Capitola Pays Off

Launched about 6:45AM from the Capitola pier (the waves were a bit to much for a beach launch). I picked up mendohead on the radio and tried to hail him but got no reply. I also called for Proky but bot no reply. Hmmm, I wonder if my mic is dead! I worked straight out from the pier and dropped a skirted 'chovie. Made a few drifts and bendo.....I was expecting a brown or gopher but I see a white flash...Hali!!!! I grabbed the new promar net and landed it. It was a shory only 18" (pic one - sorry its from my cell). I continued to work the kelp edge down to Pleasure Point with a few scratched baits. One was bitten clean in half and I had a singer hook! WTF! Just past noon I started to head back in. I had a few 'chovies left so I re-baited and drifted right out from the moored sail boat in front of the pier. BENDO! I start to reel it up and its coming up easy. I swing the net over over and slide 'em in. I then realize CRAP I got no fish whacker! (Ironic from the guy that makes them!).  I look back in the net and holy shit there are two friggin hali's on. I got one on the front hook and one one the stinger hook. One was clearly a keeper (26"). The other was 19". I slide the game clip on the keeper and turn the other free. NOW what to hit this SOB with. I lean over and grab my half full steel water bottle and apply the steel. I worked great (three blows and done). I paddle back in and hit the road about 1:00pm. WHAT A DAY.

The first bendo


The improvised whacker and proof of concept



The keeper

That's awesome, nice improvising with the coffee mug beater. Would that hali happen to be sitting on a sheet of hardi backer or dura rock or am I trippin?

BEEEEEEEEAUTY!  Nice going out there man! Love the improvised whacker    When I lost mine at GMSIII I tried a Gatorade bottle, but didn't work out so well    Ironic that I had the smaker you gave me today at the Bean, but didn't have a need to use it!    I'll probably be hitting the Cruz for another hali this week, you've inspired me 

TWO at a time?   

Too cool 

Great report, EWB.  Way to go on the hali and the beating.   

nice eric, two butts at once with out a wood shampoo to apply, well at least you were able to improvise. nice report, cameron

Yep its hardibacker. I use a scap piece as a make shift workbench bewtween saw horses. I was totally shocked how well the bottle half filled worked. I am so glad I replacd my net with the biggest folding one promar makes. Al, I would head straight out from the pier a few hundred yards past the mooring bouy. All three of my bites were there. Some guy in a rental caught a 7 ft thresher shark but didn' have a gaff to land it. So you better be ready

Great job EWB!! Two halis at one time, too cool.

Nice work Eric! Mission accomplished.
Pretty crazy to get a doulbe on a halbut rig...never even heard of that before.

I'm fairly certain you're using the same net I use. It's the telescopic, floating, foldable promar net, right? I bought that one after I lost a big striper in the delta last year using a cheap net. I originally purchased a non floatable promar, which while paddling out the ML jaws got caught on floating kelp. All I heard was a splash and turned around to see it disappearing to the bottom. Lesson learned, needless to say. I paid around $70 for the floating version. I think it was a good investment though

haha crazy EWB i cant even get a double hook up on a striper not to mention a hali keep it coming

Thats cool! I am glad the new net worked for ya'

Nice EWB!

Thats cool! I am glad the new net worked for ya'

Thanks. I slipped a chunk of pool noodle over the handle so it floats like a cork!

Thats cool! I am glad the new net worked for ya'

Thanks. I slipped a chunk of pool noodle over the handle so it floats like a cork!

The pool noodle I slipped on my net saved it yesterday. After my excitement landing the ling, I temporarily lost track of the net only to look to my left to see it bobbing in the water.