Scratching the itch (08-28-17)

[Pinoyfisher]

Needed to fish even though the tide sucked and it was already past 9pm. First baits in the water by 9:45pm. Using 2 rods. 3 casts in a row, big clumps of broken up kelp and eel grass. Not a good sign, but the surf was little to none, so I kept at it.

No bites until the tide started to swing up. Critters were hollowing out the mack heads. Threw a tail on one rod and I get my first hookup. No head shakes, but solid weight and it's fighting back some. Was thinking a bat in the upper 30" class. Ended up being a decent butterfly ray.





I missed a couple solid take downs in the other rod while fiddling with the ray. I'm guessing lobster. Rebait and reel in other rod for a bait check. I start to walk the shore line checking for "things" and I her a click and see a rod tip bounce around. Set the hook and feel nothing, so I reel it in. Got a cute little eel on it. No thicker than my rod and maybe 2' long. He still managed to put a knot in my rig   I release it and toss out another bait. While I was digging a bait out of the cooler, I see a little green glow near my foot. I check it out after casting and it runs from me! Turns out it's a sand flea. I guess it absorbed light from my headlamp?? Had no idea they could do that.



12:30am quickly arrived and even though the bites were increasing, 3hrs of basketball was starting to catch up with me and I called it. The signs are there, grinners should be sliding up the sand with regularity pretty soon!!

[BenCantrell]

Is a butterfly ray +1, 0, or -1?

Seriously though, nice catch!

Was the eel a moray or something else?  There's probably some sort of shrimp eel species here, but I'm not sure.

[Pinoyfisher]

Is a butterfly ray +1, 0, or -1?

Seriously though, nice catch!

Was the eel a moray or something else?  There's probably some sort of shrimp eel species here, but I'm not sure.

Thornbacks are the only minus. Lol! I believe the eel is a moray.

[Latimeria]

Is a butterfly ray +1, 0, or -1?

Seriously though, nice catch!

Was the eel a moray or something else?  There's probably some sort of shrimp eel species here, but I'm not sure.

Thornbacks are the only minus. Lol! I believe the eel is a moray.

Thornbacks = (-1)
Morays & Round Rays = (0)
Butterfly Ray... Definitely = (+1)

[Latimeria]

Nice session Mike.  We'll get Ben all up to speed here in a hurry. 

[BenCantrell]

Round rays have to be -1. 

[Pinoyfisher]

Round rays have to be -1. 

Agreed, round rays should be -1 also.

[sasquatch]

Round rays have to be -1. 

Agreed, round rays should be -1 also.

Nope.

[Latimeria]

Nope, the only minus one's were named from a guy we fished with 10+ years ago.  When we say -1, we know exactly what it was.  Eels and round rays just plain don't count.  lol

[lightline21]

Way to go Mike!

[HalibutJoel99]

Nice Butterfly, Mike. 

[BenCantrell]

Nope, the only minus one's were named from a guy we fished with 10+ years ago.  When we say -1, we know exactly what it was.  Eels and round rays just plain don't count.  lol

I was -3 last weekend. 

[Pinoyfisher]

Nope, the only minus one's were named from a guy we fished with 10+ years ago.  When we say -1, we know exactly what it was.  Eels and round rays just plain don't count.  lol

I was -3 last weekend. 

Lol!!