Finally Back to the Ocean

[Dark_Knight_9C1]

Haven't been back to the ocean to fish for too long...
Made it a point to get out to the Newport jetty this morning and fish.
Got there at gray light and threw out a sabiki to get some mackerel to restock my bait stores. Didn't take long to start getting bites. After the first few swing and misses, I hooked into one... a good size smelt. Made sense then why I was missing so on so many bites.
A few casts later, a solid bite and the first mackerel came in.
I set up a long pole with big chunks of fresh mackerel and tossed that out.
Continued getting short bites every cast, then finally hooked into something small. A senorita fish came in. That explained all the short bites.
Next the long pole started to bob. Went to check it out and whatever it was had gone. I later reeled it in to check the bait and it looked untouched. Was probably an ambitious smaller fish.
I decided to put some squid on the long rod. I had bought a 1 lb squid and cut it into usable pieces. I put on a chunk of tube and a tenicle the size of my finger onto the 6/0 hooks.
Not long after the squid hit the water the pole stared bouncing again. I could feel lots of short bites again but figured the small fish couldn't get the hook in there mouth so I let it set. Then I got a good bite, swung and the pole loaded up a so I reeled it in. Found a 14 inch smelt which managed to get hooked. I didn't see how it was hooked because it shook off after landing it. My guess is I hooked it somewhere other than the mouth just by chance.
That was pretty much it. Made some bait and got the line wet again.
I had been hitting Big Bear Lake since spring carp spawn bowfishing. It was nice to get back to the ocean again.

- Keith

[jrodda]

Thanks for the report. I saw some mackerel outside the break the other day at Sunset Beach but it's generally been a bit scant on them lately.

[Tim524]

A good Long Rod Session sounds good about now, the boat conditions are not favorable for the next week or so

[Latimeria]

Funny, I used to see and catch loads of senoritas and haven't even seen one in the last 10 years.  They are like mini piranha when they get schooled up...  and I'm always amazed what big smelt will get hooked on.   

Damn, great seeing your report.  I need to drag my ass back out to the surf but Boat fishing has taken up most of my time.