Old SWAT guy gets the STRIPE.......

[bones]

Well folks...It's been a while but I felt like I had to put this one up because it is another milestone in my surf fishing adventures here in SoCal over the years.Saturday I decided to do some exploring south in an old haunt I haven't visited for a few years pretty much because my local area has been lifeless. I hit the sand at grey light and for the next three hours I did a heck of a lot of casting practice. I was in the GO BIG OR GO HOME mode with my 8'6" steelhead rod/spinning combo loaded with 50lb spectra and a 30lb fluoro leader. I was tossing a 6" Daiwa salt minnow sinking version and going long and deep because the skinny has just been DEAD. I knew it was a long shot to hope that there was something sinister holding out in a deeper zone but what the heck.....maybe something good would happen!
After 3 hours of not even a tap and the hot temps starting to beat me up (yeah I was wearing waders) I decided to head back to my car and just make a few casts while walking. All of a sudden I get a grab in the skinny and my first thought was that I snagged a corbina or a SNGF but to my amazement it was my first striper from the sand. She wasn't that big and because I got the grab in about 2ft of water she didn't have a chance to even make one run. I put her on the sand in about 20 seconds but hey...I'll take a 27" striper skunk buster any day. I'd say she was between 5 and 7lbs. Only had a chance to do a quick tape out and pic and even at that when I released her she went belly up on me at first but then went on her way.



Hope to see you folks at HGVII on the 3rd,

Mike

[anchor3n1]

OH My Goodness OMG Haha. WTG!!! Mike

When I got your text I'm like, "girls check out what Mike just landed!!!" I know how stoked you were (are) to get the "stripe" yesterday I bet everyone on that beach heard your "OMG" (at least we did hear your joy over here at our house ).

I am so glad that you caught a Morone saxatilis. I know you've tried at times to particularly target them and drawn up a blank more than once (it's hard and rare to find those guys in our waters for sure). And to think God was saying, "today son I'm gunna bless you" and gave you a striper even when your day was almost done is really cool.

I'm glad it happened my friend (Now go get that Yellowtail from the sand next ).

God bless you,

Nick

PS: I remember another time (a couple of weeks ago) when the fishes were in bed and you decided to cast while heading back to the cars

[surffishingsean]

Epic!!! You are a surf fishing guru. Lol. Congrats again Mike!

[bachiboy]

Pretty amazing brother. It's been a LONG time coming!!! You deserved to nail that fish a couple of years ago for all the time you spent hunting him. One check off that bucket list!

Congrats!!!!
Don

[exfactor]

YEAH BABY!!!!! Glad your in the club Mike

[remington]

Awesome brother, congratulations on checking Mr. Kimble off the list!!!��

[TroutOnly]

............stripers...............oh ya....................

[PTN]

Congrats on the striper Mike. Looking forward to seeing you again at the HG event .

-Peter

[SP Dan]

Hi ya Lt. Bones,

Congratulations on landing your "New Species" and the true "GHOST" from our SoCal beach Sir!
Mr. Kimble has eluded you for all these years and your day of reckoning has finally come about!

You have prepared yourself; for most of your fishing career, for this moment ..... AND YOUR TIME HAS ARRIVED!!
Can you believe it? You finally did it! WTG!!

Mike ... meet Mr. Kimbles ! lol A long over-due meeting for sure!

Also .... great job on the CPR and resuscitation MIKE! I'm glade he met you instead of a "keeper" and was able to get-back-on-his-way!
I hope you get to meet him again some day soon ... say .... after he puts on about ten pounds or so!
When you do engage in combat with him again .... I would hope to be there with you in the trenches as your "tail-grabbing-wing-man"!

Thanx for the excellent read with your once in a life time catch .... REALLY! .... a SINGLE pic! lol

PS ... I'm very proud of you Mike for your fishing ethics, your perseverance and for your relentless
dedication to the sport of surf fishing! You've taught me well Sir! I am proud to refer to you as ... my friend! I couldn't be any happier for you Mike!

SP Dan <"))><

PS ... Welcome to the SWAT Striped Bass Club!

[Wingnut]

Awesome accomplishment Lt. Bones! I've been trying to capture a surf Lineside for the past 7 years...

Hearing the details of the catch really got me excited and even more so, when you told me about the follow up session.

After the HG7 event, I will join you in tracking down Kimble once again...

Great job Mike, a well deserved and long overdue prize!

One of these days, I'll nab myself one of the "true" Ghosts of the surf...