H Beach, R Beach, and L Beach

[BenCantrell]

I took a short trip north on Friday and Saturday despite having a nasty cold that I picked up a few days earlier.

Huntington Beach Pier

My friend Steve, who drove down from San Francisco, wanted a spotfin croaker, and we figured this was a good place to try for them.  I brought up a tupperware of ghost shrimp that I pumped on Thursday, and we set up about a third of the way out on the pier.  The bite was slow and sporadic.  We caught:

halfmoon
topsmelt
thornback
diamond turbot









Redondo Beach Pier

Was surprised how little of this pier is open to fishing.  It was frustrating being packed in next to people throwing lobster nets and crossing your lines with bad casts when 3/4 of the pier was empty.  Enjoyed a nice sunset though.  We caught:

octopus
barred sand bass





Long Beach

Went out with a guide who Steve has been fishing with for years.  He normally does bass tournaments, but he was cool with taking us around for goobly gobs as he put it.  We caught:

white croaker (#491)
pacific chub mackerel
rock wrasse (#492)
senorita
halfmoon
kelp bass
ocean whitefish
california scorpionfish
gopher rockfish
copper rockfish
sheephead (#493)
pacific barracuda
jacksmelt (several were over a lb)
jack mackerel
opaleye
bat ray



























After that it was down to the Soup Kitchen to say hi to people at the Grinner Gathering.  It was good to see everyone and meet a few new people!

[Pinoyfisher]

Nice trip! I still haven't caught a sheephead.

[Latimeria]

Nice trip Ben!  I'm glad you stopped down to the Grinner Gathering.  I have your cooler and knife.


And for Mike... Um, wait a minute...  No Sheepshead yet???

[BenCantrell]

I heard people were catching sheephead off the rocks in La Jolla in the past week or so.  Multiples in a session. If I hadn't caught one on Sat my plan was to try there.

[Latimeria]

I heard people were catching sheephead off the rocks in La Jolla in the past week or so.  Multiples in a session. If I hadn't caught one on Sat my plan was to try there.

I've had 12 sheepshead days out there.  Annoying at times.  lol

[xjchad]

Nice Ben, sounds like some good fishing!
Great meeting you at the GG also!

[vdisney]

Looks like a fun couple trips, I really want to try fishing off a pier someday