1/6 LJ...I call...and re-raise!

[madscientist]

I'll see your 18lb yellow... :shock:

...and raise you a 24lb yellow... :shock: :shock:

...and re-raise you a 24lb WSB! :shock: :shock: :shock:


Details to follow, but now I have fish to cut!

[Siebler]

Damnit, you killed them, now you have all 3 species for the month even! Great job on the fish, i shoulda gone... again. Oh well tommorow for sure.

[steamroll]

F'n Bradarneandy

Where do we apply for a refund? :roll: :lol:

[Dennis]

HOLY CRAP, Brad!
Now where is the halibut? In your hatch?

Nice goin'...
-D

[Holy Mackerel]

Unbelievable! Way to go, very jealous! First slam of the year!

[F'nArne]

Yet 3 more reasons for retirement. Nice job Brad! There's just no "rest" in you is there ... should get crowded around Torrey Reef tomorrow

Your in first for the slam - now just wait out the clock. :?

F'nArne 8)

[lamb]

:lol:

[katchfish]

Beautiful clear warm morning, with a mild offshore breeze.




Same pattern as yesterday, big crazy boils of fish under the bird piles.



I managed to stick this 31 pounder. Powerful fish actually shook off the gaff, then his luck ran out.



Fun morning on the water at the Jewel.



Only eight or so kayaks and a few boats out there. It was so quiet, I could hear the Seriolas boiling. :shock:

Ken

[twinfin]

Nice work fellas! Looks amazing out there!

[Mr_PeaCH]

Awesome! Damnit... coulda/shoulda/woulda... :lol:

Brad, when you get done fillet'n... What worked for your WSB? Were you doing anything different or did you just happen to hook up to it amidst the YT fun and games?

Howbout you, Ken. Was your YT on bait or iron? C'mon guys; help us WCW newbies out! :roll: Bet there will be a few more yaks and boats come tomorrow.

[Razorback]

BRILLIANT..........

[skiffman]

I missed the beach photo but I chipped in with two 18lbers of my own. One on surface iron, the other on a Spanish that was in the rod holder while I landed the first one. As soon as I stuck the first one the Spanish went off. It was exciting as my line had wrapped around two other rods while on the first one. Got the line cleared and got the second. I was in deeper water out west, 170' for my two. There were fish from the kelp line out to 180' under birds and just breezing also. Nice jobs guys, always a pleasure to share the "Jewel" with you. Have a great weekend. Kelvin

[madscientist]

Heck of morning. Started out bad. Loading up I go to start the truck and find the clutch is not engaging properly. Figured out to check the clutch fluid (first manual transmission I've owned) and it was bone dry. Hmmm. Hopped on the bike and went to the 24hr grocery store where fortunately they had clutch fluid. Topped it off and was good to go, just about an hour later than I wanted. Got to the launch to find some funny looking guy with a red prowler getting ready. Good to get a morning in with Ken, it's been a while.

Get out past the can and make some macs. School was moving so I pinned a greenie on a leadhead with a squidlike plastic thing, cajunman style, and started heading out a ways, mindful of Andy's report. See Vito coming in and then I see the bird pile in the distance. Vito turns around and the chase is on. We get out to the general area and I start marking good stuff on the sonar.

Throw the iron and, as usual, the moment it hits the water the bait rod goes off. Throw the iron reel in gear and grab the bait rod. Shit, it's hung on my sabiki. Get that sorted out, prepare to start fighting the fish, when the yak takes a lurch. WTF! Oh,
DOUBLE HOOKUP! :shock:
Crap, now the jig rod is pinned in the front holder with the line going backwards, meanwhile my bait rod is peeling off line as that fish runs.

Get the drag dialed back on the jig rod, reposition to the rear holder, and focus on the bait. Now, this setup (trini20 on custom graphite) was dunked by my friend Nils when he rolled on a launch. I figured he would have said something if it was F-ed up, but since he fished a couple more times with it I figured it was good to go when I grabbed it this morning. I forgot how unassuming Swede's can be, because this reel is in a bad way. Obviously sand in there and its grinding hard, threatening to lock up. Back off for a moment thinking that might help, but now we are hauling ass towards a lobster pot. Choice of two evils, so I button down and pray the reel holds.

Jig rod is still bent in half, but the bait reel is requiring full attention. Finally slow the fish and begin the vertical endgame, all about 50ft from a buoy. I guess the extra drag supplied by the fish on the jig rod took something out of him, because I was able to horse up the 24lb YT fairly easily after that.

Fish gaffed and stringered so I grab the jig stick. Fish is still on, button down and prepare to go to work. Pulls! Oh well, still haven't landed the double. Hear that Ken is similarly engaged, awesome. By now the birds have disappeared.

Dave Cabrel and I are fishing close to each other when a I hear what I thought was a boat engine starting behind us, straight into the sun. I ask him "WTF was that?"...."Fish" comes the answer. Lots of big fish! Chase em hard but they are down when we arrive. Still, good sonar marks so I let fly the iron. Sink, sink , sink, slam! I'm on again and getting towed right at another guy in a red yak (sorry, didn't get your name and I'm terrible about remembering faces). Right as the fish is going to lead me into him it comes unbuttoned. Man, do I suck with iron.

Trying to figure out which way to chase next when the bait rod goes off. Lock on and prepare for a towing but this fish doesn't seem like it wants to go anywhere. Fine, I'll horse it straight up. Start to think, maybe, possibly, could it be....yes!. At color the purple iridescent gleam of WSB. Not big, but who cares. Gaffed and on board, I dig out my secondary stringer. At one point the fish was half stringered and slipped off the side. I was just about ready to dive in after it but fortunately the rope caught and I got him back on board and secured. Now I'm a happy camper...


Couple other spots of fish then the slack is upon us. Wait it out chatting with Ken, Vito, Kelvin, and Dave, then the birds reform further out. Run 'n Gun! Toss the iron, start reeling, feel it load up, swing, I'm on. Keep the drag soft but this guy feels smaller. In short order the 18lb yellow is aboard, my first landed jig fish in a year.

GPS says about 3 miles out. Guess I'm taking the day off. Start working in, thinking about combing the bottom in search of the slam. Get in the vicinity of one of my hali spots but the arms are getting mucho tired, so I just head for the barn. More fish come up but I can't chase with all the extra weight, burnt out arms, and lack of beer. :P

Smiles all around at the landing. I think everyone had a good day and the conditions were as good as it gets. Pleasure fishing with my favorite photobeyatch (well, maybe Pat takes better pics) and always happy to return the favor. 2-4 days after a storm seems to be magical. See you all amongst the crowds tomorrow. Probably be a zoo, which may keep the fish down, but you never know. Get some rest and eat your wheaties, because if it is like today, it's all a matter of speed and luck.

[Dennis]

Brad, no clutch fluid in the new car? That must have sucked, but hey... You caught you some fish!

Nice work guys!
-Dennis

[DaveC]

Really nice day out there. Enjoyed fishing with you guys. I went one for two today with the one weighing in at 20lbs on Brad's scale. That one was on a blue and white Salas bit on the sink, sliding up on a spot of fish. The fish I lost felt substantially bigger, but the line failed half way into a nice sleigh ride. The topper was having a grey whale come up between me and the kelp, about 40 yards of my bow. It surfaced about three times before it dove deep. Really cool stuff.

Dave

[madscientist]

Originally Posted by DaveC

Really nice day out there. Enjoyed fishing with you guys. I went one for two today with the one weighing in at 20lbs on Brad's scale. That one was on a blue and white Salas bit on the sink, sliding up on a spot of fish. The fish I lost felt substantially bigger, but the line failed half way into a nice sleigh ride. The topper was having a grey whale come up between me and the kelp, about 40 yards of my bow. It surfaced about three times before it dove deep. Really cool stuff.

Dave

Nice fishig with you, as always. I thought there might have been a whale since some tourists were looking really jazzed.

[Iceman]

Nice work gentlemen, nice work!

[madscientist]

Originally Posted by F'nArne

Yet 3 more reasons for retirement. Nice job Brad! There's just no "rest" in you is there ... should get crowded around Torrey Reef tomorrow

Your in first for the slam - now just wait out the clock. :?

F'nArne 8)

Not going to spot any points this year! Have a feeling I'll need them all. 8)


BTW, if anyone needs some lobster bait, PM me and I'll be happy to bring some carcasses down to the launch tomorrow AM. I'll be setting up one super stinky slick with some week old stuff that is about ready to crawl out of the cooler by itself.

Also, where's the best place to drop off a WSB head?

[T-Rex]

Great work Brad. Knew I shoulda bagged work today. :cry: Nice to see the year getting off to a great start after the slowdown last week.

[lamb]

heluva day gents, congrats! 8)

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute is the best. Call Tim Conerty (619) 226-3870. He'll show you around, they got some cool stuff going.

All locations:

http://www.hswri.org/files/pressRele...9.05806667.pdf