Surf Fishing Malibu 01-29-2014

Having not fished in five days, I had the itch. So I checked the tides (and it was after a new moon) which were a low of -1.47' @ 2:32 PM and a high of +4.12' @ 8:47 PM. So headed for my favorite city Malibu, CA and arrived at 2:06 PM, about a half hour before the low. I love this particular spot at minus tides as I can walk out to where I am often fishing and scope out the terrain for future trips and I can cast way further out than I usually can.

Thinking the fishing would be hot because of the new moon, I was disappointed for the first three hours of not getting anything. But the whole day was changed at 5:02 PM when I miscast over a rock. When this happens I typically reel in fast as to not get snagged, which I did this time as well except I waited a second and my bait got HAMMERED. I knew right away it was a nice fish, either a big calico of medium sized shark, but I also knew I had to get whatever it was over that rock I cast over so I started reeling in like a mad man (like I usually do really, lol). This sucker fought me the whole way in trying to rock me and not coming to the surface, so I knew it was a Calico. After the battle was over and I climbed carefully to shore from the rock perch I was casting from I was able to celebrate and soak in the beauty I had just caught. A 20+" Calico Bass that weighed 4 pound 2.2 ounces after bleeding when I weighed it at home. What a fish! Biggest Calico I have caught to date for sure!

No more fish after that, but that one fish was enough for the day for sure. I was also treated to another gorgeous sunset and took a lot of "terrain" pictures while out knee deep in the trenches, lol. I headed home from one of my little paradises in Malibu, CA / sunny Southern California at 6:47 PM a very satisfied and happy fisherman. Bait was squid as usual.

Short But Fruitful Surf Fishing Trip To Malibu 01-23-2014

Even though I had fished the previous two days and had a grassy ready for the freezer, my buddy Doug (in first pic) called me up and asked if I felt like fishing because he felt like going to the beach. That was enough for me and after he got to my house we headed down to Malibu, CA of course. We arrived around 9:20 AM and I went to fishing while he wandered around soaking in the beauty. I got my first fish at 10:20 AM after moving down about a 1/4 mile from my original location, which was a 10" or so grass rockfish. Got some bites, nibbles and snags here and there until 11:11 AM when my bait (squid) was hammered and the fight was on! After a short battle I pulled in a beautiful fat piggy Cabazon that measured 19+" and weighed 3 pounds 3.9 ounces (after I got it positioned so it's tail was not resting on the cutting board). What a fish! After getting it in a bucket of water to stay alive I went back to fishing and caught my final fish for the day at 11:22 AM, which was a 9-10" grass rockfish. After packing up and bleeding the cabby we headed home at 11:40 AM, me being very happy with the results :). The packaged fillets in the last picture from the grassy the day before and the cabby was mislabeled and should read that I caught the cabby on 01-23-2014. Another fantastic day of fishing in Malibu, CA in sunny Southern California, man I love it here!!!

Best Sunrise Ever While Surf Fishing Malibu 01-22-2014

Not satisfied with yesterdays catch, I headed back to Malibu, CA to do some more surf fishing alone. I arrived at 6:30 AM with sunrise slated for 6:57 AM. Low tide was a 1.85' @ 7:19 AM and high was a 3.09 @ 12:31 PM, bait was squid. After being treated to one of the most beautiful pre-sunrise and sunrises I have ever witnessed and recorded I caught my first fish for the day at 7:59 AM, which was a nice 16" grass rockfish! Now that is the kind of fish I am looking for :). Back in the water and fishing was pretty slow the rest of the day, but I did catch one more fish at 11:25 AM, which was another grass rockfish around 9" or so. Tired and satisfied with my one keeper I packed up and headed home from Malibu a happy man around 12:30 PM. I was so glad I got my butt up early to see this amazing sunrise in sunny Southern California, it was worth it!!! Hope you all enjoy!