SWAT Certified! Mission Accomplished! The Quest Part SEVEN 9/10/11

[Wingnut]

Your legal Halibut is SO CLOSE... I can just feel it Terry.
Third time is a charm, I put my money on Part 3.
This is fun keeping track of your quest...

I have to fly back in town tomorrow night, got a meeting Tuesday afternoon in the O.C. Might have some time in the early AM for a little surf session.

[Nipple Twister]

Thanks for including me on this one Pontoon, I was planning on fishing that morning and I didn't think you where gonna make it but then I get your phone call......I was really excited. To fish with such leadership was a priviledge of worldly proportions.....thx!

[flyngby]

Terry,

Thanks for sharing your quest that I am sure began before "Team Trolltoon" hit the surf last fall for that first torturous hike down to the waters that would produce some epic reports last fall by the "SWAT Team" It will be just a matter of time before you come through with that magical hook set and know right then that you have succeeded on your quest!

Most would be focusing on trying to figure out where you all were fishing and what you were giving away as to the background to let them find the spot! I am very analytical at times and see other things that pop to my attention.

It looks like the choice has been made that that you will succeed on trip # 4. Throw away number 4, and 2 of the other numbers that are not divisible by 3, then add the 3 remaining numbers and you will see you were sent a message from above that you will recognize!


Thanks for another fabulous report and look forward to that "Quest Accomplished Report!!!!!!"

Steve



PS. I still owe you the promised trip abourd the "Spotted Fever" when we get a chance, but concentrate on one mission at a time buddy!

[PONTOON]

Keep it up..it's gonna happen ,I don't focus on it anymore,I just love being in the water..I almost have all my equip. Love my new Luna man i can cast all day now ,I only need my camera now...waiting for the good report

keepemlo,

I agree with you, just being on the water anticipating a strike is pretty exciting. I'm sure it will happen and it's been fun being on the water with good friends.

I'll be looking forward to your posts.

I have got to start fishing in the surf, I fish lakes, Oceans, float tube NPH, but never fished in the surf I want to go.

CPT. Kirk,

Fishing the surf has been a fun change of pace and now that I have a challenge added to it makes it even more fun.

Your legal Halibut is SO CLOSE... I can just feel it Terry.
Third time is a charm, I put my money on Part 3.
This is fun keeping track of your quest...

I have to fly back in town tomorrow night, got a meeting Tuesday afternoon in the O.C. Might have some time in the early AM for a little surf session.

Arthur,

With your coaching and the new Lucky Lucky Craft I know it's going to happen.

We'll just have to see if the third time is really a charm. I'm trying to make that third trip before going out of town for a week.......if it does happen you'll be the first to know and we're just going to have to meet up and celebrate!

Good luck to you Teusday My Friend.......let me know how you do.

Thanks for including me on this one Pontoon, I was planning on fishing that morning and I didn't think you where gonna make it but then I get your phone call......I was really excited. To fish with such leadership was a priviledge of worldly proportions.....thx!

NT,

It was a pleasure finally having the opportunity to fish with you and I'm glad you came along. As close as we both live to the water we'll have meet up after work if conditions are right.

Great job out there Sunday. i'm kinda thinking that pretty soon I'll get a text announcing a legal of your own.

[bones]

Terry,

Always a pleasure my friend. I think we need to get Trolly out there again. I always laugh all day long when I'm around that guy. We need to hit up that spot when the conditions are a little calmer. Between the south swell and all of that NW wind swell it was tough but that spot will produce for sure. Just give me a heads up when you are available to fish again. When my honey hole up here calms a bit I'll share a legal with ya.....I promiss!
I hear you on the wader thing....Just watching your teeth chatter and the different shades of blue you were turning reminded me of why I'm still wearing my waders in the middle of summer.....
It's old age

[PONTOON]

Terry,

Thanks for sharing your quest that I am sure began before "Team Trolltoon" hit the surf last fall for that first torturous hike down to the waters that would produce some epic reports last fall by the "SWAT Team" It will be just a matter of time before you come through with that magical hook set and know right then that you have succeeded on your quest!

Most would be focusing on trying to figure out where you all were fishing and what you were giving away as to the background to let them find the spot! I am very analytical at times and see other things that pop to my attention.

It looks like the choice has been made that that you will succeed on trip # 4. Throw away number 4, and 2 of the other numbers that are not divisible by 3, then add the 3 remaining numbers and you will see you were sent a message from above that you will recognize!


Thanks for another fabulous report and look forward to that "Quest Accomplished Report!!!!!!"

Steve



PS. I still owe you the promised trip abourd the "Spotted Fever" when we get a chance, but concentrate on one mission at a time buddy!

Steve,

I had to get some chalk and find some concrete big enough to do some ciferin' and I came up with a message from a Friend letting me know he was following my quest for the legal hali. That was way too cool! I'll get it for ya "57".......

I had done some surf fishing years ago with my Dad and fishing for surf perch with trout gear at Huntington after work but nothing like the surf fishing Arthur and bones introduced me and Trolly too not long ago. I knew then that I was going to have two types of fishing to enjoy. Hunting big cats and casting the L.C. for halibut. Two completely different styles of fishing but both great fun with Friends.

I'm glad you appreciated the report and I hope we'll have the opportunity to fish together again. Once I reach my goal and My Friend arthur confirms it I'd love to have the honor of fishing with you in the "Spotted Fever". I'll be looking forward to it.

BTW, you've got me curious about what you spotted in the pictures?

Terry,

Always a pleasure my friend. I think we need to get Trolly out there again. I always laugh all day long when I'm around that guy. We need to hit up that spot when the conditions are a little calmer. Between the south swell and all of that NW wind swell it was tough but that spot will produce for sure. Just give me a heads up when you are available to fish again. When my honey hole up here calms a bit I'll share a legal with ya.....I promiss!
I hear you on the wader thing....Just watching your teeth chatter and the different shades of blue you were turning reminded me of why I'm still wearing my waders in the middle of summer.....
It's old age

Mike,

It was an honor the have the opportunity to fish with you again and NT and I really appreciated getting to go to school on you and for the tips. I really was excited to get your call Friday night!

I've already been talking to Trolly about doing a reunion trip with you and Arthur. He thinks the world of both of you and we're always talking about the quality of fish we got that day
It will definitely be a hoot to get together again.

I'll be able to hit the surf once or twice before I leave for a week so I'll keep you posted and I'd really like to get together after I get back whether or not I've reached my goal. Hey this is so much fun I'll keep it going and maybe try for that big halibut prize.

I'll be in touch and thanks again for spending the morning with me ant NT! I kind of think I created a surf monster with that guy. He's serious about the sport and he's on a mission of his own.

[PONTOON]

I decided that since I was going to be out of town for a week I needed to get at least one maybe two more shots at that legal halibut so I decided to take and extra vacation day and hit Huntington Beach to see if success was in the cards for me.
I started out in grey light throwing the L.C. Arthur gave to me the first shot at the legal and working my way up the beach. It was one of those days where I really felt it was going to happen so I made every cast with expectation of hooking up.
It wasn't long and on the retrieve I felt a sharp bump, reeled in some slack, felt tension and set the hook. From that point on it was hang on and hope I wasn't going to get spooled. All I could do at this point was watch the line start to dissapear. After what seemed like forever I was able to make a little ground on whatever I had but that was after I decided I had better start chasing it. I'd make ground and then I'd lose ground. This went on for quite some time. There were even a couple of guys on surf boards come in to watch along with a guy visiting from Arizona doing some photography. It was pretty cool having everyone root for the fisherman.
I don't know how long the battle went on but I was finally able to get it up to shallow water and get hold of it.
It turned out to be the biggest Leo I've ever caught and a pretty cool way to start the day.
Here's a pic my new friend from Arizona took for me. The guy actually waded into the water in slacks and a nice pair of leather shoes to take the pic. He was just as excited as I was.
Here's the pics he took for me........




After getting pics of the fish I got it back in the water, caught my breath a little and got back to work. On the way up the beach I was only able to hook up one short halibut and decided I had better start back down the beach and head home.
On the way back the very same thing happened again and right after feeling the rod load up it was on just like the first time. This time I knew I had better start chasing whatever it was and as I was going up the beach I noticed my new friend from Arizona off in the distance still taking pictures but this time his focus wasn't on the surfers it was on me. He waded into the water and asked me if I wanted him to take pics of this one too. So, as I was holding on to the rod I gave him my camera and went back to work.
Once again I don't really know how long it took but this time it was clear this leo was bigger than the first one!
( I think I've heard that one before.)
This one was pretty tough to get to where I could take a shot at grabbing him and once I got to where I could take a shot at grabbing the fish it made a big tail slap, my line broke and he was gone!
I wouldn't have stressed over losing it but the damn thing took the lure Arthur gave me!

Yeah, I know the last one sounds like a good fish story but damn, it was fun.

Well, my third try didn't produce the elusive legal halibut but it did make for a memorable day on the water.

[Which Way Out]

Its Shark Week after all, what did you expect...... Sorry I had too.

You'll get em. Sorry to hear that you lost the lure. And of course you retied the line after the first one, right ? I could do this all night but that would not be nice.
PT your doing it and that's more than I can say right now, so Kudos and better luck to you.

[Wingnut]

Congrats on yet another "Personal Best" as you continue on your quest Terry.
That's a trophy Leo for sure, they don't get much bigger than that!
And you say that the second one was even BIGGER?!?

Don't sweat the lost LC buddy, it comes with the territory... "things" can always be replaced.

Here's the replacement, fresh off the assembly line. I'll give it to you when we meet up again...

[bones]

WOW TERRY.....Awesome job on that beautiful Leo Brotha!
They are just so damn majestic! You should have put a tape to her but I know you have me beat. Your a pretty big guy and I bet your leo is pretty close to Arthurs PB! Considering that they only grow to a max of about 6ft your's is a prize and a very rare catch on an artificial.It's the time of the year that the Leo's have bred and are moving into the shallower areas to speed up the gestation period. As their young grow inside of them they are on the chew and definately more agressive. 13 months ago I was with Arthur,Steve and Roy up north when we saw tons of big leos in the shallows. Arthur and I both hooked up but also came unbuttoned at the same time!
I have to get my son out there soon to get him on his first Leo.
Don't worry about the lost LC.....it definately did it's job!
I had a very simuliar experience with my PB Leo but she was smaller than your first one dude! It took me a good solid 20 minutes to beach her but my heart was pumping as I watched my spool empty!
I was pretty much shaking when I got her to the sand. I would have given anything to see you on those fish.
You are definately SWAT material my friend and I'm gonna tell ya something......That first legal halibut will not even come close to the two fights you experienced today but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Keep up the great work!
Talk to you soon.

Mike