Croakin' at Mariner's Basin...

[Carpkiller]

Took a trip down Memory Lane with shrimp pump in hand. Historically, good bite on incoming tide and today followed the pattern. '

23 or so fish, seven species. Sand and Spotted Bass, round ray, dink halibut, a buttload of chunky yellowfin croaker, diamond turbot and a rock wrasse.

Also saw a diamond ray, angel ray and bat ray crusing around. Suspect it was the latter that nearly spooled me before coming unbuttoned.

Spektrum added a couple of species from shore and in his tube.

[Moose]

Always fun to catch multiple species. Nice job!

[Carpkiller]

Two weeks later...

Hit the same spot. Pumped three dozen shrimp and got to work.

31 fish today...six species...

YFC, turbot, round ray, calico bass (tiny), spotted bay bass, and get this....eleven rock wrasse. Eight of the wrass(es?) would qualify for my pb for that fish. They were 13 inches plus in length, and fat. Not big belly full of roe fat....fat all the way down to the tail. Sturdy fish all.

I'm just gettin' to the weird part...

Only one of these fatties was male. Supposedly, rock wrasse turn from male to male when they reach a certain size, and I've never caught a female over 12 inches long before. But the fish in this area weren't switching. Apparently there are enough males in the area to get the procreatin' done.

Global warming? Covid? Tsunami?

[hiepatitis]

We have to get out again. Thank you for teaching us how to fish that day. Forever grateful