30# Yellowtail from the Surf (Part 2)

[Latimeria]

For decades I've wanted to take an iron out into the surf and see if I could find something bigger than a YFC...  Never did it.  I tried off the rocks a few times here and there with limited success, but I usually folded my game plan and switched to a smaller bait in order to do more catching than casting.



Not this day...  I took an original Candy Bar that I wrapped in a Jig Skinz.  Jig Skinz are a great quick repair on your favorite old lures, but they don't hold up too well with toothy critters.





I went to TP first thing to see that all of the free parking was taken up!  WTF?!?! Did these guys camp here all night???
So I made my way in the other direction just hoping that the salad situation was good.

The wind was blowing from the SE pretty good and made casting kind of tough with the big bow in the line at each cast.  I worked my way south and had 3 solid hits with one sticking pretty good to put a big bend in the rod, until it fell off.  lol



I then almost sh!t my shorts.  I was wading out waist deep to get the most of my casts when out of the corner of my eye I saw a big dark shape rolling up to me.  I thought it was a big kelp stringer until I looked at it and it rushed me and bounced off my thigh!!!  4' Bat Ray just rammed me!  I squealed and bopped it with the butt of my rod.  The rest of my casting day was only done in ankle deep water.  LOL

Big shovels in the surf and even saw a leopard all in the skinny water.  I was about to start heading back when I get slammed and have this one stuck on the hook for sure!  Nice Calico!  It was even more weird is there was no reef around for miles, but some random bass that might have found a single rock to hang on.



As I was working my way back, I get another hit and he sticks!  I don't stop reeling as I'm affraid it will come off and see an 18-20" flattey with one of the trebles hanging out of its mouth.  I swing it up to me so I could get a picture and it does the halibut flop and falls back into the surf and swims off. 
I couldn't be more happy that I had 5 bites and caught 2 fish on the iron in the surf!  To me, that was a big success and makes me more confident to do it again in the near future.

Until next tide!

(I had to wait to get into work to put up this post since my computer is fried with the Black Screen of Death!)

[xjchad]

Very cool Tom!
How's the shoulder and back after all that heavy casting?

[Pinoyfisher]

Success for sure! I've tried the surface iron from the surf thing a few years back at S Mission near the jetty for nada. I knew it'd work, but just didn't put in the effort.

[BenCantrell]

That's really awesome.  What were the specs on your rod and line?

[Latimeria]

That's really awesome.  What were the specs on your rod and line?

11' Team Daiwa Surf Rod (H)

50# Braid Backing to 25# Big Game line.  I wanted to put 30#, but it was too stiff and I lost some distance.  25# worked great.

[skrilla]

Nice checker. "Surf-face" iron yellow is a definite bucket list fish.

[Eric H]

Big bonus points for throwing a surface  iron in the surf

And you got picked up 5 times!

Funny I've been thinking about doing this recently at one of my local spots that hold all of the right kind. I do feel a local yellow or 2 would frequent the area.

I've thrown surface irons from the jetty but never the surf.

I've seen some local reports recently where guys were throwing surface irons from the beach and getting big Calicos.

I'm thinking I'll give it a shot this weekend

[vdisney]

Very inspiring Tom, making me think   

[Fish Jerk]

Cool read. Love that you finally got one to stick.

[LONGCAST JOE]

Very cool Tom!
How's the shoulder and back after all that heavy casting?

Yesterday I tried dropshotting with my 13' Daiwa Saltiga,,  Shimano Aero 10000 spinner, throwing 4oz of lead...total workout, couldn't physically do it for more than an hour...Got my pendulum cast just about dialed in though

[xjchad]

That's really awesome.  What were the specs on your rod and line?

11' Team Daiwa Surf Rod (H)

50# Braid Backing to 25# Big Game line.  I wanted to put 30#, but it was too stiff and I lost some distance.  25# worked great.

Just changed the top shot on my Emcast 6000 from 40# to 25#. I've got some big SP Minnows to start with. Need to find some irons. What weight/size would you recommend?

[Latimeria]

That's really awesome.  What were the specs on your rod and line?

11' Team Daiwa Surf Rod (H)

50# Braid Backing to 25# Big Game line.  I wanted to put 30#, but it was too stiff and I lost some distance.  25# worked great.

Just changed the top shot on my Emcast 6000 from 40# to 25#. I've got some big SP Minnows to start with. Need to find some irons. What weight/size would you recommend?

I'd throw anything from a Tady45 to a Salas7x.  The Candy Bar is closer to size to the Tady45.  Light weight aluminum, so it doesn't sink fast and swims nice just a few feet down.

[Pinoyfisher]

Just heave out a lead as far as you can and slide out a live bait. Lots of little corbina and YFC swimming around right now.