“The Bestest Day Ever!” PLUS HG7 Annoucement!!! Save the Date!

[bachiboy]

So, I haven’t been out in the surf for a while now and things have been sounding pretty nice. So made a last minute decision to give it a try. The problem is that the weekend was filled with family plans and I only had a small window of opportunity on Sunday to give it a shot. I had STRICT instructions to be home no later than 9am or I’d miss my son’s Taekwondo belt test.

Got in touch with Arthur (wingnut) and met him at the A.O. at zero dark thirty.




While gearing up, we got a message from Mike (bones) that he had a last minute change of plans and would now be meeting us on the sand. Arthur and I ventured out, walked down the beach a ways and started casting. Around the fifth cast, I hook up to this slimey little guy.




Shortly after, I get my second species for the morning. Followed by another (not pictured).




Those aren’t what we came for and I had told Arthur before we started that it’s been about a year since we’ve had a successful session together so we were due. Well, open the flood gates...

We come up on some good structure and I start nailing checkers...one, two, three. Each one getting bigger. Capping it with a 20” fish.


















After the third or fourth fish, Arthur decided to change patterns and right after my 20, he hooks up...right as Lt. Bones makes his entrance.




I keep on the fish but the bite starts to die down. I manage five more checkers and a pancake for the day and miss quite a few more. Here are a couple shots of the remaining victims. Only one fish came on the Kroc. Everything else came on the LC...and I didn’t even lose an LC for once.












Arthur managed to score some fish, including this pancake, but poor Mike was snake bit. Not even a tap.



After talking about it for a bit, we deduced that it may have been the technique. Mike was casting in the same areas and using the same color LC. The difference was all my bites came on a dead stick. I’d drag and pause while reeling up the slack and they hit on the pause. Mike was using a straight slow retrieve. Like he said...lesson learned.

So, with the bite starting to die, a retreating tide and my LC ready to turn into a pumpkin, I hauled by rear home. You know you've had a good day when your thumb gets all raked up.




At my son’s test, he had to break a board for the first time. It took a couple of tries, I think cuz of nerves, but he nailed it in the end and got his orange belt. On the car ride home he says, “This is the bestest day ever!!!!” Well, the fishing wasn’t the “bestest”, but it was pretty dang good. Seeing the look on his face after he was handed his belt made it the “bestest” day.




Arthur and Mike, great fishing with the top brass again. I’m sure there may have been a couple of “F&*&ing Don!” comments thrown out there. Just glad we were able to spend some time out there together. Got to do it again soon. Mike, REALLY glad you got some payback later.


Final tally...

Me:
8 Calicos (two rats, two 14-15”, three 17-18”, one 20”)
2 YFC
1 Barracuda
1 Short hali

Arthur:
5 Calicos
1 Short hali

Mike:
Ummm...well...he did kick the snot outta them the next day!!!!!!


Bonus picts from a session yesterday. got 4 barracuda and two checkers, one that taped at 18”.






Saw this on my trek out. BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE!




SAVE THE DATE!

The HG7 Event is planned for Saturday October 3rd. We are confirming our reservation this week and a formal announcement will be made once all the red tape clears. Please be on the look out for the official announcement which will have the registration instructions and event details. Look forward to seeing everyone out there!!!


Hope you enjoyed the read!
Don

[Wingnut]

F#@$*! Don!!! Colonel Croaker had the hot stick for sure... Don beached 5 fish before I even got a hit. That's what I get for being too lazy to change my LC pattern. LOL

Maybe I shouldn't have taught you that retrieve...

Lt. Bones certainly redeemed himself the next day with a couple of legal Flatties and more.

Thanks for dragging my butt out there, had a great time fishing with my SWAT Brothers.

Back to hunting Tuna this weekend...

Can't wait until HG7!

Congratulations Ethan on your Orange belt!


Mike's casting & retrieving practice session.


A "Bromantic" stroll along the beach.


I was in good company.

[bones]

I have to admit Don. I dont seem to do well when I have to WALK FAR....LOL
The next day when I had to only walk a short distance I was able to listen to my brain say...."dead stick"....lol
I missed the memo that the feeesh were so lazy in this warm water and didn't want to chase a bait AT ALL.

BTW.... Tell your boy congrats from me. My three kids made it to their orange belt too in TKD. Man...breaking their first wood was great and boosted their moral. Shortly there after the instructor informed us that we needed to buy all three of them protective gear for the beginning of full contact. My boy was down but the girls....not so much...lol
Didn't help when dad made them watch a few bouts of the UFC in the octagon. ..LMAO

Hope our bait moves in like last year for HGVII. It's been picking up for sure and it has definitely been in the area. Should be a great time regardless.

Family, Friends, Fun and FISHING!


------<><

[murrieta angler]

Dang I miss those sessions with my Fishing Brothers!!!
You absolutely nailed em Don.
I hope you guys didn't tear Mike a new one too badly...

Mike, where's the report and pics?

Brother Arturo, good to see you hitting the salt again.

Don, I did get your text and I will fish with you this weekend, as I now have lots of time on my hands.
I just lost my $250k project. City wanted another $1million in extra site work done and owner told them, in a kind way, to go #$%^ themselves...

I might head out for an overnighter tomorrow night and try to get one of your brothers Big BFT, that *******...

Love the picture of Ethan with his Orange Belt....I bet your smile was bigger than his...
Take care Bro and I'll see you this weekend,
Robert
<><

[DockRat]

Nice Checkers. Thanks for the pics.
DR

[jaggerbub]

Congrats to the little guy on his belt! I'm looking into starting my boy up in some form of martial arts soon. Nice session on the water too!

Hopefully Oct 3rd sticks... This event will finally fall on my day off work. Can't wait to make this one. Been itchin' to go to one since I've joined fnn.

[iLLest]

Ohhhh my, that water is absolutely perfect!
Glad to see my SWAT broskies out there nailing some nice quantities of fish.
I wonder what kind of surprise Mike has in store for us!
Could it be, a striper!? or better yet, a yellowtail? another 40+ hali? OR EVEN BETTER, ANOTHER BLACK SEA BASS?
The suspense! hahaha

Cant wait for HG7 to come around, I need to catch up with alot of my bros.
ROBERT, WHATS UP MANNNN!

Congrats to your kiddo Don, I was in karate back in the day when I was 8-9, made it up to blue belt, I still have it I think lol.

[surffishingsean]

Great session for sure! good job showing up your swat bros. You really put the hurt on those checkers Don!! Can't wait to meet everyone at HG7!!

Many congrats on your son's bestest day ever! - Sean

[simijab]

whoo hooooo HG7!!!!!!!!!! cant wait!!!!!!!! oh yeah great report

[remington]

The best picture in that report was hands down of Ethan, great job dad!

Hope to see you this weekend Don, let me know what AO you're thinking and I will be there!

Kelly