"huhhhh, what's that sonny"???? S.W.A.T up or shut up!

[Nipple Twister]

Had a last minute appointment to keep Thurs morning or have to wait a couple more weeks to re-schedule so I made the call in to work and let them know instead of leaving early I was taking the entire day off. (sure is nice having a really cool boss who also fishes, he understands) This still left me with a few hours to kill in the AM sooooooooo…….

Date: Thurs,May 9, 2013
Time: 0600-1000 hrs
A.O: Classified clandestine south L.A. County beach
Weather:Partly cloudy, very little blustery wind, mild temp
Surf: 1’-2’
Tide: 1’ neg incoming
Clarity:Fair, minimal salad
Gear: 7’Carrot Stix with a Daiwa Luna 253L attached spooled with 20lb green Power Pro braid tied to a very used Lucky Craft Flash Minnow


I left just early enough to beat the rush hour traffic ‘cause I knew the tide was really low at grey light so being on the water that early was not necessary, getting parked and dressed I could see there was nobody else around not even the usual surfers. A few Kayakers and paddle boarders which is really the norm here.
Water was still a little low but I know a few deep holes which I will work until deeperwater presents itself, wide sandy beach with little structure made for an easier casting and mobility able to stay in deep water and move down the shoreline without fear of drop offs or holes swallowing you in and waves swamping you under which made for a very good therapy session. Had some good tunes blaring in my headset, new ceramic ABEC 7 spool bearing newly installed in the Luna (worth it, run’em dry, when they wear out swap’em out for a new set) making some smooth lengthy casts….badda boom, badda bing……yeah yeah yeah……just flinging along fan casting, looking for the nervous water, seeing some birds diving…..quick, get in there,,,,ahhhhh yeasssss
Damn it, nadda…….first two hours jamming and flinging I look up to see I made it a ways down the beach but not even a bump, “come onnnnnnn, gemme something…..hahahahahaha…….back to flinging…..
Made my turn around point, watchin the clock I set my pace to reach the end when I was outta time but now I have deeper waters, more current….swirls of smooth water…….”yeahhhhhh, that’s what I’m talking about”. On my return path things really looked fishy, had to have something but reaching the end of the beach I guess it was gonna be a ride home with Pepe’ Le Pew, no worries, it was a good morning and my mind started to wander about what I had to do today as I reached the final deepish part of the shoreline before I exit for the day. Ya know how that is right? Made up your mind already, all that what was gonna happen this session has happened and that’s it, fishing is fishing so you are just kinda going through the motions of your last retrieve, thinking about “ok, gotta wash the waders, get cleaned up to make my appointment, be sure I put everything away and nothing is…………………and BAM!
My LC dug into something solid with one hard, quick THUMP and my rod was El Bendo!!!!!!!!!!! But then just kidda sat there and I was thinking "ok another SNGF sucked to the bottom". Oh no, oh no not at all my friends…..silly me, with tunes blaring in my head and the drag on a Luna has no clicker to it I looked down at the reel and the level wind was rolling, no flying back and forth with line peeling off the spool………..YEAHHHHHHHHHHH…….wayyy cool…..this fish wanted to head to Mexico ‘cause now it was taking me down the beach. Trying to gain some back I would almost run down the beach and reel some back only to feel it turn and peel some more off in another direction. This went on for 20 mins…….I almost had to laugh, it felt like a good solid hook-up but this was killing my grip, switching hands……running back and forth not knowing for sure how I was gonna get this thing landed, HELL, I don’t even know WHAT it is at this point!
Like me I can feel it getting tired and get to shallower water, I make huge gain, pulllllll, reel, pulllllll, reel, pulllllll, reel………I have 300 yrds of 20lb braid on this spool and it looks half gone………..I’m not gonna make it, my arms are dead! As it comes to light I see it…..a beautiful Leopard Shark a least a few feet long, my Personal Best! ….nice……
Well, I see him, he sees me and zzzzziiiiinnnnggggggggggggg, the level wind is flipping back and forth and he’s heading to Malibu. This run seemed less aggressive so I mustered up some more energy and went back to the pullllllll, reel method I was able to get him back to shallow water. A few more little pulls as I got him close to me I was able to make the tail grab!
A nice, tired, 48" Leo. My biggest fish ever and my Personal Best Leo:






A quick pic,measure and untie I bring it back to water and with a few seconds in my hands it was off…..off to fight another day….bigger….

My arms were tired and I was out of time so I called it……..
Excellent session…….thank you Poseidon, thank you


Thanks for reading everyone…….’til next time, tight lines.

[SP Dan]

Hi ya Nipple Twister,

Congratulations John for beaching your new PB and largest! Good for a solid 6 points for the group! Thanks for the points ol' man!
What a fun read .... I could see myself going thru all the same moves, switching tired hands and then finally tail grabbing the beast and pulling it up on the sand!
What a great, fun day Sir!

Thanx for the well written fish report with pic's Brotha!

SP Dan <"))><

[murrieta angler]

That's a beautiful fish John!!
Those suckers just do not want to lay down and give up, wait till you get a bigger one...
Congratulations on your PB and helping us Ol Timers gain even more points.
I hit up an AO down here for a couple shorts and a perch.
Gonna try fishing the grunion run and hopefully, the Lunar Eclipse will do some crazy stuff to the fish...
Thanks For Sharing Brotha,
Robert
<><

[fishshep]

Congrats. on your new PB !!!

always good to get a new PB

whatever it may be .

[bachiboy]

VERY, VERY COOL John! Nice PB spot there. Probably one of them guys bumping into my legs and scaring the hell outta me the last couple times I was there. Or at least one of his buddies. Way to help the "old folks" cause in the points race with the youngin's! Thanks for sharing bud!!!

Congrats!!!
Don

[Wingnut]

Great job John!

Veterans & Old Fogy Stogies vs Rookies & Young Whippersnappers Competition Update!

Team Old Guys = 35 Points.

Team Young Brats = 0 Point.

Intel has it that the Youngsters are staging an offensive assault starting tonight with the Grunion run.
Good luck Rookies!

[saltman]

John

Yes, Whose Loe sure have some power as you know! Great report, conrats on your PB and thanks for get us more points for the old guys.

Ramiro.

[Which Way Out]

Good work John. Stepping up and adding more points. And you know us old guys need to get our work outs.



WWO

[exfactor]

You didn't mention where you had him hooked. When it's not in the mouth, its a big pain, huh. May chuck a lure for a bit manyana. Mikey

[PTN]

Great catch John. That's a big kittie and I know those things are a fun fight. They do tire you out and they always manage to trick you when you think you finally got them tired and do one last big drag run. Congrats on the PB.

-Peter