iSWAT... that skunk right off my back! PB and 1st WSB from Toad rock!

[klocked]

10pm last night, Arthur sends me a txt for a mission to Pea Soup...
but last night, after eating as much as I could at China Buffet,
I was already asleep by 9-9:30.

Got out of bed this morning around 7, co-worker calls around 8
asking for some work, told him no go, at the moment.

Noticed a txt from Arthur from last night giving me notice of a
mission to Pea Soup at Grey light. Hmm, should I stay home?

Ah what the heck, I'll pop over there and say hi at least!

Because I was still feeling skunky from previous trips and...
knowing Arthur, he had probably worked the whole area
and caught every fish willing to play before I could get out
the door!

I arrived at the spot and met up with Arthur, sure enough,
he had already attacked the surf zone and showed me
the casualty's he victimized before I arrived....

Pictures in his reply below...


Arthur was done with the surf and had decided to see if any Calicos
would bite from "Toad Rock" appropriately named after Toads Toads Only
for his Toad Calico he got there a while back.

LC'S aren't very productive from this rock so Arthur asks if I had any swim
baits with me. "No" I replied. Arthur says "well, I brought 2, come pick one"
He lays them out and I have a choice between a 4" Silver Phantom or a 4"
Smelt(light vs dark). Hmm, a mini predicament!

And I thought to myself....
We both know which color will work the best under the conditions we had to work with...
These are Arthurs swimmy's.... "You pick Arthur"... "Doesn't matter to me" he says...
Ok then... Smelt it is.... "Hey Arthur, did I pick the right one?" "What's mine is yours buddy"
Ok then! Here we go!! Come on Calico's!!!

We start throwing the swimmy's in different areas and Arthur gets one...

Pictures in his reply below...

We're both all over this rock hoping to hook up with a toad Calico...
Another move to a small channel(from the same rock)...
A couple casts, let it sink out.....

Bam!! oh yeah this is a nice one, a toad of a Checker I must say!!....
Uh... pulling harder and harder and stronger !!!
Wow!! this has got to be the biggest Calico EVER!!!
Color!! OH %^%#$^#@% WSB!!!!!!!!
Arthur... "DONT LET THAT #%$&% GET AWAY!!!"
Arthur... "KEEP IT OUT OF THE ROCKS!!!!"
Me... "OH %^%#$^#@%!!"






I swam the fish to the right and into a crevice, where Arthur
could get a hold of it...

Arthur bear hugs it so fast it popped right out of his hold like
a rocket and slid back down underneath him and again Arthur
grabs it, taking a few spines to the hand in the process...

Once the fish was landed, I thanked God for such a nice fish
then Arthur and I did the high 5 and hug routine.



















Wingnut wants a picture with my fish!




I just know it's going to be a good year for SWAT!!
heck, it already has been!!

This post goes out to Mike who mentioned in one of his replies in
another post that I was due for something great after my last
few skunks!! Thanks brotha Bones, you called it right!!

After that fish, we fished for a while longer with good intentions
and high hopes of landing another but atlas, only this kelp fish
to finish it off.








The tide was rising and we had to evacuate the area.

Thanks Arthur,
for the invite...
letting me choose the swimmy...
grabbing the fish for me...
and celebrating my catch with me!!
(The part where we screamed like a couple of mad men)

[Wingnut]

Stayed in town this week and decided at the last minute to hit the surf for a few hours at grey light. Shot a couple of texts out around 10-10:30pm to see if anybody want to meet up... midnight, no answer, it's a week day, I guess everybody is in bed early.

Got to the A.O. in the dark and worked the surf for four hours from 5:30 to around 9:30am.
Got a few decent fish but nothing really worthwhile so I decided to wade out to some rocky terrain to see if any Toad Calico were willing to play. As I was rock hopping my way to the point, I glanced towards the shoreline and see a silhouette of a fisherman working his way down the beach towards me. I thought to myself, now who could this be...? I had this place all to myself all morning...
As the figure got closer, I recognize that it was the "Gentle Giant" of S.W.A.T. Mr. John Klocked himself. John says, "Any fish left...?" I answered, "Let's find out!"

I only brought two swimbaits and let him pick which one he wanted to throw... Damn, that's the one that I would have chose... Good choice John, let's get to work! John already told the story, but I just wanted to add that it was complete mayhem when that WSB hammered his swimbait. The fish dove for the rocks and then try to head straight into the kelp bed. John did a fantastic job muscling the fish away from the dangerous minefield and guided it into a tide pool crevice. I tried to hug the fish and it shot out of my arms like a giant bar of soap, lol

NO WAY am I going to lose this fish for my buddy, so I just grabbed it with both hands and took three deep spines in my left palm and almost slid off the rock and into the channel. Hey, no big deal... I once stuck my hand in a legal Halibut's mouth for a friend and still have the scars to prove it. I tossed the fish into a tide pool and we both jumped up and down and screaming like a couple of teenage girls at a Justin Bieber's concert.
This wasn't John's biggest White Sea Bass, but the biggest from the surf/rocks and it's a beauty!
Well derserved John and YES, you were overdue for a nice gift from Poseidon. I know the last few trips has been a little rough for you, but I NEVER heard you complain once.
Enjoy the fruit of your labor my friend... save me a fillet for my Iron Chef.

My fish total (I would trade them ALL in for a legal WSB)
(4) Calico Bass up to 16"
(3) Yellow Fin Croakers
(3) Short Halibut up to 18"

I think I'll hide from the "Boss" tomorrow and hit the surf again.

More pics...

The Croakers of the "wrong" kind.






One of the short Flatties.


The Calicos.








4" Big Hammer Silver Phantom.








I can't believe the Ghosts were cruising this channel...

[evosamurai]

nice job where did where did u fish?

[murrieta angler]

John-John!!!
Nice fish Brother, Arthur shot me a text and told me the great news...
That is one beautiful fish and one you will not forget for a long time.
You were definately due...
I like my filet baked with a jalapeno crem sauce...
Take Care Bro,
Robert
<><


p.s. who needs to go to Catalina for a WSB...

[ToadsToadsOnly]

That is what I'm talking about John! That is a beautiful fish you found that willing surf Ghost and actually landed him off the rocks thats insane. Good thing Arthur has the Kung Fu Grip. You know what that means where there is 1 there is more. I am doing a SWAT kayak mission tonight in LJ for the same species I hope I tie into one.

[Bait Fish]

Wow! beautiful looking WSB you got. Congrats!

[iLLest]

dude F*** YEAH!

You were due bro! what skunk!?!? LOL
Bring a huge smile to my face knowing you took that skunk off your back and brought in a very very VERY nice WSB. Congrats brother, I wish I couldve been there, I wouldve probably **** my pants.

I started laughing like crazy when I read this:

Color!! OH %^%#$^#@% WSB!!!!!!!!
Arthur... "DONT LET THAT #%$&% GET AWAY!!!"
Arthur... "KEEP IT OUT OF THE ROCKS!!!!"
Me... "OH %^%#$^#@%!!"

Too funny.

Once again congrats on the beautiful PB WSB, shes a beauty. Who needs a boat right?

I was telling Arthur, if there's one, there's more!
lets gooooooooooooo

[Which Way Out]

Dam its only Tuesday.

Big John that's the way SWAT rolls. Congrats on that work in the surf. Very nice. I will be working in Burbank soon, maybe next week. Will find time to hit it with you guys down there I hope.

BTW is that reel a Revo Toro? can't tell in the photos very well.
Bill

[Phanatic]

Oh dang! Congrats on the WSB John! Keep up the great work out there. We'll fish sometime soon in the coming months again.

[ryryk]

Holy cow John, epic report. Great read.
Even better fish!
I hope I can get into something like that one day.

Thanks for the report
Ryan