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Shore Fishing => Salt Water Shore Fishing Reports => : LONGCAST JOE March 10, 2018, 09:39:03 PM
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Went on a solo bat recon mission at an “about remote as you can get in LA county” AO. Packed all my gear in and had a line in the water an hour or so after nightfall. Critters, critters and more critter nibbles destroying my baits so I went to a baseball size wad of squids on a 18/0 hook. As I was starting to doze off the sound of my clicker going off fast got me to my feet quick and I put my reel in gear and let the tension load up to get the circle hook set. During its first initial run there was no doubt it was a decent sized bat. It’s been a while since I’ve been hooked into a good size bat so at first I welcomed the battle but then towards the end I was quickly reminded that getting a big bat up on the sand solo in 3-4’ shorebreak’s back and forth wash on a steep beach sort of sucks balls and my back would agree. At least when I got the tape to it and it touched the 50” mark I felt some kind of accomplishment for the night....
The next morning I decided to trek into some of the most remote and trecherous shoreline I could find with my light rod throwing a 5” swimbait rigged weedless on a 1/2oz Sledhead and see if I could find a Halibut resting on some sandy patches amongst a reefy looking stretch of water. I hooked into something that I assumed was a nice size Hali until I got it into the skinny. Then all within a second or two-“ WSB? no, my first spotfin? wait, is that a yellowfin croaker? Holy sh!t! It’s freaky huge” is what goes through my mind as soon as I get glimpse of it.
Kickin myself for releasing it now that after I look and see the state record is 3lb14oz as there is no doubt in my mind this one was over 4 lbs, pushing 5...pics will be up by morning.
BTW that’s a size 12 wading boot next to it in the one pic..just saying.
LONGCAST JOE
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Sweet report Joe, excited to see the pics of the giant yfc!
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Once again, congrats Joe. You're giving me a complex here bro, I'm zero for my last three sessions :(
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Wow... Big bats and monster croaker. Man, I need to get out again soon.
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Great to see more monsters Joe!
Here's the pics.
(https://s20.postimg.org/69yw3lpel/image.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/69yw3lpeh/)
(https://s20.postimg.org/j1d2a3rgt/image.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/69yw3lhop/)
(https://s20.postimg.org/45ej2gqbx/image.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/cnnz6swuh/)
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Wow toads!! :o :o :o 8) 8) 8) 8)
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HUGE Croaker Bro!
And....... it looks like Bat Fight is starting to heat up ;D
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My biggest YFC was an 18.5" one that weighed over 3 pounds. Yep, that would have been a record. I also had the Starry Rockfish record and ate it after weighing and measuring it, never once realizing it was an IGFA ATWR at the time. That looks like it would have been the new record for sure.
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My biggest YFC was an 18.5" one that weighed over 3 pounds. Yep, that would have been a record. I also had the Starry Rockfish record and ate it after weighing and measuring it, never once realizing it was an IGFA ATWR at the time. That looks like it would have been the new record for sure.
Well, I’ll tell you what it did, that I really didn’t know the specifics of before or what exactly had to be done, is it made me prepare a plan of action, just in case it ever happens again, for the next possible state record record fish I might land. I bought a digital scale, printed out the submission form and probably the most important is made a geographical list including store or business hours of the possible government agency certified scales closest to all the stretches of sand I might be fishing at if I get lucky again.
I found that it would be ALOT more difficult if the catch is something that weighs over 50lbs, just in finding available verified scales that have that capacy alone, and then add the fact that it will probably be landed in off hours of business for any scale options left, I see one reason why you opt not to pursue putting big game catches of yours in the record books Tom.
So anyways, I think I’m prepared better now if I should happen to hit the record book fish lottery ever again...
Having went through the process a couple times, is there any first hand advice you could give to any of us that want to try to get a record catch submitted Tom?
I’m just talking about CA DF&W records, I understand IFGA is a whole nother ordeal and don’t really want to go there....