Well, we could not leave well enough alone and decided we had to hit the sand just one more time for 2011. I drafted a neighbor of mine named Glen who is a good guy, a fast learner and has been very curious as he and I discuss LBSF. He was eager for a chance to get to the coast and try fishing the salt for the first time.
Jason and I watched the weather and our bank balances for weeks before what seemed to be the right time arrived. Glen and I drove overnight last Wed. to meet Jason at the beach Thur. morning. We scored some easy, but misty eyed tuna heads and got to it.
Thursday we had only one run and no real takers. The surf was another story and we stacked up a good #of these guys, as if we needed a reminder that the water was cold!
My buddy Glen received instruction on casting a conventional reel, which was all we had, and pitched in on gathering bait. This was also the coldest night, right around 40 degrees. No tents allowed at our destination so Glen and I slept in lots of clothes and sleeping bags. Jason slept in his truck.
We got up Friday to some real dicey washing machine type stuff. Just what you want to see when the water calls for a wetsuit! We moved to a more hospitable spot and were greeted by a healthy dose of sandbar action. Jason was first up w/a 5,6ish fish on his 30W. He made quick work of it and landed a healthy fish. This one came in with a section of gill net wrapped around it, cutting deep into the tissue behind it’s gills. We liberated it from the net and released it with much better odds of survival.
It was fun to watch Glen as he laid eyes on his first real “sharks On The Sand”.
Next came the run that looked like just what we had come for, at first… My Avet 30W started absolutely screaming and did not stop. As I eased the lever forward the Lami tri-flex bowed up in a major way, still in the spike-fish on!!. As I eased the drag forward not a thing changed about the pace of this fish right up to strike (30ish) and beyond. I had the reel loaded up with 130# JB so I went ahead and locked it down as my line was quickly disappearing. About this time we began to witness some phenomenal jumps well off shore. This was a mammal we saw and it was picking my reel clean. When about ¾ of my line had disappeared with no sign of slowing under 40 plus pounds of drag I grabbed a shell and ended it, ugh…
I was next with another real healthy and fat fish. It fought pretty well, it felt so good to be leaning back in my harness bowed up once again! This one taped at 6,3 and was really pretty. A good little crowd gathered to gawk and take pictures of this one.
Jason caught the next fish, a really beautiful and thick sandbar at 7,3. This one put up a good fight on his 30W. I remember thinking he was dragging it out a bit, then I saw the girth of this beauty!! We hooked every fish on this trip right in the mouth, with circle hooks.
We continued to catch spiney dogs throughout Friday, they fed several sharks and fed us too. With Jason on the fillet knife and Glen on the frying pan we had several good meals of dogfish mixed with packaged Indian Food.
A bit later Jason hooked up another 5+ fish and made short work of it.
Friday night I got another 5+ fish, this one came in with a white packing band cutting into it deeply just in front of the pec. Fins. We freed this fish from it’s unnecessary bonds as well. It swam off strong like all of the fish we caught this trip.
Jason and I decided the next fish was Glen’s no matter which rod it hit. Alas, we waited too long. Saturday was a blank despite our efforts in some slightly sketchy surf. We continued to catch dogfish and enjoyed some gorgeous New Year’s Eve Weather. A little girl and her dad came up to chat at one point. We did not miss the chance to pass the rod, she loved it.
We were hounded by hungry pelicans as we feasted on dogfish and hot dogs throughout the trip. Jason even decided to offer them a bite at one point, this could have turned out badly!!
It was sad to pack up knowing it will be a good while now. We had a great time though and I won’t be surprised if we planted the seed in young Glen. Spending New Years on the beach was great despite some cold weather at night. We are still bound and determined to get that winter time monster, maybe next year…. Happy New Year guys and gals!!!
Chris
Awesome report and looks like you guys toughed out some cold weather. Those are the best trips where everyone just has a great time. Thanks for sharing.
awesome report, nice sandbars
nice report