Met up with Frank at Malibu pier around 2. We fished there for a few hours for absolutely nothing. I saw 1 small ray and 1 small thornback pulled out among the crowd. Talked to a local who fished there all day yesterday and he said it was the same scene.

Frank suggested we take a walk down to surfrider beach and give it a shot. The waves were really small and the tide coming in. It looked good out there. I didn't have my surf outfit, but I did have a 6'6" trout pole with my new Shimano Biomaster 2000 loaded with 6lbs P-Line. This is by far the best reel that I've ever owned. Take a look at the link below for a detailed review that I put up.

Anyways, I didn't even have my grubs with me so I was throwing a 3" Bighamer swimbait (chovy color) with a 1/4oz head. I've never thrown this in the surf before so I wasn't expecting much. I just wanted to get a feel for throwing it around.

After a few casts I get nailed hard. It turns out to be a slab perch (about 1lbs). Man this fish inhaled this big bait. I kept casting along the beach and another slab inhales the swimbait. My confidence is rising at this point as the sun is setting. I keep casting and I feel a hit. I set the hook and the rod just stops. Whatever it is is really heavy and won't move. I then proceed to drag it in like it's a big mat of kelp. As it nears the shore I feel some head shakes and the line starts burning off the reel. The drag is so smooth on this reel that I didn't even notice it at first. I fight the fish for a while and I caught a glimpse of it in the waves. It's long and flat. Halibut! My goal this year is to catch a legal from the surf so my heart was pounding. I keep fighting it in and out right in the shorebreak. Then this wave comes in and pushes the fish towards me. There was a split second when the line went slack because it came towards me so fast. I recover the line and find out that the fish is no longer attached to it. All I could do was sit down in disbelief! ;)

Regardless of the lost fish I learned 2 very important lessons today. 1. These swimbaits work very well in the surf in the right conditions. 2. Halibut can be caught within an easy casting distance in the surf.

Sure I've heard many people tell me these two things before (I've read many fishing reports claiming both). But I had to experience this myself to be a true believer. And yes, I am a believer now. Watch out legal surf halibut, whereever you are. I'm coming for you armed with my swimbaits. Next time you won't get so lucky. ;)



Tom