S.W.A.T. "Exotics" Surf Session - New Species! Sunday 9/14

[Wingnut]

NOTE: Time is running out to get yourself registered for the HG6 Surf Fishing Event on Saturday, September 27th!
We are less than 2 weeks away... get yourself registered!
Details have been sent via private messages to all registered participants.


I haven't hit the surf in quite some time. Busy with work and planning the HG6 event... any free time are spent chasing Tuna.

Had a few choices on where to go this morning. Pre-fish the HG6 location with Lieutenant Bones, join SP Dan for a local session, or head far South. Decided to stick with my original plan to fish the Southern region with Peter (PTN).

Check conditions and it seems like the swells have backed down to 1-2 ft. The plan was to fish for a couple of hours at grey light before it got too hot and the beach gets overrun by beachgoers & surfers.

Met Peter at grey light at the A.O., geared up and took a short walk down to the sand. We only fished from 6:15 - 8:15am.

Peter (PTN) was ready to go...



We took one look at the surf and knew instantly that the swells prediction were way off. We were expecting 1-2 ft sets, but it was more like 4-5 ft with rough washing machine condition and swells coming in at rapid intervals. Water visibility was also poor.
I shook my head and said to Peter, Oh well, we're here... let's give it our best shot. After about 10 minutes, 8 of which I spent fiddling with some reel issues, we saw some positive signs. There were virtually no salad in the water and there was some bait fish in the surf. We can see them in the sets and there were a few birds diving for them.



Peter worked his way down the beach about 100 yards ahead of me while I stopped to concentrated on a calm spot in the surge.
After about 5 minutes of repeated casting past the flat area and retrieving over it again and again... I get a solid strike.
The fish took off with spirit and I could tell that this was a decent hook up. I waved at Peter and he ran over to my side. Peter asked what I thought it was and I told him that it felt like a White Sea Bass the way it was fighting. After a 5 minute battle we saw a nice silver bar in the shallow surf and we both thought that it was a White Sea Bass. I slid the fish on the sand and we noticed that it didn't have the dark vertical bars on the body typical of a Ghost. Peter says, "I think that's a Corvina..." That's Corvina with a "V".





Yup... Orange mouth and fangs, it's a Corvina!
My first ever Corvina in the surf... new Species!











The release...
S.W.A.T. Creed #4 - "Always release new species and/or your Personal Best fish!"


After that... Peter catches another "Exotic".
I think this one is even MORE rare than a Corvina.
A Needle Fish?!? I've seen little ones, but this one was big!







Hey, don't bite yourself...


We left at 8:15am... the area was getting too crowded and we wanted to get home in time for the first kick off.



Peter, thanks for the great company this morning my friend. Been awhile since we shared the sand together.
Too bad our "Fish Caddie" Raney (Raneman) couldn't get out of bed to join us, lol
Conditions weren't ideal, but we did managed to pull a couple of Rabbits out of the hat in a short session.
See you on the 27th!



People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.



Have a fantastic week everybody... hope to see you all on the 27th at the HG6 event.


Parting shot:

Romeo is now a full blown little Rascal.

[drc521]

Sweet catches...! Awesome for that short session. I hit the evening bite at LAB for no bites.. Didn't see anyone catch anything and the surf was real nice. Glad you guys beat the skunk.

[Edgar]

Really nice fish ! And nice read !
Looking forward to meeting you guys.

[bachiboy]

Wow! Don't think those two players were quite what you were expecting when you headed there...well, at least not the needlefish. You've always said that there was that chance that fang might show up at that AO and, sure enough, you nailed em! Way to go!

Congrats on the new species for both of you!
Don

[Bob_B]

Heck yeah!! Way to go on the Vina Arthur! You got a nice sized one also, 25+ for your first one is AWESOME!! Any Vina over 20 is a nice fish. Now you have to come down here and fish them with top water baits in the bay, nothing like it.

[Stumpknocker]

With those fish, it looks like you indeed went south, all the way to Baja That's a very nice corvina..

[carpanglerdude]

Never seen a needlefish caught out here; last set for me was in Hawaii! Very cool, thank you for sharing!

[remington]

You just never know what will show up in the surf, great job guys!

Speaking of showing up, USC should've watched tape of our bowl game last season when we curb stomped Boston College.

Go Cats!!!!

Kelly

[Dawn Treader]

Sweet fish Arthur , glad to see you hitting the surf...congrats !

[SP Dan]

Hey Commander,

You and Peter absolutely nailed it on Sunday!

"Congratulations" on beaching your 25" fanged Corvina + NS .... WTG Arthur!!

And you Peter ... "Congrations" on your NS + Exotic ..... Needle Fish!

Thanx for the excellent write-up with pic's .... I'll see you at the up coming HG-6 Commander!

PS .... Excellent job on the CPR! You got to have the joy of watching it swim away .... just to fight with you another day! Awesome feeling!


SP Dan ..... <"))>< ..... "The Danimal!"