Poseidon's sense of humor, sugar coated with Justice

[bachiboy]

Short version...
Lost two LCs, a pair of slippers, got drenched, pulled out 2 shovel nose, one pancake and my first legal butt (on an LC).

Long version...
I get myself into some 'strange' situations at times. The kind that would make some say, "why does this [crap] always happen to me?". With nicknames like Bachi (Japanese slang for bad karma) and Shleprock, it happens enough to the point where I've just gotten used to shaking my head and telling myself..."DEAL WITH IT...[crap] happens".

So, I finished up a project early which gave me today to get a line wet. I was still on call, but I thought I'd head out and roll the dice that I wouldn't be needed...like it woulda mattered cuz I couldn't hear my phone in my backpack anyway.

I had to drop off my son at my folks place so I couldn't make it at first light. I got down to the water at about 8:30 this morning. High tide wasn't till about 9:40 so I figured I'd get a catch a little of the incoming tide. The swells were small and the water was clear so I went in feeling 'over' confident about staying dry. I look around and I can see shovelnose, leos and even a couple of corbina cruising around my feet. Some of the leos were pretty big but it is SO cool to see those things. I felt like I was in one of those shows in the Bahamas where they let people swim with the nurse sharks or stingrays. There were seals, dolphins and, more importantly, bait all over. I'm thinking this has got to be the day I get my first legal butt on an LC.

After about an hour with no love, I start working my way down the beach and start getting a little further out from shore. Sure enough, Poseidon decides to have some fun with me and sends a full frontal blow that drenches me head to toe. Ok, fine, it's all good, I'm still enjoying the day. I figure since I'm already wet, why not keep going and take another 3 shots from Poseidon throughout the outing, basically making my waders useless. I was better off just going in shorts. Good thing I wasn't wearing a collared shirt and tie like Mr. D.

I come up on some bait balled up and start fanning the area...still no love. I switch up to my back up rod which has a Megabass Ito on it (even more expensive than my LCs). The bait I was seeing looked pretty small (3-4") but I happen to snag what looked like about a 6" mackerel., but it comes off in the white water. Ok, so there is something pushing this bait. Two casts later I wasn't paying close enough attention when I tried to jump over a swell, tangle my tip, and proceed to snap off the Ito and watch it fly off. While I'm re-tying and new LC on, I realize that during one of my saltwater showers, I must have lost my pliers from its sheath. Great...two more donations to the Poseidon comic relief fund. After two hours of nada, I start working my way back to where I started. I couldn't believe, with the conditions, that I was gonna end up striped for the day. I get back to where I started and bendo, I finally get on the board. It gets up to the white water and see that it's a small SNGF. It comes off right when I was gonna beach it, which was fine cuz I didn't have pliers to help deal with it anyway. A couple casts later, bendo again. This time I'm going for a ride. I figure it's one of the big leos I'd seen cruising, but after about 20 min., I get it close enough to see that it's a BIG SNGF. It starts death rolling in the white water and sure enough...POP, there goes another LC. I was cool with that cuz, if I'm going to lose an LC, I prefer I lose it in a fish. I got my fight out of him, it wasn't the glory fish I wanted to land and photograph, and I figured it was all worth it. What happened next was just [blank]ed up. Ten minutes later, I'm wading in the clear water and see this damned thing swim by my feet showing off the LC he just took from me like it was a new piece of jewelry. I had to laugh and shouted at it, "You [blank, blank, blank]! Jesus, why don't you just bite me in the nuts while you're at it. If I had my three prong right now I'd shoot you in the [blank]!"

At this point I figure, well I got to pull on something and I did tell my wife that I would run some errands today. As I start to make my way to shore, I get to thinking...I got the hallpass today, why waste it and the outgoing tide? I might as well get my money's worth and keep going. The bank, grocery store, etc. can wait a little longer. So, I work back down to some holes that I see. About a half hour later...bendo! Dead weight, but it starts pulling a little drag. I figure it's probably just another SNGF and start horsing it in. I see a little tail splash that looks like a SN tail and start really pulling. A wave kicks up and I see this mouth full of teeth with my LC in it coming at me. I'm like, "Oh [crap]! It's a legal butt! For a split second, I'm thinking of how the hell I'm gonna get that LC out without pliers, but a moment of clarity kicks in and I realize I just need to land the damned thing. I'll figure out how to get the lure out later. I beach him and take some measurements and glory shots. He tapes out at about 26". Fortunately, the LC wasn't that deep and I work it out CAUTIOUSLY with my hand. I get my shots and send him back to Poseidon. I make a few more casts and nail a pancake. Fish my way back to the starting point with a couple more hits, one that actually put a good bend in the rod before it came unbuttoned, and call it a day.

When I get back to the car, I realize that in my haste to get a line wet, I must have left my slippers (flip-flops) laying outside and someone took them. They were old and worn, so it's no big loss, just kind of a pisser cuz I woulda liked to have something on my feet when I took off my waders and went home.

So, it was a semi-expensive trip...but it ended up being one helluva day!

Enjoy the weekend...
Don


First legal on an LC






Got him outta this hole. Had to share it with a sea lion...I won!


Last little offering from Poseidon


After reading Mr. Dunev's latest post, sounds like I'm not the only one who scored today. Go get 'em this weekend guys!!!

[Wingnut]

Awesome read Don... excellent write up.
The part when you saw the Shovelnose swim by flaunting your LC had me rolling. That happened to me once, but with a big Leo.
A Lucky Craft, Ito, pliers and some flip flops is a good trade for a 26" Halibut.
Congrats on your first of many legal Halibut with the LC.
The weather and conditions are fantastic this weekend. From all the intel and reports that I'm getting, the fish count should be great!
Looking forward to reading all the successful reports. I couldn't get out this morning, but will try to get out there somewhere tomorrow.

[spooks]

Great read as well as a great reward for all the bad moments.

[koifish]

Well done Don. You deserved it. Congrat to your new legal.

[Mr_Dunev]

Great report, With an awesome finish!

If you were wearing a shirt and tie, you would have caught 2 legals....Just Saying

[Which Way Out]

Long version...
I get myself into some 'strange'
When I read that part you got my interest going.

The next time you see that SN with your lure attached he's gonna have a legal Halibut hanging on to it. That would get a few choice words from me that's for sure... I wonder if the SN will need to get a license?

Anyway congrats on the legal CPR
WWO

[bachiboy]

Awesome read Don... excellent write up.
The part when you saw the Shovelnose swim by flaunting your LC had me rolling. That happened to me once, but with a big Leo.
A Lucky Craft, Ito, pliers and some flip flops is a good trade for a 26" Halibut.
Congrats on your first of many legal Halibut with the LC.
The weather and conditions are fantastic this weekend. From all the intel and reports that I'm getting, the fish count should be great!
Looking forward to reading all the successful reports. I couldn't get out this morning, but will try to get out there somewhere tomorrow.

Thanks sir! I hope you did get a chance to get out today and that you did better than I did. I went to the same place but didn't get much love. I did have a corbina up to the white water before he flopped off. Woulda made two LC firsts, since I landed a pea-sized batray on the very next cast. Oh well, got close enough to see him and that was good enough in my book...now if it were a legal flattie, then I'd be ranting.

Great read as well as a great reward for all the bad moments.

Thanks spooks! Nothing bad happened today and I didn't catch much. Maybe it takes a few sacrificial LCs to withdraw from bank of Poseidon...at least for me. Always just great to get out there.

Well done Don. You deserved it. Congrat to your new legal.

Thanks man! With all the pancake breakfasts you've been going to in the last few days, I'm sure a big ol' Aunt Jamima sized flattie is coming your way soon!

Great report, With an awesome finish!

If you were wearing a shirt and tie, you would have caught 2 legals....Just Saying

I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING WHEN I GOT SUITED UP IN THE MORNING! I'm pretty sure we were fishing the same beach that day...just at different times. Just to put your mind at ease, you didn't miss anything today. Conditions turned for the worse. I was actually thinking of having a tie in my backpack and putting it on to take a picture if I caught a noteworthy fish...just in your honor. I shoulda done it...then I might have caught something more than a mud-marlin!

The next time you see that SN with your lure attached he's gonna have a legal Halibut hanging on to it...Anyway congrats on the legal CPR
WWO

Thanks WWO! It's funny, when I lose an LC I always end up spending the rest of the day glancing back and seeing if it washed up on shore. Today, I go in the water looking around to see if that bass-turd is gonna come flaunting the jewelry again.

BTW...I doubled checked my picture there. Guilty as charged...that was one loosely stretched measurement. We'll call it a 25".


Enjoy the week guys!!!!

[bloox8]

Thanks for the read!

Congrats on your catches on the LC lol! Seems like the surf is very fishy this whole week =D

Sorry to hear about your LCs! I know how it feels to lose an LC =( Luckily for me, I was able to find it back within 5 minutes, but that 5 minutes was still dreadful lol.
From now on you should start making friendly bets with your friends for LCs. This way you can build your collection... given that you will win =D

Get out there again and make another awesome report!

[Mr_Dunev]

I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING WHEN I GOT SUITED UP IN THE MORNING! I'm pretty sure we were fishing the same beach that day...just at different times. Just to put your mind at ease, you didn't miss anything today. Conditions turned for the worse. I was actually thinking of having a tie in my backpack and putting it on to take a picture if I caught a noteworthy fish...just in your honor. I shoulda done it...then I might have caught something more than a mud-marlin!

It's true Tie+Fishing=Awesome Fish, its just math. I look forward to more reports from you, tie or no tie.

[LGHT]

great report, and we have all had days like that.. Still a legal hali is not a bad trade off... How far off past the waves do you cast? I've been thinking about taking my float tube out just past the waves in search for hali's, but haven't gotten around to it just yet.