Since all the scouting over the last couple months yielded zero bat rays, we were at a loss for were to fish. The harbor was our best option if we could find some sand, but they started dredging last week.Made the call to hit a beach we know will produce fish and hoped some rays showed up to play.
Dad and I got set up around 10am. Mark and Ricky showed up later. We soaked macks and squid all day for nada. Even tossed the LC and C-rigs with nothing to show for it. about 4:00 Ron showed up to cheer us on
Around 5:00 Mark and Ricky had had enough and headed out. I didn't blame them, and was tempted to follow. As the beach started clearing of people the tide started to come back in and it started looking really good. Ron set up to our left and between the three of us we had 5 rods out soaking mackerel.
Around 6:00 Dad gets a good bounce on his pole, but misses it. A half hour later it happens again. Somewhere in there Ron got a good run that was dropped also. About 7:30 my rod takes a bow and line starts peeling off. I picked it up, get the hook set and it’s off! Drag burning run that took a bit to get stopped. Played tug of war for a bit and then as I start to gain some line it heads south. Starts peeling line again so I crank down my already tight drag some more. At this point I’m thinking I actually have a decent bat here! It keeps going and I’m worried it will get into Ron’s line and does end up doing just that but not the close, the far one. Thankfully it wasn’t bad and Ron got it untangled quick. I finally turned him and he takes another big run north. The weight and power is amazing. This is when I start to feel some tail slaps and realize this is something toothier. After about 25 minutes he finally comes into the wash and we can see it’s a massive sevengill! Dad and Ron get him up on the sand so I can get the hook out and measure him. 104” male and he’s fat! I think Ron was right when he said it must have been all amped up on testosterone because we’ve never seen a 7 fight like that before. After a couple of pics we drag him back in the water (super heavy!) and he swims off nicely. So stoked for a new PB!
As I removed the hook Ron pointed out a lower tooth that was exposed and I was able to get myself a souvenir!
As we are talking and I start tying on a new rub leader one of Ron’s rods goes off. He’ll fill in his pics and story later….
Back down at our spot, I’m still trying to get a new rub leader tied on and my dad’s reel starts screaming! He gets the hook set and this fish is off to the races. This fish is hyper and every time my dad would gain some line it took off again. After about 15 minutes of this it finally gets into the white water and we see an unfamiliar tail surface. Soupfin! My dad’s first legit shark and it’s a VC soupie! I must have grabbed her tail a half a dozen times as I got her beached and she went berserk each time. This one turned out to be a 65” female and she had been abused recently. Three separate wounds on her.
I’m so stoked that my dad finally got his first real shark, but pretty jealous he got a Soupfin before me LOL!
We soaked bait for a couple more hours, but being cold and wet and hungry (along with the fact that the parking lot closed an hour ago) we decided to start packing it up. That’s when my dad gets another reel screamer. I was a lot closer so I got the hook set and handed it off to him. But after fighting into the wash it popped off and was gone. Probably another sevengill.
Got loaded up and stopped at In-N-Out to warm up with some burgers and watch the results of the Bat Fight. Congratulations Team LA!!! Ron, good fishing with you again bro, sorry for poaching your spot
Even after a long batless day, we sure ended on a high note and had a blast!
