Double Sharks.
Double Species.
Well the trip seemed to be starting out right. Conditions were looking good. Just as I exited the freeway to my AO, I get a text from wife, "Did you know you left your bait on the counter?".
--- Oh Fudge!!!! I was thinking its definitely not worth the drive home and back out again seeing as its an hour each way. Not much in the way of bait in this area as well. Googled tackle stores near me and found one 15-20 mins away that was open late enough to get to and had macs. OK, now it won't be a wasted trip after all.
Disaster averted.
Ok, back at the AO and on the beach 10 minutes before sundown. I can definitively see how bad Adam and Chad had it last night. That end of the beach is even more eroded into the rocks then the last time I was there. Glad I decided to come in from the north side.
Not much going on for the first 1.5 -2 hours, then I get the familiar rod jiggle that signals a sevengill knocking on the door. I get the drag tightened and do the slow pull circle set and its on! He makes a few small runs and does a little back and forth along the beach before he hits the sand. All right, no skunk tonight. 91" male in full breeding condition.
OK, re-baited with another mac head and get it back out there. I check the other rod that had the mac tail to find a museum quality mac skeleton with just a tiny nubbin of meat left at the hook. Damn crabs/lobsters what ever they are that do this. I decide to put out head on this rod instead this time.
Another 45 minutes later, I get a short run on the first rod. By the time I get there, I cant feel anything on the line, but the sputnik wasn't popped, so I decided to let it sit for a few before checking the bait. Shortly after, I get the jiggle jiggle, and the line loosens up. I do my slow circle set again and woohoo, fish on! This one only makes one short 10-15 yd run but is doing lots of head shaking. Once I get him in the skinny, I can see its a smaller shark than the last one. It wasn't until I grabbed his tail and saw a dorsal fin, that I realized what I had. I just got my first legit adult Soupfin. Taped, de-hooked and released. He measured in at a respectable 71".
Unfortunately, that was it for the night. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to have turned a near disaster of a night into a great Double Double night.
