Break Out the Bait Thread! (9/22)

[Latimeria]

First day of Fall.... 



I went to the ortho to get another shot and my shoulder checked out.  Looks like surgery is around the corner, but super cool Doc and got me in and out 45 minutes early... with my cortisone shot in the shoulder and all!  Unfortunately, I was thinking I would be there for a while and packed all the Tuesday night fishing gear.  I called Squatch, but he ran home first and there was no way I was fishing on a crowded hot beach day (everyday seems to be a beach day now).

I ran home instead and worked on the new wine bar for a bit and grabbed a bite to eat before driving up to meet Steve,
We were totally due as our last 6 trips have only panned out a couple of bass and a Smoothhound. 

I used two macks I had in the bag as bait thieves were terrible last night.  I brought a bunch of bonito scraps from the big bone I caught on Friday and decided to bust out the bait thread.  I've only used it once on the boat and never wrapped baits with it on shore.  Squatch does all the time and it looks like great stuff for the surf, so I made myself some a nice wrapped bonito belly bait and sailed it out.

The bait thieves were ruthless... but the evening view was very calming and relaxing.



About an hour before we were going to leave and after the tide started filling in pretty good, Steve's rod started doing the "Big Shark is On Your Line" dance!  Steve ran over and it looked like he was on, but dropped it.  He reeled in a perfect chunked bait, but the wire a foot up from the bait was shredded like the shark needed a good floss!  Damn!!!

30 seconds later and I'm standing next to my rod and it just loads up and doubles over!  Now it's been 5 months since I hooked my last shark, so needless to say I was a little rusty on setting the drag and such.  I thought I had it at my usual tight setting, but it must have been down a click or two on the star drag because this thing dumped my line down to the braid!  200 yards screaming out to sea, so I thought it might be a BSB.

Finally turned it and wasn't sure... I have only caught 5 sharks from the surf this year and all have been the sluggish 7-gill....  It's been since last year that I caught a soupie, so I forgot how bad ass they were!

Squatch did the honors and tail grabbed him.  I yelled "Sorry Steve, I Mike Iconellied You".  (That's when you say you have a giant or call out the wrong fish, and you are sadly mistaken)  LOL

71" female.  Incoming tide.  Bonito.  Waxing Crescent Moon.  2'-4' sets.



I was stoked to finally see both of us have an opportunity after all these blanked evenings, so I guess the "Fall Shark Season" has officially begun on the first day of Fall!

Thanks for reading and let the games begin!

[itsyaboysears]

Good stuff Tom!! Hopefully it's a good fall season

[Tim524]

Starting things off the right way, nice catch

[sasquatch]

Ugh.

[SevengillTheVC]

Very nice! With the sun setting sooner and temps cooling I think I'll make a run here in the next few weeks! Good to see some results!

[Pinoyfisher]

There it goes...

[vdisney]

Outstanding Tom, you were way overdue.  FWIW, I caught my first soupfin on bonito tied with thread.

[jrodda]

Nice soup! You inspired me to get out tonight, though I got Squatch's result. Coincidentally also tried bait thread for the first time tonight with mack, not sure how I feel about it yet.