Last Minute Night Dive

Went with family to get pizza and beers after older daughter was done with swim practice.

Towards the end of the meal I said to my wife "you know baby, I was thinking next time I go look for halibut I should just go at night while you guys are asleep...I saw quite a few last time once the sun went down...and that way I wont miss any family time while I'm diving..."

Much to my surprise she said "that's a good idea, you should have gone tonight..."

Me: "well, I can...not dark until 8...you ok with it?"

Her: "sure, go for it"

 

Finished last slice of pizza and my glass of Sculpin, drove home and grabbed dive gear and headed to beach.

Viz was worse than I expected and water felt colder than last dive, but I was still hopeful...

Saw a LOT of squid which was cool, another school of mullet and took one, and eventually the mouth of a butt in the sand...

Didn't look very big but was confident it was legal (and it was) so popped it right in gill plate.

Looked around for awhile more but was not seeing anything else so hopped out and gutted and gilled the two fish, took a few pics and headed home.

Will fillet the butt after work and gift the fillets to a good buddy who has really helped us out recently with my wife having to move classrooms.

Think I'll try the scaled/gutted mullet on the grill this time.

Third butt this year and second mullet ever...stoked!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Halibut !! F***in yeah !!!!!
Congrats on such an understanding wife!

Btw, how close in were the squid... shallow depths?  May have to squid hunt with a flashlight...

where'd you go?  i rode my moto down to sunset beach after work yesterday to scope the campsite.  a work buddy and i are gonna go hit the hike/bike camp tonight for fun...pretty lame i didn't bring my rod though.  ocean looked pretty glassy.  been hittin up elkhorn slough brewing lately, i like it.

Thanks fellas!

Btw, how close in were the squid... shallow depths?  May have to squid hunt with a flashlight...

Shallow and close...how do you hunt them? Sabiki? Net?

They looked tasty!

 

where'd you go?  i rode my moto down to sunset beach after work yesterday to scope the campsite.  a work buddy and i are gonna go hit the hike/bike camp tonight for fun...pretty lame i didn't bring my rod though.  ocean looked pretty glassy.  been hittin up elkhorn slough brewing lately, i like it.

I was south of the pajaro a bit...

Elkhorn is cool. I work right next to it. Hit me up next time you go and I'll try and sneak over.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Bringing the mullet back in style 

Must be nice to live so close to the ocean.

You're an animal Jim!

Shallow and close...how do you hunt them? Sabiki? Net?

They looked tasty!

 

Jim, I use a squid jig, but if they are in swarms, I may be tempted to get out my cast net... which I've never used before. Congrats again.  My wife rolls her eyes when I tell her I'm fishing for halibut b/c I haven't brought one home in years...

I hate having a 4 hour drive, I want to be you when I grow up

The fish are NO longer safe: day or night!  Beware BIGJIM maybe near👀😁

Awesome.

You're an animal. I don't think I could dive with pizza in my belly.

Any chance of some night time underwater photos?
And you actually put your lips on a RAIDERS glass???? WTF?!?!

Thanks guys! 

Any chance of some night time underwater photos?
And you actually put your lips on a RAIDERS glass???? WTF?!?!

No UW pics Tote...GoPro wasn't charged since didn't think I would be going during week.

Yeah, the pizza place gave me the glass with my half pitcher of Ballast Point...is ok...better than a Falcons glass. 

Cooked the mullet last night...did it whole instead of nuggets this time.

Gutted, scaled, head off (not really much meat in bony head as far as I could tell), slits in side, rubbed with rosemary infused olive oil, sprinkled with Tony's, peeled garlic cloves and fresh lemon slices in belly.

Did the same with the butt's head/collars and tail.

Cooked in nuwave for 15 minutes with one flip.

#bomb.com

 

Mullet meat came right off bone and skin was awesome. Will keep shooting them if I keep seeing them!

Also got the little stones out of the butt! 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Right on!  Glad you're getting your dives in - way to get the boss' permission!   

Right on!  Glad you're getting your dives in - way to get the boss' permission!   

Thanks Eric!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim