Hit the beach at 6:30. Caught 1 YFC (12.75”), 1 halibut (19.5”) and 3 perch. Caught YFC in less than 10 minutes. Halibut was caught 15 minutes after that. Lost another YFC at my feet. From 7 am to 8 am caught nothing. All caught on LC.
Switched from LC to gulps. From 8 am to 8:30 caught 3 perch, all 5” to 6”. Halibut hit the LC about 25’ from me as I was reeling in. A little short in length, it seemed very thick.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2025 3:53 pm
by jwacky
Mike A wrote: Wed Sep 17, 2025 12:21 pm
Hit the beach at 6:30. Caught 1 YFC (12.75”), 1 halibut (19.5”) and 3 perch. Caught YFC in less than 10 minutes. Halibut was caught 15 minutes after that. Lost another YFC at my feet. From 7 am to 8 am caught nothing. All caught on LC.
Switched from LC to gulps. From 8 am to 8:30 caught 3 perch, all 5” to 6”. Halibut hit the LC about 25’ from me as I was reeling in. A little short in length, it seemed very thick.
Not a bad outing!
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2025 6:52 pm
by Midnightpass
Sounds good to me…
Butch
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:45 am
by Everydog
I was happy to get Ironknuckles' post right before my overnighter at South Carlsbad beach, even though I think he said North Carlsbad. I found big sand crabs, though not many in the first afternoon, yesterday, and lots of perch and one decent corbina. This morning, with a headlamp, it was much easier to find big crabs because, much to my surprise, a lot of them leave their backs showing when the waves go out. I got about 15-20, but I wasn't feeling it there, and I had to check out by 10 anyway. It didn't seem like long enough for the tide to get where I wanted it, but it might have been. So I took the big crabs to Del Mar. Things looked way better structure-wise. I fished until about 8:30 for mid/fast incoming tide. A lot of sand and foam were churned up with some seaweed. There were no noticeably clean water sections, sand, or foam, which always stresses me out. Notwithstanding, I caught several regular perch, and after about five fishing trips without another good spotfin, one came in around 20".
Now, I'll report something, but take it with a grain of salt. I got a bite, and all of a sudden it felt like I had a rock, but there was just enough vibration to know a fish was on, too. I held tight with a pretty solid rod and 15-pound test, and then something gave, and I was fighting my fish. I landed a 16-18-inch fat corbina, and at about halfway, both sides were seriously strafed and bleeding. I am not claiming anything, just reporting what happened. All in all, I feel so fortunate to have these kinds of opportunities.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:51 am
by jwacky
Everydog wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:45 am
Notwithstanding, I caught several regular perch, and after about five fishing trips without another good spotfin, one came in around 20".
A 20" perch?!?! Wow! Would have loved to see that!
Everydog wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:45 am
Notwithstanding, I caught several regular perch, and after about five fishing trips without another good spotfin, one came in around 20".
A 20" perch?!?! Wow! Would have loved to see that!
Believe he meant a 20" spotfin
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:57 am
by Everydog
One 20" spotfin. I'd better run that line through Grammarly. The perch have been bigger at Del Mar, especially in some sections, and especially last Saturday, but the trend for the 3 or 4 trips has been bigger perch around rocks. The perch I caught in South Carlsbad yesterday afternoon were the "palm-sized" and smaller.
Everydog wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:45 am
Notwithstanding, I caught several regular perch, and after about five fishing trips without another good spotfin, one came in around 20".
A 20" perch?!?! Wow! Would have loved to see that!
Believe he meant a 20" spotfin
Ha! Now that I re-read it and has since been clarified, you are correct
I was thinking man, I'd love to fry up that big of a perch!!!!
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 5:21 pm
by Everydog
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 5:30 pm
by Mike A
Wow, sliced up. Could he have been rolled up somehow in your line. Never seen stuff like this.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:36 pm
by Everydog
The other side. It was dead weight....and it happened right when the fish bit.
I would bet Camobass is going to say Halibut if he comes around. My buddy, who fishes the bay a lot and used to fish the surf, has little doubt. It was in around 4 feet of water in the sand at the bottom of one hot corner of a reef.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:43 pm
by Ironchuckers
Everydog wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:45 am
I was happy to get Ironknuckles' post right before my overnighter at South Carlsbad beach, even though I think he said North Carlsbad. I found big sand crabs, though not many in the first afternoon, yesterday, and lots of perch and one decent corbina. This morning, with a headlamp, it was much easier to find big crabs because, much to my surprise, a lot of them leave their backs showing when the waves go out. I got about 15-20, but I wasn't feeling it there, and I had to check out by 10 anyway. It didn't seem like long enough for the tide to get where I wanted it, but it might have been. So I took the big crabs to Del Mar. Things looked way better structure-wise. I fished until about 8:30 for mid/fast incoming tide. A lot of sand and foam were churned up with some seaweed. There were no noticeably clean water sections, sand, or foam, which always stresses me out. Notwithstanding, I caught several regular perch, and after about five fishing trips without another good spotfin, one came in around 20".
Now, I'll report something, but take it with a grain of salt. I got a bite, and all of a sudden it felt like I had a rock, but there was just enough vibration to know a fish was on, too. I held tight with a pretty solid rod and 15-pound test, and then something gave, and I was fighting my fish. I landed a 16-18-inch fat corbina, and at about halfway, both sides were seriously strafed and bleeding. I am not claiming anything, just reporting what happened. All in all, I feel so fortunate to have these kinds of opportunities.
Glad I could help!
BTW it's IronChuckers... But Knuckles sounds cool too.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:57 pm
by Everydog
Deleted for possible perception of rudeness.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:25 pm
by Everydog
Mike A wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 5:30 pm
Wow, sliced up. Could he have been rolled up somehow in your line. Never seen stuff like this.
There was no indication of that, and I have fought plenty of foul-hooked fish. He just seemed stuck, but I was in front of a reef I know pretty well.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:29 pm
by Spektrum
Either a big halibut or he was stuck between a sharp rock and a hard place. Doubt it was Halibut as that would have been a monster of a california halibut. Statically I'm sure the number of sharp ass rocks is greater than monster halibut
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 11:41 am
by Everydog
Spektrum wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:29 pm
Either a big halibut or he was stuck between a sharp rock and a hard place. Doubt it was Halibut as that would have been a monster of a california halibut. Statically I'm sure the number of sharp ass rocks is greater than monster halibut
The rock possibility is plausible. Seeing the injuries on the more slender half of the fish is interesting in that regard. Thanks.
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2025 12:49 pm
by Everydog
I shared the recent fishing trip, including the photos of the injured corbina, with Bill Varney, who does the weekly YouTube SoCal fish reports. It was a fun exchange via email, and he said I could share his insights. Just for reference, I collected the crabs in Carlsbad and took them to Del Mar to fish.
Here in Italics:
Great report Russell!
That's good news that there is still some nice crabs at Carlsbad. Certainly possible that a halibut bit the corbina. Not sure if your friend saw the halibut but their mouth is sideways and I would assume that there were bites on the other side? Because halibut have such sharp teeth we often see things they try to eat have been "raked" by teeth marks. This looks like a bit cleaner bite..maybe a ray or leopard shark...always a mystery in the sea.
Thanks again for the report...please keep them coming!
Bill www.fishthesurf.com
Surf Fishing's Light-Line Revolution...
And.... Oh yes, go ahead and post. Over the years I've seen a lot of fish with wounds and they are almost always another fish biting them. I find it very hard to believe that those cuts are from a rock or boat, etc.
Also of note, over all the years I've almost never caught or seen a fish with an infection. Because of the salinity and iodine in our water fish heal quickly...plus, because they are not exposed to air, there is very little chance of infection.
That's how it is in Davey's Locker, fish vs. fish...and they are all hungry!
Bill www.fishthesurf.com
Surf Fishing's Light-Line Revolution...
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2025 12:24 pm
by Ironchuckers
Everydog wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:57 pm
Deleted for possible perception of rudeness.
Everydog wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:57 pm
Deleted for possible perception of rudeness.
I thought it was funny...
Thanks!
Re: North County trips.
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2025 8:21 am
by HK_Supermarket
only got to fish an hour this weekend after work in the rain. Went to cardiff and saw birds diving. Tried the jerk bait and spoon but no luck. Saw a few other dudes fishing and I think I saw one pull in a bass and the other a big croaker. Not sure what they used and how they were managing with all the weeds. I was raking in balls of weed on almost every cast.
Hope you guys did better than I did this weekend.
