8/21 Nuthin but heartache
 

Launched a little after 5AM into short interval, steep & sloppy. I got soaked and charged out into a few more with the last one hitting me in the chest pretty good. Went to the pier and picked away at macs. Did not think I'd need too many as I was going north. Made my way into the NW wind. Around 7 AM I decided to start the long drift back to the pier. I was just short of the glider and in an hourI was back by the pier. Hung out front with Cris who drifted to the reserve edge. I saw a nice patch of nervous water to the north of the pier and paddled toward it. It was a nice baitball that looked to get spooked from below. Sure enough I see a couple yellows roll on the edge of the bait. I was only 20 feet away, so I wound my flyline in and pitched it por nada. The bait would sink out and get pushed up in another spot, so I was following it around and tossing my 7X bl/w mackeral with my 9 foot stick. I was about 50 feet in front of the pier and saw the bait pop up just north around the 2nd piling in. Threw the iron past and winding BENDO and a big splash as the fish thrashes before taking off. I was fishing 40# Big Game and pushed the star on my Newell as far as I could. I managed to turn the fish from going straight to the piling and it was right under me with the rod pinned, pointing down to the side of the yak. It would take a little line, sounded like bubblewrap popping it was so tight. Pulling me around in circles less that 40 feet from the pier the whole time. If found something down there and broke me off. The last foot of line was shredded. Gotta say it would have been much, much better to stick it, but regardless it was the coolest surface iron hookup I've ever had. I'd rather lose a fish like that than pull on the lil ones. I tied on another iron and soaked the baits for another 1/2 hour, nothing but a long zing and drop that looked like the perferations of a sandie chewing it.

Talked to Soulwinner who got a firecracker and said the bonies were like flies out there.

Managed to pull my nose out of the sand for a dry landing in some pretty steep surf to 2 feet. Took a couple pix. I am lovin the new Canon :D

wipeout!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...-21wipeout.jpg

Nice stepout and save

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...21nicesave.jpg

Excellent pics! Your fish sounds like the one I got yesterday, spinning me all around, same #40 big game, buttoned down drag, surprised it didn't run into the pilings.

Chris

no wonder i didn't see familiar faces this morning, you guys were busy at the pier

bummers Andy :(
getting bit on the surface iron is the shizzzznit! they get so squirly and gnarly when you wind that jig through their jaw!!! you gotta love it! i'll take one iron fish over 3 bait fish all day!

That's a bummer, Andy. For what it's worth, I've been taking the opposite approach when hooked up near the pier. Rather than button down, I've kept it loose and, once they head away from trouble, I back off even more and let them lead the way. I'm finding I can almost direct them a little more with a softer drag. Whenever I tighten up and pull they just pull back harder. Of course, not sure this would help if they make a bee line for the pilings.

That't too bad about losing the fish. I agree, iron fish are much cooler than bait fish. I love that wipeout pic!

Tyler I call that pic "Flailing Tourist" :lol: I told myself that this summer I was going to become more proficient with the surface iron. The other day with those breezers I saw the jig swimming below the surface and the fish swirl just behind then it tagged the jig, but missed the hook. Love the visuals invoved with the surface iron.



After each lost fish I usually start out telling myself that I did everything right and analyze it until I finally come up with something that was wrong. I've come to believe there is always operator error in every lost fish.

That being said, the first thing I thought was maybe a really light drag would have made the fish head out and away from the pier or even kept the roughed up line from parting. It makes alot of sense as well as guiding em like they are bridled. Hopefully I'll get another shot on Wednesday :D

Great play-by-play Andy ... sorry to read that you lost it, but you even lose fish with style. Drag too loose, drag too tight, drag just right. You just never know.

Sight fishing's gotta be my favorite.
Arne

Bummer, Andy.
Too bad about losing that jig too!
Mark

:lol: :lol: Hilarious!! Great pics too. No way to tell what is the best thing to do all the time. I'm with you, better to have hooked and lost than to have never hooked at all. Especially with something pulling that hard.

Camera
 

Andy- what Canon did you get? I've had an S40 for a few years (with an underwater housing for diving) and have been thinking recently about getting the S80- which also has underwater capabilities. The S40 has taken some pretty damn good pictures but recently got damaged by airport gorillas. At any rate, just wanted to get some photo feedback. Bummer on that fish...I'm sure there will be a fair number of us trying to get your jig back to you. Hehe.

Dan

I got the A620, after researching, it was a toss up between that and the Fuji E900. They both are on alot of top camera lists. They do make a housing for it for around $160


http://www.ifa-show.com/2005/canon_r...rshot_a620.jpg

I got my wife the A610 and we've been very happy with it. The A620 takes slightly better pictures and is a bit smaller, but the A610 takes pictures faster. She was resisting the change from film to digital because of the speed issue, so that's why we went with the A610. I love the flexibility and quality that this camera offers, but I would never take it on the water unless I got the waterproof case for it. For the water, I use the pentax optio w10 which has worked great with absolutely no problems or signs of problems. I believe it's the same camera that Chris F used to take those under water shots. No special case needed.

-Patrick