Fished south of Santa Barbara this morning. Overcast sky, rolling 1 to 2 ft surf, mild red tide (not as bad as 2 days ago), had the whole stretch of beach for myself. Worked the gulp 1 1/2" minnow (green color)
Got there around 6:30 am..... second cast, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz my reel sings. Mr bean gets up early to greet me. Nice fish around 19 inches (sorry no pics, was half sleep still and forgot the camera in the car).
For the next 2 hours I only managed a handfull of WEP, worked a good 3/4 of a mile looking for fishies to play with. Decide to head back, then right around 9:30 at the same hole where I had caught the corbina earlier it goes wide open with perch. Ended up with upwards of 20 fish (a few dinks in the mix but, most right around the 10 to 11 inch range)
While bringin a perch in, out of the corner of my eye something catches my attention. Looked to my right and see a big corbina beached on the sand. Had to be at least 2 feet long !!! as I reel the perch and release it, I see it catch the next wave and dissappear in the surf ! I tried casting a couple of time in the direction I tought it was headed but no love.
Bummer!!
Just as I am thinking it's time for a cup of coffe............ SLAM!!! something big rips my lure and takes off like a freight train. It had me running up and down the beach for a good 20 minutes. Finally, I start to gain some line on it and see him. HUGE shovelnose, I guesstimate it to be at least 3 1/2 feet long.
This thing felt like a truck on the end of my line.... (arm still sore as I write this report) Attempted many times to beach it but, everytime I'd get near it, it would see me and swim back in the surf. Having nobody around to lend a hand, I get anxious and decide to try to horse in. BIG MISTAKE!
As I get it once more near the edge, I tried to time the next wave to see if I could beach it........... well, you all know what happens next right?
SNAP.... goes my 4 lb leader, and the 1/2 oz sinker slings right back towards me hittin' me right in the jewels!
Laid there kneeling in the water, holding back tears and turning my head around to make sure no one had witnessed such stupidity! Luckily, nobody around! LOL
Dragged my bum up the berm and sat on the sand for about 10 minutes waiting for the pain to subside and to ponder why do I do what I do knowing better.
Anyhow,,,, it was a fun morning nonetheless. Still a bit sore but, mr shovelnose sure gave me a nice battle.
PD Finally got to test the drag on my Daiwa SOL. It let line out smooth as silk and not once did it feel like it couldn't handle the situation. Love my SOL now even more!
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