Needed to fish even though the tide sucked and it was already past 9pm. First baits in the water by 9:45pm. Using 2 rods. 3 casts in a row, big clumps of broken up kelp and eel grass. Not a good sign, but the surf was little to none, so I kept at it.
No bites until the tide started to swing up. Critters were hollowing out the mack heads. Threw a tail on one rod and I get my first hookup. No head shakes, but solid weight and it's fighting back some. Was thinking a bat in the upper 30" class. Ended up being a decent butterfly ray.
(http://www.photos.inherentlydifferent.com/i.php?/upload/2017/08/29/20170829102014-900b642f-la.jpg)
(http://www.photos.inherentlydifferent.com/_data/i/upload/2017/08/29/20170829102019-7a65c83d-la.jpg)
I missed a couple solid take downs in the other rod while fiddling with the ray. I'm guessing lobster. Rebait and reel in other rod for a bait check. I start to walk the shore line checking for "things" and I her a click and see a rod tip bounce around. Set the hook and feel nothing, so I reel it in. Got a cute little eel on it. No thicker than my rod and maybe 2' long. He still managed to put a knot in my rig >:( I release it and toss out another bait. While I was digging a bait out of the cooler, I see a little green glow near my foot. I check it out after casting and it runs from me! Turns out it's a sand flea. I guess it absorbed light from my headlamp?? Had no idea they could do that.
(http://www.photos.inherentlydifferent.com/_data/i/upload/2017/08/29/20170829102420-a968ac2d-la.jpg)
12:30am quickly arrived and even though the bites were increasing, 3hrs of basketball was starting to catch up with me and I called it. The signs are there, grinners should be sliding up the sand with regularity pretty soon!!
Is a butterfly ray +1, 0, or -1?
Seriously though, nice catch!
Was the eel a moray or something else? There's probably some sort of shrimp eel species here, but I'm not sure.
: BenCantrell August 29, 2017, 12:32:12 p
Is a butterfly ray +1, 0, or -1?
Seriously though, nice catch!
Was the eel a moray or something else? There's probably some sort of shrimp eel species here, but I'm not sure.
Thornbacks are the only minus. Lol! I believe the eel is a moray.
: Pinoyfisher August 29, 2017, 01:27:51 p
: BenCantrell August 29, 2017, 12:32:12 p
Is a butterfly ray +1, 0, or -1?
Seriously though, nice catch!
Was the eel a moray or something else? There's probably some sort of shrimp eel species here, but I'm not sure.
Thornbacks are the only minus. Lol! I believe the eel is a moray.
Thornbacks = (-1)
Morays & Round Rays = (0)
Butterfly Ray... Definitely = (+1)
Nice session Mike. We'll get Ben all up to speed here in a hurry. ;)
Round rays have to be -1. ???
: BenCantrell August 29, 2017, 04:44:41 p
Round rays have to be -1. ???
Agreed, round rays should be -1 also.
Nope, the only minus one's were named from a guy we fished with 10+ years ago. When we say -1, we know exactly what it was. Eels and round rays just plain don't count. lol
Way to go Mike!
Nice Butterfly, Mike. 8)
: Latimeria August 29, 2017, 04:57:41 p
Nope, the only minus one's were named from a guy we fished with 10+ years ago. When we say -1, we know exactly what it was. Eels and round rays just plain don't count. lol
I was -3 last weekend. :'(
: BenCantrell August 29, 2017, 08:53:06 p
: Latimeria August 29, 2017, 04:57:41 p
Nope, the only minus one's were named from a guy we fished with 10+ years ago. When we say -1, we know exactly what it was. Eels and round rays just plain don't count. lol
I was -3 last weekend. :'(
Lol!!