S.W.A.T. Crew Exploratory Recon Mission. Sunday 5/2/10

[exfactor]

And...............there is a major private boater fishery that catches major numbers of butt's every year. I have been on trips where we had easily 500# in a day on rod and reel. Two of us. I very much enjoy targeting the butt's on the beach, but I'm waaaaaaaay more confident on my boat when the bite is on. I am at a point in my life where bringing as many fish as I can home is not a prerequisite to my being outdoors. I rarely bring fish home, and share my knowledge with the people that surround me. Arthur is a great facilitator for this sport, and I admire him for his contributions to his peers. But if I could bring down a tank of sardines to the beach, we would really wack em good. I hope this weekend brings some bent rods, and smiling faces to my back yard, and I'm looking forward to sharing the love. Mikey

[jerryG]

WOW !!!

Thanks alot Marc for the very valuable reading. I feel..........Smarter now

Seriously..........I'm amazed how much researchers have tried to nail down the life cycle of flatties and it still leaves so many grey areas it's crazy. I truely believe that there are so many factors in the marine enviroment that contribute to the annual habits of halibut and these factors change drastically throughout the year. I think that the bays,harbors and estuaries provide a favorable enviroment for the youngsters but as soon as they reach breeding age they move out of the protected areas and spread out. As the halibut grow I believe that the majority of the bigger models spend their lives well out of casting distance for the surf fisherman. Occasionally some of the larger models move in close during the spawning period but they move out quickly and the middle sized fish remain in the shallows. This is primarily why a fish over 30" from the surf is a prize model and only a small handful of surf fisherman have caught a 40" fish. I believe that the surf angler is actually only targeting halibut that are....shall we say.....Middle aged so to speak!
That being said......
I know that more folks here are probably going to be hunting the flatties this spring and summer due to the exposure the sport has gotten in the last few years. I've noticed the increase in surf based anglers who are tossing hardbaits and dropshotting alot lately probably due to the popularity of Internet based fishing forums like this one. I truely hope that every one of them look at the BIG PICTURE and don't keep their limits when the flatties are up in the shallows and in spawning mode.It's the same respect that FW bass fisherman have for females on a bed or the pregnant perch to the perch fisherman. It's ok to fish for them and enjoy the sport but PLEASE LET THEM GO so they can finish the cycle and keep the numbers up for the future. During the spring and summer months it can be very easy to put 4 legals on the beach in just a few hours. All of them FULL of eggs. Nobody needs to take their limit home with them during this period IMHO
Now let's go hunt some flatties.......The time has come!

x3 on all of the above. I agree on all points Mike and I could not have said it better.

Please fish responsibly people. Take care of our fisheries and they will take care of us in the years to come.

Know what you meen Marc.........I've done alot of "Paying it forward" to folks in my life since I met Arthur too!
Great way to live life IMHO!

I agree..

Glad to help out Mike! I'm trying to become valued as more than a Yuri distraction.

Definitely agree with your analysis both on the flatties and the sport. It takes a powerful draw to bring the big girls in close, be it the biological clock, or, as jerryG, said the grunion runs. x2 on releasing the legals! I've actually spoken with several dudes who were only chasing halibut because of what they read online. It's both good and bad, but hopefully they'll respect the resource.

Only thing is, what do you mean it's easy to put 4 legals on the beach during this time!?!? I want to fish there! Have you and Wingnut been holding out on me with the real SWAT spots? Halibut season 2010 is about to begin!

In any case, agreed with you about it being a better way to live. Your attitude affects everything about your life, so having a good one makes perfect sense. Too bad more people don't take the advice.

Thanks Marc for the info and the words of wisdom. "your attitude affects everything about your life, so having a good one makes perfect sense" Makes perfect sense to me my friend, those are words to live by right there.

What I have learned from them all is that is all about proper tide for a given area, water conditions, structure, and the ultimate attractant of the bait. If all 4 are in alignment you might just have a good day but no guarantee for sucess.

All the scientific data about what and when is all previous history. If we are not out there trying under various conditions as long as it is safe to do so will never have our have success and rewrite history.

Thanks to my friends for the knowledge shared and it will be "Payed Forward" carefully to the right people!

Steve

Thank you my Friend.. Some solid info followed by a valuable message right there (pay it forward).

Wow, superb information, great values and beautiful philosophy.
This is why i am proud to be associated with the SWAT crew.

X2 for sure. Well said Phong.

[DockRat]

I know that more folks here are probably going to be hunting the flatties this spring and summer due to the exposure the sport has gotten in the last few years.

I've noticed the increase in surf based anglers who are tossing hardbaits and dropshotting alot lately probably due to the popularity of Internet based fishing forums like this one.

I truely hope that every one of them look at the BIG PICTURE and don't keep their limits when the flatties are up in the shallows and in spawning mode.It's the same respect that FW bass fisherman have for females on a bed or the pregnant perch to the perch fisherman. It's ok to fish for them and enjoy the sport but PLEASE LET THEM GO so they can finish the cycle and keep the numbers up for the future. During the spring and summer months it can be very easy to put 4 legals on the beach in just a few hours. All of them FULL of eggs. Nobody needs to take their limit home with them during this period

Good Post Bones.

Santa Monica Bay SMB used to be a big time Halibut spot. Not Anymore. Same with Torrance. In the 70's and 80's you would always see guys drifting off TB for Butts.

With the dwindling numbers in SMB and a huge drop in weigh-ins at the MDR Contest and now the cancellation of the MDR contest. WHAT IS GOING ON IN SMB ???

I don't feel it is fishermen. In my opinion it is pollution from Ballona Creek runoff
or something going on out of El Segundo Hyperion Plant. 9.8 million residents and taking a dump daily. That is a LOT of Human Waste. A 7 mile and a 5 mile pipe discharging Human Waste 24/7 365

But think about it. LA River is just as polluted and LB has plenty of Butts in the Harbor. Why ?

LB gets hammered hard daily.

Freedivers are the next wave of people to put the hurt on Halibuts.
That sport is growing huge with young whippersnappers raised on video games who finally learned that they can legally kill stuff. Yah real cool Kooks.
There is a big wave of freedivers and many have a Kill Kill Kill mentality. No C&R over there.
One dude had gotton multiple Big WSB a week. One member told me STFU and said they donate ALOT of WSB to Homeless shelters. Why ? Because they shoot way more fish than they can eat and they are addicted to posting 'look at me ' posts. Homeless eating WSB They want the tax write off.
Feed them SOS or Gruel. Mostly tweekers and drunks anyways.

I started taking note, then went in calling guys out.

'Dude, why do you feel the need to take so much fish' ? The guy is spearing 200 lbs of fish a month.

I got hammered, ' He has a big family' 'He is within the law' who are you? go away. Treehugger, Blah blah blah. The Internet can be a very dangerous tool to put the hurt on local fish populations.

I spoke with one guy who him and his buddy C&R ed over 100 short halibuts in one day
2 legals and a hookup almost every cast, that was in a october month. Not in SMB. All on swimbaits from shore.

Use caution when typing!
DR

[Wingnut]

Before we all know it, these pancakes will be replaced with barndoors in future reports
Nice session out there you guys!!

The "future" started TODAY John. We had a pretty good day in the surf.

Marc, Gerry, Mike, Arthur, and all!

This thread just keeps hanging on and has turned into a lesson as well for the newbies to Surf Flatties like myself. You all have some valid points and so have others in the past and it is still a mystery as to what will happen every time we hit the water.

With the introduction of so many new artificial baits and folks experimenting I think it actually adds to the confusion at least for me. Bring too many options with you on any given day and no confidence and you will have a bad day. Keep it simple and stick with what you know works.

Mike is very confident in his Drop Shot Ability and usually works it most of the day. And the Hard bait spends more time in the holster.

Arthur is very confident with the Hard baits and does the same. His other rig spends more time in the holster.

JerryG and BSP seem to me to have more confidence in the Swim baits with my few sessions I have fished with them.

What I have learned from them all is that is all about proper tide for a given area, water conditions, structure, and the ultimate attractant of the bait. If all 4 are in alignment you might just have a good day but no guarantee for sucess.

All the scientific data about what and when is all previous history. If we are not out there trying under various conditions as long as it is safe to do so will never have our have success and rewrite history.

Thanks to my friends for the knowledge shared and it will be "Payed Forward" carefully to the right people!

Steve

Excellent observation S.W.A.T. Captain. Different styles... same fantastic results.

And...............there is a major private boater fishery that catches major numbers of butt's every year. I have been on trips where we had easily 500# in a day on rod and reel. Two of us. I very much enjoy targeting the butt's on the beach, but I'm waaaaaaaay more confident on my boat when the bite is on. I am at a point in my life where bringing as many fish as I can home is not a prerequisite to my being outdoors. I rarely bring fish home, and share my knowledge with the people that surround me. Arthur is a great facilitator for this sport, and I admire him for his contributions to his peers. But if I could bring down a tank of sardines to the beach, we would really wack em good. I hope this weekend brings some bent rods, and smiling faces to my back yard, and I'm looking forward to sharing the love. Mikey

Thanks for the input Mikey. I have much to learn from you my friend. It was great fishing with you today.

Good Post Bones.

Santa Monica Bay SMB used to be a big time Halibut spot. Not Anymore. Same with Torrance. In the 70's and 80's you would always see guys drifting off TB for Butts.

With the dwindling numbers in SMB and a huge drop in weigh-ins at the MDR Contest and now the cancellation of the MDR contest. WHAT IS GOING ON IN SMB ???

I don't feel it is fishermen. In my opinion it is pollution from Ballona Creek runoff
or something going on out of El Segundo Hyperion Plant. 9.8 million residents and taking a dump daily. That is a LOT of Human Waste. A 7 mile and a 5 mile pipe discharging Human Waste 24/7 365

But think about it. LA River is just as polluted and LB has plenty of Butts in the Harbor. Why ?

LB gets hammered hard daily.

Freedivers are the next wave of people to put the hurt on Halibuts.
That sport is growing huge with young whippersnappers raised on video games who finally learned that they can legally kill stuff. Yah real cool Kooks.
There is a big wave of freedivers and many have a Kill Kill Kill mentality. No C&R over there.
One dude had gotton multiple Big WSB a week. One member told me STFU and said they donate ALOT of WSB to Homeless shelters. Why ? Because they shoot way more fish than they can eat and they are addicted to posting 'look at me ' posts. Homeless eating WSB They want the tax write off.
Feed them SOS or Gruel. Mostly tweekers and drunks anyways.

I started taking note, then went in calling guys out.

'Dude, why do you feel the need to take so much fish' ? The guy is spearing 200 lbs of fish a month.

I got hammered, ' He has a big family' 'He is within the law' who are you? go away. Treehugger, Blah blah blah. The Internet can be a very dangerous tool to put the hurt on local fish populations.

I spoke with one guy who him and his buddy C&R ed over 100 short halibuts in one day
2 legals and a hookup almost every cast, that was in a october month. Not in SMB. All on swimbaits from shore.

Use caution when typing!
DR

Wow, that's some good food for thought right there DR. Some people get it... some people don't. What can we do but to keep on trying to educate them every chance we get? Maybe, just maybe, someday it will sink in...