Holy Mother of the Night (6/4)

[Latimeria]

Well, I had a great write up last night, but my computer automatically updated to Windows 10 and I lost it all as my rant in the general category entails.  lOl

I met Steve for a critter hunt last night.  I have been painting my house all week and spent 10 hours in the heat trying to finish it up.  The only thing it finished up was my bad shoulder and a bad sun burn.  I wasn't sure how well I would hold up if I caught anything big. 

I get there to a crowded beach and Steve has already released a 4' leopard.  He didn't get any pics since he was bum rushed by a crowd of kids and tourists and didn't want to deal.  The sand fleas are out in full effect now that Memorial Day has come and gone.

I get my first cast out when Steve's reel starts singing and heading down the beach.  I started messing with my stuff and missed a smaller bite when I decided to start to track the Squatch.  I saw a shadow on the sand and said "Are you bringing him back this way?"... The shadow responded "I think you mean your friend all the way down the beach".  In the distance about 300 yards away I could see a faint headlamp.  WTF!?!  I wasn't doing that walk that far from my gear with all the rug rats around.  10 minutes later, Steve shows up with a busted line. Definitely a bat and definitely a beast.

I'm next up with a screamer and quickly realized I had a big bat on also.  I actually buttoned down the drag as far as she would go and she was still screaming line out!  The reel handle at the drags were getting hot!  My shoulder couldn't deal with that pressure, so I straight armed the bat and thumbed the spool... for 30 minutes until I finally got her close enough for Steve to anchor.  He didn't quite move her as she was too heavy, but she was on the sand and that's all that counted.

Super Preggo and as I was telling Steve how I can't believe she wasn't giving birth... they started coming! 





As we grabbed the tape, I realized she was hitting the magic number for bats that has eluded me all these years.



Well maybe a 1/4" shy of 60"!  (From the babies she spit out, she would have been 60" on the button) Yowzas!  I've only heard of Chris getting a 60" plus bat, but don't remember if I saw the tape shot  or not.

Steve took a "Sasquatch fuzzy" photo of my personal Best Bat.  We had to throw 2 babies back and didn't know how many more she gave birth to while fighting her in for all that time.



Steve's rod was the next to start singing and it was another bat!  The bats were thick tonight.
Another monster at 52"



(Notice how my pic of Steve came out....  lol)

Steve wound up with one more that we thought was a leopard, but turned out to be a smaller 30 pound ray.  Funny how a 30 pound ray looks like bait after a 60".
We called it the night and felt pretty good.  I however am good with bats until the winter now and hope to not tangle into too many more of those girls in the surf or I'd be going in to surgery for sure!

[lamnidae]

Epic stuff!

[HalibutJoel99]

Wow! Tom, that is a monster Bat. Congrats man! Take a few more pics, I hate when they come in fuzzy. lol I did notice your picture of Squatch came in clear. 

Nice job on the Bat Steve!

[spideyjg]

Wonder if the birthing bats are attracting the grinners by putting "feed" in the water.

Noticed last time out lots of round rays now if lots of baby bats you better watch your feet.

Jim

[1morecast]

That is a beast bat, Tom. It's funny how we don't want to catch any of those bats until winter. 

[sasquatch]

Sorry the pics weren't better. I tried. Not sure why they were fuzzy, I mean I pushed the button right.

Whatever. Maybe you have a little Bigfoot in you.

Can't believe the mob of screaming kids when I got that leopard. Can't believe I got broken off on rocks 300 yards away. Can't believe that bat gave birth right there. That was cool.

[vdisney]

Never even heard of a 60" bat, unbelievable.  Like you, I'm over them for the year 

[Pinoyfisher]

I've heard they get bigger. Would love to land one someday... only one. Surf bats are just beasts!!

[LONGCAST JOE]

Tom? Didnt the words "All Tackle Record" enter your head? I believe the IFGA World is only 58" 191# 1978....
JOE

[shoresurfer]

Great catch!
Those things fight so hard.
Thanks for the post.

[EdgarP9]

That is a TOTAL BRUTE !Congrats'  My 57 " felt like 200 lbs , i wonder how heavy that thing was ...

[Sharkinthedark II]

Whatever. Maybe you have a little Bigfoot in you....TOO FUNNY!!! Super bat! Tail on her like an axe handle            

[Eric H]

Nice job on that big bat Tom.

Cute lil baby one there too.

[Latimeria]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.  I was a wreck trying to paint the trim of the house yesterday after battling that bat the previous night.  Yikes!

Tom? Didnt the words "All Tackle Record" enter your head? I believe the IFGA World is only 58" 191# 1978....
JOE

Yes, it did enter my mind, but I told myself long ago that certain fish weren't worth killing because I wouldn't eat them or they were too big to try and drag up that long ass walk to the truck.  I have a sling and big game scale, but did not have it with me at the time.  I might just leave that in the truck for times like those, but she was giving birth, which made me want to get her back soon as possible.

I'll figure out a way... just not easy lugging down the size equipment you may need.

[xjchad]

What a beautiful bat!  How cool to be able to deliver the babies!  Nice job!