Headed out on Wednesday morning in the dark and arrived to pretty good conditions. No wind and not much salad on the beach and in the water. Moon was full and glistening over the water. You could see your cast hit the water even at 4 in the morning. One thing that was very noticeable was the drop in water temperature. It was a bit chilly to start, but adjusted quickly.
I was chucking the LC and got a few taps but nothing stuck. Saw a seal in the dark nearby in the water and just tried to ignore him. Not to long after that I get a solid hit! This fish was jumping everywhere. crazy jumps out of the water,at first I thought it was a Cuda. As I brought it closer to shore I could see it was a Sandbass. I haven't got to many turd rollers this summer. So it was a nice surprise and a nice battle in the water. Ended with a 17 inch Sandbass and had to call it a day.
Sandbass pics.
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8434/28768460620_b336e51e63_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/KQaT4J)
measured shot
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8276/28949415982_05c4941b82_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/L7ajML)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8267/28433971984_011c6b93bb_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/KjBxfh)
8/18
Headed out this morning and the conditions were just incredible. No waves, no salad, no wind. The moon was hidden by the clouds.
Started chucking the LC and for the first hour nothing. Then all of a sudden I was getting hit on every cast. First two hits were Halibuts. Then I got a hit far out and it was tugging pretty good. I reeled it in pretty close and it was a White Sea Bass! Just before I could get it beached it shook off the line and was gone. It was short, probably like a 15 to 18 inch size. Kinda bummed me out but was happy to get some fish. Another cast and I get a Calico Bass. Time was running out and I had to get going.
One thing happened in the last two days that made me pretty happy though. As if fishing in the dark in the ocean isn't a challenge enough. Casting sometimes can be tricky and even opening the bail before I cast to check that it's not snagged. Once in a awhile I get a few snap casts and that LC would snap off like a firecracker. Frustrating to say the least. I figured out to turn the bail all away around as far as it will go so that the force of my cast won't close the bail during the cast. I can't believe I didn't figure it out earlier. LOL Anyways the bail can't close now from the force of my cast. Hope I explained it okay. Gonna save dough in the long run. And it was an easy fix. Learning every day out on the sand.
Here is the rest of the pictures of fish I got.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8380/28968503222_2436130dc6_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/L8R9L7)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8380/28968500192_5e281f917e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/L8R8RS)
Halibut #2 and got her in the eye. Nice colors on this fish though.
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8741/28997380711_d1c644f6a8_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Lbpa2R)
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8463/28968519612_c0ea82c7a4_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/L8ReCG)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8644/29041037896_06abba7ced_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/LffUMW)
After surgery
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8418/28997374991_44f4371055_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Lbp8ke)
Calico Bass
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8414/28968494822_c3df74be61_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/L8R7gh)
Thanks for reading my report and be safe out there. Good luck!
Lines tight! And until next tide.
Joel
Great fishing once again Joel. I'm still waiting for that 30 pounder that you pull out of the suds!