Had Memorial day off so I hit the beach about 9:00 to a low bottoming out tide. Worked an area that likes an ultra low tide and small surf day. It has been good to us in the past under similar conditions. This place gets ultra clear so we fish three inch clear red or everclear hammers on silver heads. Worked it hard for about an hour with no bites. Then my first cast in a new spot, I get two cranks and set on something heavy. Must of been a big stingray, cause when it wanted line it took it. I put all the pressure I could on given my 8 lb. P-Line CXX. It took me into some rocky kelpy stuff and I got it out once. Actually made a charge at landing it and gained some ground. It takes a bit more line and finally lets go. Didn’t actually break the line, the hook bent out.

The water farther down was not as good as the stuff I had tried first, a bit more muddy and salad. Switched to a rip bait and moved back to the clean water and good structure. Worked that hard for another hour for no bites. It was getting frustrating cause the water looked so good. Moved to anther good spot. I’m ripping my bait back from way out. The inside even here had some salad so when it would get to that zone I was just grinding it in and clearing it. About the second cast I’m working it in, no bites, so I start grinding it to get ready for the next. About 4 feet of line was out and I’m just starting to lift the bait out of the water. All I see is a big mouth come up out of the haze. This thing erupted on it so hard, it actually came completely out of the water with my bait in it’s mouth. It actually was so violet that I jumped back as it came out of the water. As soon as my brain processed what was actually was happening the thing had landed. I was in waist deep water and started immediately crab walking sideways towards shore. With only four feet of line out I was using my rod more to guide it while palming my spool and trying frantically to back off the drag. I figured if I let it turn it’s head out I was likely snapped off as I really didn’t want to test my now abused 8 pound. Fortunately the fish cooperated and only got side ways good one time and I felt the power. A couple of small waves came through and progressed everything towards the beach. When it got into about 4 inches of water it went ballistic and covered me with sandy water. Finally got the boga on it and felt the heft.

30.5 inches (measured the right way) and thick. Bounced between 11.5 and 12 on the boga. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics. My biggest ever from the beach.


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/6792-flatty_2..jpg


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/6793-flatty..jpg


Bryan

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