Heartbreak and triumph in the Soup kitchen

[Jaws]

Finally had the full crew on the sand for the first time in what seems like forever!!

Met Dakota and Jimmy at the soup kitchen for a team search for the grinners great to be on the sand again with the full " SC Critter Hunters" once again!




We were met with tiny surf , no weeds and a killer sunset!



Settled in with some tasty bait kindly supplied by Dakota for what we hoped was an epic soak...
Had a few bites and a couple of short pickups that kept us hoping for some real action, we were stunned after reading the recent reports of the salad fest that we were salad free......well about 8pm the salad rolled in in full force! We were having to reel in and clear the mess every ten minutes or so! We were all hoping it was just a passing thing and sure enough about 45 minutes later we were once again salad free

9pm rolls around and I see my rod take a small bounce so I hop over but dismiss it as some leftover salad, I,m about to walk away when I notice a second bump so I draw the rod out and take up some slack and when I feel the third hard tap I set the hook and IT'S ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could tell right away that this was the right kind and it was not happy about getting bit back by the hook!   Even with the drag on my 50 Saltist almost buttoned down she was screaming towards Hawaii  epic battle and finally slowed her down and had her headed toward the skinny got her within 20 yards of the sand and shes in 3' of water and we see right away that its a monster soupie and shes pissed!!!!!!
Have her coaxing into the last little bit when she does a headstand in the water and we see at least three or four feet of shark thrashing out of the water with the other three nosed into the sand the guys are ready to wade in and go for the grab when the unthinkable happens......she spits my 12/0 circle hook!!!!!!

!%#%@^@&@   

Cant do anything but watch as the tip of what felt like my PB head back into the waiting arms of the Pacific

While I'm cursing my rush to bring her in I notice I get my rig back sans sputnik!
Oh well we will duel again someday!

While I am re-tying my rig (something I do after every fish) I notice a couple of "fuzzy" spots on my braid about 4' and 6' above the hook



Vindication as to whether re-tying after every grinner or bat was truly warranted

well the evening continued with not much more than teaser bites and chomped baits til about 10:30 when my rod bounces again and the adrenaline kicks in and I'm thinking possible retribution, set the hook and feel nothing but mush so I yell to the crew who are madly trying to clear lines that its weeds, when all of a sudden the "weeds"starts the drag to screaming! Full bendo!!
Doesn't take me long to realize "big fish" but with no shakes and no tail thumps I soon realize bat! Dang but this one was a mack truck!!! I'll tell you shallow beachand small waves plus mondo bat makes for a tough landing! It took me walking backwards halfway to the mountains and Jimmy and Dakota both to drag this behemoth out of the surf!!! 54" and absolutely the fattest bat I have ever pulled on!





She was so fat when I rolled her over to pull the hook this pic shows how high she was in the back!



And here's the glory shot


After sending her back to the surf we stuck it out til 11:30 with no more love.


But tonight is for payback! LOL

[sasquatch]

Right on Joe. Bummer about the shark, but I havent even gotten bit the last few times out, so I would be stoked to get that much action.

[raychavez91]

Nice stuff man, I'm glad its picking up in a big way! Sorry about the Soup and sput.

[Latimeria]

Excellent fishing guys!  That super sucks about the soupie, Joe.  I'm sure you will get your revenge sooner than later!  Great read too!

That is a dandy of a bat and with the salad starting to dissipate, it looks like it is time to strike again!

Funny thing, I was fishing this morning with Josh and we nailed the bats!  I also caught a 54" that was the fattest/most pregnant bat I've ever seen! 

[jlwells]

If it makes you feel any better Steve I've been having the same luck. Only fish I've caught this year was at the bat fight.

Great night of fishing, bummer that soupie broke off it was huge.

[sasquatch]

It doesn't make me feel much better Jimmy, but thanks for trying. Keep putting in your time. You will get the fish you are looking for.

[Latimeria]

You are in the right place at the right time... but it is just a matter of the soupie wanting your offering over the others.  I have no doubt that you are on target!

[j.rasta]

Dayum guys, I lost a donkey this morning, then tom gets a 54" JLo bat, almost a carbon copy of ur sesh, except we had like 17 bites! no joke

[Pinoyfisher]

If it makes you feel any better Steve I've been having the same luck. Only fish I've caught this year was at the bat fight.

Great night of fishing, bummer that soupie broke off it was huge.

If there was ever a time to only catch a lone bat, it's the winning one at a bat fight!!

[Pinoyfisher]

Bummer about the soup loss Joe. At least you saw it...

[Eric H]

Killer bats. Bummer about the soupy. Hit it again tonight.

[SevengillTheVC]

Nice sesh, you'll get a rematch!

[1morecast]

I chummed up that spot really good the night before so hopefully we'll see more sharks show up.

[Tim524]

Sounds like a fun time even if you lost the soup fin. Someone should video these catches and make a short documentary about the monster critters that lurk in our waters