Mission Bay Madness (7/2) plus (7/3) added. 32 more fish added.

[Latimeria]

Well this morning turned out pretty special.... 

Last minute call to fish MB with the bass gear.  I talked to Ben and was planning on meeting him down there, but his late night bat ray excursion left him in a deep slumber this morning.
I got to the water at first light and was really hoping for a dozen bass.  I figured by then the beach would be too crowded and a perfect time to leave. 

I was getting bit every other cast... and the grade of bass were on the better end!



Bait was boing and terns were diving, right on shore!



Just inhaling the 3" MC Anchovy buttered with Butt Juice.



I hit a dozen bass in no time at all!  There were a couple of anglers near me which were having crappy to no luck. It must have been the Procure Butt-Juice. 

I came across a (bass) or bait from an evening bat ray session last night.  The snails were having a good old time.



The bass kept coming and coming while the other guys just packed up and left.



Nicer grade fish for the most part with a few possible legals in the mix.



I had a huge hit on the drop of a long cast when I knew I had something different on.  I got him about 15' away and saw it was a "mid-20's" sized WSB!  I got too excited too quickly and dumped him on a quick run.  Grrr.   Two casts later and I get a huge hit on the drop again and I swing on him.  Nothing there... Clipped the line clean, so I had to tie on a weedless 1/2 oz head now with a 4" swimmy w/butt juice of course.  It didn't matter.  The bass kept biting.

Up close and met him in his turf.





I was thinking about going when I hit 20 bass, but then lost what I was sure was a halibut.  I had to stay and keep casting.
It wasn't long before I finally got a halibut beached...





I had to fish on and caught 3 more bass including this yellow guy!



Totals for 2.5 hours of fishing...

(23) Spotted Bay Bass
(1) Halibut

...and easily that many more lost as well as a few bigger models including the WSB.  Just as things were getting busy, I got going.
I'm pretty glad I got up this morning.  I almost just stayed in bed!  lol

[1morecast]

Nice session 

[BenCantrell]

Dang. 

[shoresurfer]

Nice report.
I like the way you switched it up from Sharks and Rays to the Bass.
Just goes to show it ain't the size of the fish you catch just how many fish you catch.

[sasquatch]

Beats my morning.of barn duty, urgent care, house cleaning.

[Eric H]

Nice session 

That's for sure, wtg

[HalibutJoel99]

Funny you mention the Terns, Tom! If I'm surf fishing and don't see them, I move! Heck of day you had. Congrats!

[Pinoyfisher]

Light rodding?? What the heck is that?!! Can't remember the last time I've fished lighter than 20lb or threw a swimbait.

[BenCantrell]

I'm just going to piggy back on this thread.  Managed to wake up from my "deep slumber" today and get out early on Mission Bay.  Beat Tom to the water by a half hour, but it didn't end up mattering because I hooked into my first bass as he was walking up.  Ended up with eleven, and Tom ended up with eighteen plus three small halibut.  I had a halibut on at one point, but it came off the hook and gave me the finger just five feet from shore!  Nonetheless, it was really cool seeing Tom's up close since I've never seen a flatfish.















This was probably the smallest of Tom's three halibut, but it's the only one I took a photo of.





I learned to be skeptical when Tom announced that he had a halibut on the line.  Half the time he was right, but the other times it was a small bass with a clump of grass.  He always announced it with such confidence though!



I stayed about twenty minutes after Tom took off, but it was a bad decision, because as soon as he left the kids on the beach became fearless and jumped in the water right where I was fishing.  Guess I don't have the intimidating look that Tom has. 

[Pinoyfisher]

I'm guessing it's more of a smell than a look

[WheresMyBeer]

Nice meeting you Ben for the second day sesh. Found a few more as I wondered down the beach.

[Latimeria]

Nice meeting you Ben for the second day sesh. Found a few more as I wondered down the beach.

I saw one of them... then I saw a few random Walmart Rod people coming down to fish with you. lol

[faster u fool]

great morning guys.  bass are snapping

[BenCantrell]

Nice meeting you Ben for the second day sesh. Found a few more as I wondered down the beach.

Good to meet you too!  What did advice dude tell you when you were off a ways to the left of us?

[WheresMyBeer]

He had smelt traps which were placed out there at low tide (submerged). Didn't want me to hook one. 

Between the traps and harbor seal was c*blocked on both sides. LOL ... Was a good move down the beach though.