gone.
I stood there for a moment shaking my head, muttered some unpleasantries and then kept moving and throwing. Nothing is going to ruin my mood, it’s Christmas Day! I come across a small kelp bed within casting distance and started tossing the LC around it. On about the third cast, the LC stops dead in its tracks… I swing away. Solid pressure and no movement… I said “Damn, I’m hung up in the kelp…” I started pulling hard and what I thought was kelp was moving very slowly towards me with a massive amount of pressure… I thought for sure I had a personal best kelp strand on the other end of the line.

Then all of the sudden the kelp started to pull back… and hard! I guess the fish finally realized that it was hooked because it took off with a solid ten seconds or so drag burning run. Now, I have to mention that I just got this Pluton reel back after getting it repaired & serviced by Frank (Nessie Hunter) and the drag was buttery smooth. Great job and thanks Frank! I knew that all my gear was in tip top shape and I was ready to handle anything… now only if the hook-set was solid, my #12 Steez line doesn’t break and my knot holds… I’ll be in good shape. I remember saying to myself… “This is the one Arthur… this could be the one…” For about ten minutes or so… the battle between Fish & Man raged on… the tug of war continued as the fish took line and I struggled to gain it back. Somewhere in the chaos, the fish shot up to the surface, only once, and slapped its tail out of the water couple of times… giving me the first glimpse of what I was dealing with. With the fish taking less line and going on fewer and shorter runs… I knew that I was finally in control as I brought the Flat Boy gliding into the first set of surf where it continued to run parallel to the sand and refused to come in with the sets. The warrior fish was going to make me work for the prize and I was more than happy to obliged. I un-holstered my Boga Grip and waded into the surf to go after it… My arm went down into the foam, the clip snaps into place on the lower jaw of the beast and the prize was secured. I knew instantly that this fish was bigger than my previous best of 34”. Looks bigger and felt heavier.

I looked around to see if anybody was on the beach to take some pics… not a soul in sight. So I propped the camera on a rock, set the timer and took some solo shots. Measured it up, took a few more pics and back in the surf it went.

Elated, I just stood there, looked up into the clear blue sky and whispered “Thank you…" Somewhere in the distance, I swear that I heard the sound of sleigh bells and the jolly voice saying “Ho, ho, ho… Merry Christmas!” And a very Merry Christmas it was…

Next on the horizon… the 40” Hali Club.

Epilogue:
I continued down the beach for the next half an hour or so and got a couple of short strikes. Then, just as I decided to pack up and call it a morning… fish on!
A nice and plump 23” Halibut hit the sand. I kneeled down and said… “Lucky one, you will be the last fish I catch from the surf this season and the “first and only" one that I kept all year…”
To end the year with a personal best and be blessed with a fresh Halibut Christmas dinner… you can’t script it any better than that… God bless us all… everyone.

Merry Christmas everybody!

“If you don’t have Christmas in your heart… don’t bother trying to find it under a tree.””











Let’s see if I can get this right for all the tape measuring “experts” out there.






The release! In keeping with the S.W.A.T. Code “NEVER kill your personal best.”
Probably stayed out of the water a little longer than I wanted it to, but it revived nicely, shot out of my hand like a bullet and swam off strong.
Live long and prosper, I’ll see you again when you’re a 40+.




The “Lucky” 23” Flat Boy… filleted and ready for Christmas dinner.






The battle worn hardware… Thoroughly raked and all three trebles damaged, two broken, one bent.


Parting shot:
Wingnut Pugs says, “A Halibut for a Christmas present…? Bah humbug! Do you want me to clean it too?”

[troutdog]

WHAT A X-MAS present!!!! Congrats on the PB halibut, safe to say you paid your dues Enjoy your fresh halibut dinner!


TD

[bsp]

Arthur, that is an incredible catch. It seems like the flatties always go on a feeding binge before the swell gets really large, and you capitalized on that with stunning results. I am a firm believer now that winter flattie fishing is a great time of year to target the big girls. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy!

Congrats on ending the year in a fantastic way, and can't wait to hit the surf again with you soon!

Marc

[Juntao]

You are the man and catch the big ones.Nice catch and merry christmas present.

[lngbchfnhnter]

Unbelievable!! Nice going wingnut! Wish me some of your luck tomorrow!

[Fire Ball]

Wow! That is one nice halibut!! Awesome job! I wonder when I will be able to hit the surf again and try and get my first halibut.

[TheFishcatcher]

Man! That Hali is a beast bro, can't end a year better than that. Big congrats.
D.D

[fishshep]

OH, MAN !!!!
You just set the bar preety high for this coming year
for all of us surf fishers !!!
I think I am and to see that at the same
time!!!

[blackwater]

Holy smokes!!!! You are beyond lucky! If I could catch a Halibut like that every time I go to church I'd be in church EVERY week! You're such a good dude Art and the Man above rewards you for being his light. This has been quite a year for you in the surf buddy and you deserve everything. Guess what Lauren got me for Christmas? A 2010 fishing license. I will put it to good use in the New Year and head out with the SWAT crew just ike the old days. What a great Christmas present, congrats. See you at the New Year's eve party buddy.

[olfishergal]

Arthur, thank you for all the great reports this year. I couldn't fish like I wanted to in the surf this year, but reading your reports has more than made up for it. I was right there with you. Congrats on your PB's this year. Many more to come. The good guys do win!!!! Very happy X-mas and New Year to you.....Chris