Had an interesting morning. Was on the way to meet Bryan at Goleta and got a flat on the freeway. Never fixed a tire in waiters before and hopefully never will again. Finally made it the the beach at around 6:30 and Bryan was already fishing. Dropped my buddy off at the slough and launched. First fish came on a 3 inch pepper trout BH on a 1/4 oz assault dart. Bite was real slow for the first hour or 2 but picked up on my way in to relieve myself. Landed 2 fish back to back about 5 feet from the rock. After about a 5 minute break got back in the water and Bryan was steadily starting his run. He had fish after fish after fish on a shallow water CRANKBAIT!! Couldnt believe it. I had a real nice fish hooked up and would have been my only legal of the day but I farmed it and things went down hill from there. My buddy got out to where we were and started fishing live smelt. Not 10 minutes in he gets a nice hook up. Ended up going 24 inches and a fattie at that. He proceeds to hook up another fish, 22 on the dot and I am steadily getting NADA! Finally decide to switch to live even though Bryan and I had been bad-mouthing the live fishermen all morning (I had to get a legal!). Just before I switched Bryan asks me if I wanted to try out a crank. After seeing his countless fish on the crank I took him up on his offer. On about the 2nd cast I get a hit and proceed to reel him in. Ended up being a fattie 12 inch BSP(Bar Surf Perch)but compared to the crankbait I was throwing you wouldnt think a BSP would have hit it. Continued throwing the crank and got a hit hooked it and then it came off. I couldnt understand how a fish could shake this mean crank with 3 trebles on it. Amazed me. Finally did land my first Halibut on the crank but was short. After about an hour of nothing Bryan headed in and I returned the crank and switched to live. Needless to say I caught nothing on the live and the bite definetly shut off. Took off at about 12:30 with only 4 fish to account for and about 10 fish missed. All in all a poopoo day on the palstics. Will however be going out and getting some of those crankbaits this week and will be back at it Wed. night.

DBLAZ'