It started off with a bang---minus the crowd. Then kept banging away with a crowd in tow; while I caught up on much needed sleep.
I'm sure many anglers pulled on fish until their arms were sore, too. I'm just thankful that a couple tankers gave the ultimate sacrifice in the first few days of the month. It was kind of nice knowing that I could release every Yellowtail and White Sea Bass for the rest of the month. Which is exactly what I did after these first two fish were caught.
My White Sea Bass was 59"; if you haven't caught too many just yet---that's a doozy. She could have easily weighed sixty pounds plus, but was apparently half Serpent. Weighing a very lean 52 lbs and change. I caught a few in the same range, over fifty for sure, but made a decision to only harvest another ghost if she was over sixty. This fish saved the lives of many.
The same for my first Yellowtail of the month. She paid the ultimate price, yet, at the same time saved the lives of many. Instead of inching my way through upgrade after upgrade, the pressure was off after this fish hit the deck. She was 42" at the fork and came just shy of 32 lbs. By 2011 WCW rules she'll stand at 31 lbs. Who says fish pictures never do a fish justice?
All Yellowtail were released the rest of the month.
Here's the same Yellowtail with someone to share the ice-bath with. Then the ice-chest got straight up cozy!
It's always nice saving a little coin on buying ice. It gets expensive!
I will say, getting the slam out of the way in the first few days of the month was nice. Every day on the water after that was relaxing and fun, regardless of the outcome. The heckling on the water this month (between WCW warriors) was nothing short of spectacular, too.
One day I convinced a client to leave the Yellowtail and White Sea Bass on the squid grounds. It's not as easy as it sounds, trust me. We timed the tides perfectly and I managed to drop a bait on this Halibut's head. Right where I left her, number 105 on my G.P.S.
The truth is, I almost blew a gasket before landing this one. My partner for the day, dropped a bait on this number first---then told me he was hung on the bottom---as I'm watching his rod tip bounce like a trampoline! There was screaming 'a plenty going on. A full on drill-sergeant moment ensued. I knew exactly what was coming to the surface and got a lump in my throat at color. The thoughts of, "that's my fish" ran through my mind over and over. It was painful I tell you. After I landed this one I was truly happy for him, though.
Here's the nuts and bolts to make my submissions official.
Fish-eye photos are deceptive with tape shots. This fish is 59", weighing 52 lbs and change.
42.5" Halibut weighing 28 lbs.
42" at the fork, weighing 31 lbs and change.
Then came South swell after south swell! Enough waves to make even the grumpiest old salt feel like a kid again. If you know where to look and when, you scored! Strangely enough, uncrowded La Jolla reefs were abundant to those willing to hunt the tide windows; waves a' plenty and sore arms 'ta boot. I pulled quite a few three and four hour sessions and slept like a baby. No complaints from the Grinch this month---all's good in the hood, yo!
Good luck to all in the month of July!
