Never leave fish to find fish...sometimes!

[bachiboy]

So, I took the family on a little mini vacation for a three-night weekend trip. This gave me three mornings to fish the surf for a couple hours before doing the family activities.


Day 1

Met Robert (murrieta angler) and his friend Kyle down at an old favorite A.O. Headed out into the water and started working some outside structure. Kyle struck first with a nice bsp to break the ice. As we worked our way down the beach, I noticed that there was calm water inside of where we were standing. I took a walk back toward shore and, sure enough, we had been fishing outside of a nice trench that was closer to shore. I start wading back to shore and got to feel how deep this trench really was...dang near neck deep! We start working up the trench and Robert starts getting bit. He had a new rod that he was trying out and it was a little soft for the task. Frustration was setting in as he missed quite a few nice takes. I managed a couple of pancakes (not pictured) and missed one nice grab that came unbuttoned after a few seconds. Although we didn’t score any huge numbers or kicker fish, I figure the area had potential and decided to return the next day to give it another go.


Day 2

I skip over the previous day’s starting point and went straight for the trench we worked the day before. I’m noticing that there is a bit more salad and, although it seemed like more bait had gathered overnight, I wasn’t getting any takes. I work up about 100-150 yards to the end of the trench and start my way back, figuring it just wasn’t gonna happen. Halfway back to my starting point, I get a nice grab. It’s got some weight and I get a brief visual when it comes unbuttoned at my feet in the wash...looked to be a nice short flattie. A few casts later, I get another grab and get this one to shore. It’s a decent short and I’m just thankful to shake the stripe.




After walking up and down the trench one more time, I decided to call it a day. As I was walking back to the car, I realized I had another half hour on my hallpass so walked down the beach a ways to a spot that I’ve seen a nice trench form in days past. When I get to the spot, it’s full of surfers and not very deep. I figure, “what the heck” and start fan casting the small hole there. I’m just about to start heading out when I get the THUNK I’ve been waiting for. It doesn’t make any significant runs but I can feel some decent weight as it dogged me for a bit. I get my first glimpse of him and he looks like he might make the grade. Right as I start dragging him out of the skinny, the LC comes flying out of his mouth and into the air. I immediately drop behind him onto my knees like a catcher blocking a pitch in the dirt. It works and I keep him from getting back out with the surge. I get him to a little safer spot, put a tape on and sure enough he measures out at 22 1/2”. I give my thanks and send him back to Poseidon. Right after I release him, a young boy decides my hole is the perfect place to start swimming, so I start my way back to the car...just thankful that I got that fish at all.




Day 3

So, I figure that the legal from Saturday was a real blessing...and dang lucky considering I almost left the beach without trying that last spot. I know there’s bait there and a little bit of fish presence but I have this STRONG desire to try a spot I haven’t been to in over a year. It’s quite the gamble to leave an area that has fish, but, after the legal, I convince myself that anything I get from here on out is gravy and it’d be nice to sample some new scenery.

When I get to the beach at 0-dark thirty, I’m shocked to see someone in the water working the area. I walk a bit to his right and start casting as the sky just starts to show signs of light. The first few casts yield salad and I’m starting to wonder if I made a mistake. I look over and see the fellow angler bendo on a fish. In the low light, I can just make out the slender silhouette of a short cuda. He gets a snapshot and sends it back to the depths.

On my fourth or fifth cast, I feel my LC stop. I give it a slight pause and feel the familiar THUNK THUNK! Right when I come tight and drive the hook home, I can just make out the fish splashing the surface. I figure maybe it’s just that the area is so shallow, but then the thing goes airborne. I go into largemouth bass mode and stick my tip in the water to keep him down. I got an idea of what this is cuz I’ve heard about this behavior from others that have had the pleasure to land one. It take a couple of decent drag pulls and is cutting back and forth, continuing to try and break the surface to throw the hook. I finally get my first glimpse of him and it’s just what I thought...new species for me. I have a 30 yard or so walk back to dry land so I’m just praying this thing doesn’t come unbuttoned cuz he’s still trying to win his freedom the whole way in. I finally get him to the sand and get a good look at his fangs! My first corvina. I get some pictures of him and want to get him back in the water quickly cuz I don’t know how fragile they are. My tape measure is buried in my backpack and I don’t want to waste time so I didn’t get a measurement. As I’m walking back for the release, the other angler comes over to see what it is. He introduces himself (Chas, aka PSM) and I get him back in the water. I’m guessing around 20” or so but Chas is thinking it’s even bigger than that.






I get myself back in the water after digging out my tape measure (just in case). The very next cast...THUNK, THUNK...BAM!!! I’m thinking that maybe there’s a school of these things, but the fight is different. I feel good weight and it makes some good runs, but this time no splashing and I get headshakes! Again I start my nervous walk back to shore with a nice legal just itching to throw the hook. I get a tape on him and he comes up at about 24”. After seeing the tape on the flattie, I’m actually thinking Chas was right and the corvina was more like 23-24”.




I am on cloud nine at this point. The sky hasn’t even really started to fully light up and there’s bait busting here and there. I’m thinking that Chas and I are really gonna start putting the wood to em. I do manage three checkers and Chas gets a checker of his own. I also had a bunch of followers but the salad and surfers start to get a little too thick and the bite pretty much dies with the coming of the light.








Overall, the weekend was better than I could’ve hoped and the fact that I got that fang is incredible....truly blessed this weekend...this whole summer for that matter. Robert, thanks for meeting me down there and sorry for the frustrating misses that morning. Awesome to see and fish with you again and hope we can go get some redemption for you soon. Kyle, awesome to meet and fish with you. Chas, it was a true pleasure to meet and fish with you. Hope that we get another opportunity if, actually when, I can make it out that way again.

Hope you enjoyed the read...
Don

[surffishingsean]

You sure hurt on some quality fish Don! The Corvina is always a prized catch from the surf. Maybe one day i'll catch one for myself. 2 legals halis, you kill it! You sure seem to like that metallic ayu pattern LC. It just seems weird to me as it doesn't really resemble a fish off the surf. I just ordered 3 more LC's, Anchovy Venus, Nikishi, and Aurora Black. Can't wait for your next report - Sean.

[murrieta angler]

CORVINA!?!
I thought you said corbina....
I guess Sheila is right, I need to get a hearing aid soon...
Congratulations on the orange mouth corvine Don, great looking fish.
They do travel in schools you know.
You had that gut feeling and it paid off, way to go and have a great week.
Robert
<><


I just measured your fish, in comparison to the LC, and it should be about a 26"-27" fish...SWEET!

[mackattack66]

It was great fishing with you and congrats on the Corvina! When I get back into town well have to go fishing again and maybe go chase the local paddies for dodo's and tuna.
Kyle

[remington]

Great job brother! Legals, checkers and a toad corvina......one Hell of weekend Don! Fishing action like that takes the sting out of the mandatory family theme park days....Lol


Kelly

[TUNAVIC]

It's always great when you're "hooked on a feeling" and have it work out the way it did for you'right on!

Cya Tuna Vic

[bones]

Great read Don and what an adventure. First of all congrats on the corVina. I remember when Tess caught one and everyone was like....Why does the WSB have knarly teeth...LOL
Good job on the legal halibut and checkers as well bro. Your little vacation/fishing adventures are always a great read. You gotta love it when the fishy trench is behind you and your on a sand bar. I had that happen once in Oceanside. It was kinda weird because I just turned around and started casting towards the mainland then I thought what if a wave rolls me from behind?
Anyways....Thanks for the effort in bringing us another short exciting story from "Bachi-Land"

See ya soon,

Mike

[anchor3n1]

Hi Don

I love seeing all your AWESOME reports over the last few weeks - Great pictures, great prose and great fishing. You are really on a tear. Your up in your neck-of-the-woods and your landing em'. You head down south (and leave em biting up here) and your landing em'. I believe that if the fish are present that no matter where you go, your honed technique, your years of experience, and your sense will bring you rewards from the surf. This report does not disappoint. Great job on locating the legal flattys and the unlooked for bonus corvina

Plus I always learn something to help me along the way from your reports

I look forward to hitting the sands with you or at least hanging out with you at HG7 (whichever happens first )

all the best,

Nick

[PSM]

I'm a newb on FNN and just adding to Don's thread since he mentioned me; Chas (PSM).

On a LC, got a barracuda for a picture.



Look over and see another angler bendo on a really nice fish.


Caught a couple more small kelp bass.




Don, great to meet and fish with you this Sunday.
A BIG CONGRATS to you on catching that corvina!
Looks like you had a great weekend with the halibut as well.

[Edgar]

That is one H*** of a vacation sir, time with the family, time on the water, legal slabs and a gorgeous Fanged CorVina... How can you beat that?
Glad you got into them.

TIGHT LINES,
Edgar