Hit the closest beach in the early AM with the light rod and castmaster to make some bait for the evening sesh. Picked up 8 yellowfin croakers from 6" - 10" in a couple of hours.Home by 9am. Decided to try a new AO based on surf conditions and also have been wanting to try since I caught a video on you tube put up by a free diver that had soupies and sevengill in the vid. I had a good idea where he was diving at by glimpses of shoreline I could catch in the background. Got a line in before last light after about a half mile trek in with dark black clouds approaching from the horizon quickly in a stead wind. Set up in the break trench that happened to be in between a large rock to the left about yds 200 offshore and another to the right about 100 yds out. I thought, well, hopefully a hook up will run to the left and I can put some brakes on before it's 200yards out.Within an hour got a screamer that picked up a de-finned and scaled 8" whole croaker, made a blistering 50yd initial run, of course to the right, around the rock, vibration, and pop :(. Line came back all frayed and roughed up on the top shot, shock leader and rig donated to the cause. Fished for another few hours with a strong wind and mist in my face with out a solid hit. I know , I know, but it was the obvious deep trench where the waves wer'nt breaking...At least I still have a few left over croakers for next sesh.
JOE
No pain, no gain. At least you tried.
Kinda set yourself up for that from the sound of it. Doesn't sound like there was much choice. If it had zigged instead of zagged you might have gotten a nice one.
These croakers seem to be candy.
Bummer on the busted off fish.
Can't get em without trying.
Sounds like you need to go back and hit it again!!
: Pinoyfisher October 16, 2016, 10:34:52 p
Sounds like you need to go back and hit it again!!
For sure, I plan to. When the surf settles down and we have another high tide close to sunset I'll be back.
DOH! I've had too many of those similar situations to count, but it does get your blood pumping!
I can't wait for the rematch. Get 'em Joe!
I'm stoked to see the yellowfin croaker getting picked up so much lately.
Bummer about the break off Joe. I tried to get a hold of you about a location to catch macs, I had intel but you never got back to me. BTW, I'm a one thumb text kind of guy........that's why I call back 8)
I wish we got more YFC up here. The white croakers that are so prevalent north of Mugu always come back untouched when I use em. At least you tried Joe, it's about all we can do up here until our critters come back!