Finally! A nice Flatty..... Id rather be lucky than good!

[have2fish]

Hi Guys,

I have been meaning to spend more time here, post more and keep learning more... awesome site! Thank you for all the good reports, photos and tips!

Ok, so a little about me, I grew up fishing, diving and surfing in Santa Barbara. I did really well spearing halibut in high school partly because I was in the water probably well over 100 days a year! I got to know the rhythms of the halibut as they would come in and spawn or follow the grunion in... and I did a bit of surfboard and kayak fishing, as well as pinheading and decking on the Sea Hawk, Sea Hawk LXV, Hornet, Stardust, and the Truth dive fleet, so I have caught my share of flatties....

So, after a few trips with X-Factor fishing the skinny water, I got a pair of waders and really wanted to get a legal flatty! I think that I did over 75 sessions last year, not even a short!!! I fished everything right, or wrong... LC's, big hammers, kroks, all the tricks I knew, and I could not buy a flatty, not even a short!!! It became a mission, which I failed, but not for trying... I mean some of my trips were 30 minutes before dark, and some were 2 hour, 3 mile walks down and back from the Volleyball Courts to Miramar and back, casting every few feet.... I thought at the least, I would have caught one... but it was not in the cards... lots of BIG BSP, shovelnose and skates, but none of the right kind....

SO, with the water warming up and I had a new friend to help show the ropes to, and 45 minutes of light, I went down to the pier...

Lots of salad in the water on the harbor side of the pier, so I go to the other side, where I heard someone got a 21 inch fish.... after my 3rd cast, BLAMO!!! Its ON like DONKEY KONG!!!



after an exciting 5 minutes of in and out, I reach down and pull out my first flatty of the past 2 years, a nice 26 inch fish is on the beach!!! I invited her to come home for dinner...

I look forward to fishing a lot more this year and to fishing with some of you and sharing reports here...

Photos coming soon...

Marco Farrell
Santa Barbara
have2fish@yahoo.com

[simijab]

Nice still looking for my first legal lots of shorts but nothing I can take home yet. My girlfriend on the other hand got two legals in her first week of halibut fishing actually I don't think she's even caught a short

[have2fish]

Fished again this morning, one shovelnose and a mackeral in the harbor... I did venture a ways away from the pier and was casting a BH, when I looked back where I had made a few casts. In the clear water, heck if it didnt look like a NICE hali, prob 30 inches!!! The surface was rippled, so it was difficult to see for sure, but after the 8th cast, i bopped it on the nose and it swam away... grrrr, NICE fish and good to see it!

Marco

[SP Dan]

Hi ya have2fish,

Congratulations on fulfilling a year long+ quest! Enjoy your bounty.....you've earned it!!

You hung in there and persevered through the many ups... but mostly downs...when it came down to beaching Mr. Legal!
As you have probably already figured out by now.... there is an art to surf fishing and in searching out the targeted species in there trenches....I'd say....you're off to a great start!

Thanx for the fun read and pic's!
Thanks for sharing your session with us and I'll be looking forward to your next fishing report!

SP Dan <"))><

[Which Way Out]

Good work Marco. Its been a tough year up here.
See you on the water I am sure.

WWO

[bachiboy]

Nice dinner guest you got there. Good job on getting your year started. I'm sure that girl was snubbing you for not inviting her to dinner too. Now go back and show her some love.

Congrats!!!
Don

[bloox8]

Congrats on your well deserved flatty!

I wouldn't even know how I would feel about flatties if I went even 30 days without catching even a short. Way to keep it up man

Thien

[DockRat]

Congrats on your 26" er.
DR

[TUNAVIC]

Very nice fish,and picture thanks!

[BabyKiller]

sweet report man. keep it up!