Testing Ventura Waters 11/8

[jrodda]

Fished 2pm-8pm, 2 beaches. Even split of time between the two. Both were light on the weeds. 10 knot wind died at sunset.

Guy walking by me told me there was somebody dropping baits last week at the same spot with a drone. Started figuring that kind of thing into my 10 year plan.

Arrived at spot A, was getting prominent pecks and nibbles on mack chunks, couldn't get them to go.

On one retrieve I snagged this tiny little feller.



I know what you're thinking, I thought it too, but it fell off the hook trying to cast it out...girl with dyed hair with hands on her hips watching me try to wade out and cast it, don't wanna judge too hard but I felt like I was in for an ear full when I got back to the hard pack. She walked away when she saw the ray slip off the hook.

Moved up coast at sunset. Wind died nicely.

A couple missed hook sets here before I finally laid into something and it took off. Fiercest run I've ever had, dragged buttoned down on the Avet and still heading to Santa Cruz. I feel head shakes so I'm trying to keep my sh!t together cuz this would be a submarine of a shark, it's pushing me much harder than an 8' 7 did.

15 minutes in, I finally see the little rat tail sticking out of the wash...

45"



Lost my favorite pliers during the release in the wash, kinda bummed about that.

More sore than I care to admit from that slime ball. Second time at this beach I've been duped by a bat ray that fights like something else.

Maybe try again tomorrow.

[vdisney]

Just looking at that thing makes my back hurt, can't believe me and the kids used to target them.  Keep putting the time in Jeremy, it will happen......

[Latimeria]

Bummer about the pliers, but nice mud marlin! 

Been a long time down here that we've caught a big bat in the surf.  Bats are good practice for knots and terminal tackle confidence though for when the big grinners start taking baits!

[jrodda]

I have been anxious about the quality of my FG knots because they tend to very slowly slip. They haven't popped, but they slip. At the end of the fight I checked the knot and a fifth of the braid side of the knot had slipped over the end of the mono. I can't believe that it held, but i suppose that proves the strength of the friction portion of the knot on its own. I seriously need to fix the slippage issue though, I don't know how many different ways I've seen an FG knot tied but I've already tried 2 so I guess it's time to try more.

Yeah Verne, after this one I pray the gods never send me a 50+" unless it's specifically on bat night. Yes it was an exciting first run, but this is a PB I don't need breaking.

[Pinoyfisher]

Tom is absolutely spot on about bats being tackle testers!! If they were only sharks, I'd enjoy catching them more. As for the FG knot, it shouldn't be slipping. I recommend ensuring it is tied 100% correct, losing a PB shark because it slips out would be heart breaking. That's the only connection knot I use in the surf and I swear by it... if tied properly.

[jrodda]

Tried this video's style and it worked very well. I don't think I need to step on the mono spool to make it work and the half hitches don't carry nearly as much of the weight as I thought they did. Holds tight now I'm happy and confident.

https://youtu.be/DUfh2VXNBy0