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

[Wingnut]

Been doing some strategic planning with my S.W.A.T. members in the last couple of weeks on a few new areas to recon. We were just waiting for the weather and surf conditions to coincide with our schedules to make the “ODST” drop. For the Halo fans, ODST stands for “Ocean Drop Shock Troopers.”

We planned on hitting four locations today with three of them I have never fished before. JerryG had some previous experience in these areas so he would be our guide for the day. Thanks Jerry for the valuable intel and sharing your knowledge of the area with the Team. These spots has great potential when the time is right and the S.W.A.T. Crew will definitely be back for another tour of duty there.

Conditions: Fantastic warm weather. Water temperature still a bit cool. Moderate surf conditions. Moderate to strong wind for most of the day. Strong baitfish presence with birds diving everywhere (out of casting distance).

The fish were active as we caught a few short Flatties up to 20 inches and had numerous short strikes all day. Steve caught his first “Mr. Wiggles” from the surf.

Hopefully, the warm weather will hold for the next couple of weeks and jumpstart the Halibut feeding frenzy.

Here are some pics of the fun day with friends…

Steve was the first to arrive at the S.W.A.T. Command Center at 0430 hours… Getting a briefing from the command center Security Chief Wingnut Pug.


At the drop zone and gearing up in the cover of darkness.






The Team assembled and ready for action.


Steve captured the first Prisoner of War of the day… Interrogated and released. Lol




Many enemy combatants were captured... and released.








Steve captured the most prisoners today.




Including a surprised capture…


An enemy submarine. Lol


What a fun filled day! Mike, Steve, Lucas and Jerry, thanks for joining me in the surf today. Even though the catching wasn’t up to par by our standards, it was a highly informative recon mission and will serve our future adventures well. It’s always a pleasure for me to go into action with the “Best of the Best.”

Until the next drop… have a fabulous week everybody.

Arthur (Wingnut)

“In S.W.A.T. style fishing there are no time outs, there are no helmets, no shoulder pads, no warm dugouts, no commercial breaks, no halftime extravaganzas, and no cheerleaders… So if that’s what you need, go play another sport. You big wuss.”

Bonus pics.








You wouldn’t believe what was in this egg case…


Did somebody lose this lure?


A baby Conch shell.


“Calling Poseidon… calling Poseidon… release all the legal Flatties, please!!!”






A gift from Big Red. He got this from Puerto Vallarta Mexico. A custom painted ceramic tile.
Very cool Lucas, thank you!


Parting shot.
Wingnut Pug’s PB Flattie!

[flyngby]

Arthur, Mike. Lucas, Jerry.

Well it was another fun recon mission with great friends sharing yet another location with great potential when the time is right! Will Mother Nature ever give us some decent flat conditions? If it is not the rain, wind, or swell, she has done a fantastic job of diverting us into different directions looking for the right spot.

At the same time putting us onto some potential replacement spots to make up for what will be taken away by the MLPA!

Thanks Mike for providing the maps and Intel on the parking areas! We had some early bird free parking due to the Pay Lots being closed .

Due to the fact that Lucas and Mike seemed to take forever to get suited up, Arthur and I worked our way down an unfamiliar trail and immediately noticed a trench in the surf that looked like it had good potential. Arthur was first to cast but had a Walmart Gear malfunction and had to pull back and surrender the spot to me.

After a few casts I felt the familiar attack on my generic non customized LC for the first fish of the day.

The boyz working the surf ahead.

Arthur working a trench on the outgoing tide.

The result is the biggest Flattie of the day!

Working down the beach looking for some structure of a different kind.

I really felt this was legal but it’s missed guided attack made it into a parachute with all the salad that also accumulated . Nice water shot by Arthur!

We made some moves today exploring like Arthur stated above testing the conditions for the future! Probably should have stayed put and worked the unfamiliar water longer before going on another exploration as conditions were not better at other locations!

We had a great time as always and I look forward to our next meeting!

Lucas,

Thanks for the great gift.

Now how is it that Wingnut Pug waited paitently at home and had the best picture or the day! Thanks Babe for the good luck rub this morning!

Steve

PS. MY wife is pissed that I did not eat Dinner this evening!

[calico killer kevin]

You are one tough dude Arthur. All of you guys are. A little crazy as well, but ehh...
I might be hitting the surf next week for the first time in ages.
Hope I do half as good as you guys.

[bones]

Arthur,

Great conditioning recon mission today my friend!
We knew that the water temps and overall surf conditions would be less than favorable today but one thing for sure is that it's all on the verge of breaking loose for sure. Soooooooo much life in the water.....Bait,birds and dolphins are definately a good sign not too mention the shorties.
Lots of laughs and smiles today......Doesn't get better than that!
Also loved the all you can eat carnage afterwards.......It really hit the spot.

[TroutOnly]

LOOKS LIKE THE PUGS FLATTY WAS BIGGER THE BIG REDS,,,,,,LOL,,,,,,ANOTHER GOOD SWAT MISSION,,,,,,,,,,,,,t/o,,,,,,,,,,,,

[bsp]

Even though the legals didn't show themselves, it still looks like a great day on the water! Thanks for the invite Arthur. I definitely wish I could have gone, but unfortunately tomorrow's AP Physics required a lot of attention. On the bright side, come Wednesday I am done with high school, and can start hitting the surf seriously again! You guys should see a few reports from me and Big Steve over the next week or two. Looking forward to many future SWAT trips, and can't wait for the bite to go WFO!

Marc "The Rookie"

Looking back at those recon pics, I noticed that you guys were fishing really close to where my GF lives. Good to know the beach there holds some halibut. Hope she doesn't go there when I'm fishing if I told her I was busy though!

[Nhatster]

Wingnut pugs halibut looks like a legal to me. This is too funny.
Nice job out there once again swat crew.

[Fishbones]

Arthur, nice slayage of the medium haliboys.....there getting bigger....great photos too...
im gonna have to head out there and break in that L.C with a legal butt very soon!

[FishNFurious]

You guys definitely have the best adventures.
Hey Art, Phuong told me that you told him to take the Jazz + 7 today. Thanks for the tip buddy, cha-ching!!! U da man.

[Jaysuuun]

I foresee legal butts in the next SWAT report. Slowly but surely the flatties are starting to show. Nice work gentlemen.