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jebsays

A quick afternoon recon trip showed the surf knocked flat with a gentle northerly wind. The only white water to be seen were slow-rolling, knee-height waves at the surf line and 1st bar and on occasional roller on the 2nd bar.

With a little of Stripe's best sustenance and The Bait Buckets best dead shrimp, I headed out with 3 surf rods and a bay rod to the North Beach of PINS. My spot at the sticks was occupied, so I traversed a couple hundred yards to the north and set up shop. What a different a day makes (my 9/23 report wasn't worth posting); clear surf, hard-packed beach, no water to the dunes - so perfect, I wouldn't mind if the fish weren't biting... it was just that kind of day at the beach!

I set up a couple of rods with fish bites and shrimp and started to work the front and back of the 1st bar... a little jiggle and I bring in my first hardhead. A big jiggle and I bring in my 2nd hardhead; a brag-worthy specimen nearing 20". Thankful for the hordes of hardheads I've caught previously, I execute a perfect release without a puncture wound. (side note: I've heard that the mucus on the spines is also an irritant/poisonous but it's never affected me. I release hardheads by sliding hand behind the dorsal spine/fin and around the pectoral fins [they hold them out firm in this position and don't slip from grip]) so I'm in contact with the slime, but it doesn't irritate me. Is the slime really poisonous?)

After a quick chat with one of the rangers (side note: who mentioned Bob Hall was producing well) I finally bring in some bait - a small 9-10" ladyfish. One rod ends up with the blood-dripping head and set out on the backside of the 1st bar and the other 2 rods get set up with 1" rings in the middle of the 1st gut and on the front side of the 1st bar in the wade gut.

I dance a little, claiming it's a fish catching ritual but in reality I'm trying to keep the biting flies that are being pushed out of the dunes off of me. It's only moderately successful for keeping the flies off but the 209 with the skipjack head starts to scream, so I must have done something right... partially right, maybe... nice hit but no hookup.

I rebait with a skipjack ring and cast out as far as I can, trying to locate fish.

After bringing in another hardhead on another rod, I put the next bait within flicking distance in the middle of the wade gut. And fish on! A nice red that breaks my cheap terminal tackle while bringing it up to the sand. I pull in the other baits, spreading them out in the wade gut and quickly replace the failed tourist double-drop with something of better quality and it quickly follows the other baits into the wade gut.

Before long, I have a nice hit! I hustle over to get the job done and just get the rod out of the holder and the drag tightened when both of my other rods go off. This isn't a surf-fishing phenomenon that I typically experience - especially when out by myself... so, one rod in hand I work my way over to the other rods and give them a crank and tighten the drag just enough to keep more tension on them and hopefully keep the hooks from spitting, all the while worrying about the mess of tangled lines I was sure that I would encounter.

I pull in my first red - a thick-shouldered mid 20's brute and perform a quick release. Miraculously, I managed to land all 3-fish - and all 3 were solid slot mid-upper slot reds.

I worked a silver spoon and brought in another small skipjack which would sacrifice itself for the cause.

While I didn't end up with any more triples, over the course of 3 1/2 hours, I would end up with 6 reds - all mid-upper slot and 3 Jacks, all around 20-24" and a few other missed hits.

If you've gotten this far... the beach was beautiful, the water was clear, the biting flies sucked, the mosquitos at sundown REALLY sucked, dead weed was a problem for a while but tailed off after the first hour. Lots and lots and lots of bait in the water, swimming south... I just didn't bring a cast net with me today!

One of the other redfish - #4 or 5

A few of the friendlier flying companions of the day:

BUGS BUGS BUGS... dragonflies doing what they do best - slaughtering mosquitoes in the dunes.

And finally, a little different take on the sunset... getting up above the water and shooting down to catch just the reflections.

hornytoadx3 · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 1:51 am Post subject:

Nice Reds! Great pictures. Glad to see someone catching fish. Been along time for me since I sold my 4X4.
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FishLady · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:33 am Post subject:

Fantastic photos!! Really enjoyed looking at them!! Nice fish too.
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4theReels · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:42 am Post subject:

Great report.....I decided to go to South Packery....but looks like I should have gone down the beach....still a great day.
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ltorna1 · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 3240

fantastic report and pictures. Thanks for sharing
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FishinClint · Horse Mullet Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 151

Howdy!

jebsays: Great report and pictures, thanks for sharing.

hornytoadx3: been a while for me too. But, I have a 4x4 Blazer and also live in NW SA (78250). We could try to get a trip planned for the fall if you're interested, let me know.

ziacatcher · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:14 pm Post subject:

Great read! I was at the beach today and ditto on the skeeters and flies. Pics are great.

ziacatcher · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:16 pm Post subject:

Great read! I was at the beach today and ditto on the skeeters and flies. Pics are great.

FIDO · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 2:47 pm Post subject:

Nice!
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