Surf Pirahna's (9/18)

[Latimeria]

Well on Sunday morning, I decided to run down closer to the house with the 9' light stick that Andrew left me to see what some of those bait stealers are that are cleaning the big baits without a peck on the rod.  I wanted to hit the casino since it was action packed for Andrew there the last trip, but decided to stay close to home instead.
Even with the smaller 4/0 hook and squid, I was getting plucked in 10 seconds.  The weeds were horrendous and I only got a 30 second soak time before I was gobbed up with a big grass ball, so I put on a 1/0 hook and moved to smaller pieces of squid.

It was a critter and grass fest!

I was getting plucked like crazy with tiny little bites.  Turns out these surf piranhas might be Half Moons!  (My first Blue Perch in San Diego and first ever from the surf!)



I kept about 6 for bait, but they were a nuisance!



I did manage a nice sargo also...



Well, I hooked two but a Harbor Seal came flying up in the wave and grabbed it!  I thought a big shark was coming in to feed but was very disappointed to see it was a seal after my eyes focused on it.  Another first... stolen sargo from a dog in the surf zone!

Of course there were plenty of small bass.



I also found that they would come by in waves as the wrasse bite was out of control at times.



All in all, I got:

A dozen calico bass.
1 sargo
6 Blue Perch
3 rock wrasse

It would have been 50+ if I was using a smaller hook, but the grass was unbearable.  The rod holder was just there to hold the rod after I got a fish or to re-bait.  Not worth putting it in the holder.

I think the wrasse and blue perch are the major surf piranha culprits!

[vdisney]

Looks like you stayed busy Tom.  Tony kept a couple of blue perch for bait this summer off a sport boat, when we chunked them on the beach...................OMG, smelled like sh!t!   At first I thought Tony was farting   

[Latimeria]

They are stinky indeed!  lol

[spideyjg]

Look like good catfish bait fish. I may hit the beach for some. Well also as justice for all the dame mac chunks they stole.

Jim

[Pinoyfisher]

That spot is usually good for opaleyes. I normally use a 1/0 hook when critter fishing.

[Eric H]

I've only caught blue perch in Catalina, pretty cool to see em caught from the sand.

They should work as bait.

Never noticed they smell like poopies.