SNBF-XIX San Diego (3/7)

[Latimeria]

Sorry I've been so slow on getting a report up but the new job is taking over my entire day.  I actually like the job, but have a boss who is the biggest micro-manager I have ever worked for.   I'm talking even jobs that I had as a teenager weren't this bad.

Well, I'll just skim through the day and post pics.

We met at the bay spot we had success last year.  The weather was nice so you would have thought it was a Saturday in the summer there was so many people.

Fishing was SLOW!

Max had a big bat run early, but like Squatch, decided he wouldn't retie his hook that was sitting on the rod for a year and the line snapped 5 seconds into the run. 

Tim's Max got a Butterfly, so at least we were on the board.

Then Jerry had a screamer and we knew it was on!  Until he lost it....

Then Steve had a ripper, but his ambling nature got to the rod just in time to drop it as he grabbed the rod.   

I was taking stock in all of the losses at this point and then proceeded to lose one myself as I was tangled in about 50 yards of loose braided line that was just randomly out there.  lol

I saw a shirtless man on the other side of the bay so I sent the drone over to investigate my hunch.  Yep, it was Roger trying another spot and taking some gummies.
About an hour or two later, we thought someone was swimming in front of Roger and then we thought it was a sealion from all of the splashing.  He came by the meeting spot to tell us he lost the biggest bat ray he's hooked in decades!  Easily over 50"...  Well Roger just went on my list also.  I was starting to think we wouldn't see a bat caught this bat fight.

There was about 20 people fishing SD... 6 up in the OC....  20 in LA... and 20+ in VC.  Finally, VC started getting some 3' model bats and the pressure was on.

Then we had someone cop a squat behind Steve and I.  We didn't look back for a few minutes but I finally looked and it was REID!!!!  Old school EDC guy!  Man, it was great seeing him.

Then Max grabs a rod... Jerry's rod since he was too far away.  Max was stoked and he landed his new PB bat at 45.25" !!!!  Legit bat and leaderboard fish!

A little while later I get a screamer run and it was the right type!  I fought it for a while and my shoulder was a wreck.  I finally beached it and it was a 47.5" bat!  All everyone could say instead of nice job was... Nice, taking away the kids chance of winning the bat fight....  Fuggers.

Then Tim was on and it was definitely a bat!  After a nice fight, Tim reels in a healthy 41.5" batray!  On a streak now!

Well, everyone started packing up but the twins and Reid.  I told Reid I was reeling in at 10:00 and it was 9:56...  Then the reel started screaming!!!!  Oh boy, this was a real one. 
It took a long time to subdue, but thankfully the two "YOOTS" stayed behind to help since the two old dudes (Reid and I) would have most likely had a bunch of issues subduing it. 

Max and Miles grabbed it and both let out a WHOA!  Biggest bat they have ever seen in real life and PREGNANT!  She was 11" thick according to Myles and it was 53" wide!  It's been a LONG time since I've seen or caught one like that.  Reid was texting Steve and he was throwing shade since he thought we were just messing with him, but NOPE!

What a way to end it and a big thanks to Max and Myles for sand handing for me!  Big props to those two guys!

Well, that is it in a nutshell.  I'm sure I forgot something, but at least the post is made.  The following pics below are some of the sights of the day, and not in any particular order.

[Tim524]

It was so cool of Jerry to let Myles reel in his bat, he was really stoked !  

The 2 YOOTS were so hyped about your big 53" Bat, they are going back Friday to try their luck again

It's nice to know The Bats are in there and you and Roger proved there are some big ones to be caught 

Myles was robbed of the title but he took it like a man !    

Glad to see someone else Break Dancing on the sand beside me   Hope Jerry's shoulder recovers after the Tuck and Roll 

[jrodda]

Congrats on the win, that is a huge one. Sounds like some good consistent fishing, too.

Me and Dave struggled immensely in Newport. In the first hour, a couple decided to take their WEDDING PHOTOS UNDER OUR LINES.



Never got so much as a crab to claw at our baits.

[Tim524]

Congrats on the win, that is a huge one. Sounds like some good consistent fishing, too.

Me and Dave struggled immensely in Newport. In the first hour, a couple decided to take their WEDDING PHOTOS UNDER OUR LINES.



Never got so much as a crab to claw at our baits.

The Groom already wanted to strangle himself

[jrodda]

LOL