Butt and...mullet?!? (FoodPorn added)

My father in law loves Halibut so snuck out after work yesterday to see if I couldn't get one to bring down to Bakersfield for him this weekend for his birthday...

Right off the batt I spooked 2 decent legal ones and missed the shots at them as they took off. 

Then a big school of what sure looked like stripers whizzed by...took a shot and got one! When I got it in my hands though it looked weird...mullet?!? WTF! 

Moved out deeper and saw two more butts that were obviously short...

Then I saw several big clouds of sand blow up...thought they were big butts spooking, but in a few more drops came across a group of BIG bat rays...I think that's what the blow ups were...not massive flatties that I spooked cuz I suck...

By now sun was going down, but I had brought along my dive light to be able to keep hunting after sunset...

Saw several more shorties hiding in the sand once it was dark enough to really see with the light...

Tons of baitfish came out once dark and were crashing into my light and mask! 

Then finally I see one that I could tell was legal...blasted it and wrestled with it in the dark, got it on stringer and bled and gutted and kicked back to shore.

While walking backwards getting out I tripped over something...shine my light down and see a leopard shark bolting away! 

Man, the ocean is so cool!!! 

Few beers and pics at car, back home, filleted both fish, ate scraps for dinner and in shower by 11pm.

Not a real big fish, but stoked to be able to bring something down for my father in law, and looking forward to eating the mullet as well...the scraps I ate raw while filleting were bomb!!   

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Think it's a shad maybe?

RatBoy caught one years ago.

Thanks for sharing!

Looks like a lisa aka mullet to me.

Think it's a shad maybe?

RatBoy caught one years ago.

Thanks for sharing!

The pics suck cuz it was dark...but the head and weird spiny dorsal fin and everything made it obviously a mullet...should've taken better pics at home but phone was dead...

Can see in second pic why I thought they were stripers on the edge of my viz...

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

What a cool ocean adventure. Congratulations on the halibut.

Another awsome Big Jim story!
Thanks!


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Trip over a leopard shark.  Only you Jim.  Glad you got the Halibut. 


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So Jim, you usually dive out of Carmel.. which I think of as rocky bottom.. not really halibut kind of habitat. Was this somewhere else, or is there sand beyond the rocks?
(Never dove Carmel or Monterey, so whatdoI know?). Don't have to give away any secrets,but curious...

So Jim, you usually dive out of Carmel.. which I think of as rocky bottom.. not really halibut kind of habitat. Was this somewhere else, or is there sand beyond the rocks?
(Never dove Carmel or Monterey, so whatdoI know?). Don't have to give away any secrets,but curious...

Carmel does have sandy stretches that are known to produce halibut, and there are areas throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties that have good habitat (calm enough with sand and/or where sand meets some structure) that are known for producing as well...same kind of stuff that hook and line guys look for...

Even BigSur has been known to produce some halibut for divers!

http://mail.spearboard.com/showthread.php?s=a1f072098b29fe854937bb001de0e519&t=149709

Last night I was at a beach in the 831 area code, close enough to get to after I got off work in Watsonville. 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Congrats on the bu-llet!

Carmel does have sandy stretches that are known to produce halibut, and there are areas throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties that have good habitat (calm enough with sand and/or where sand meets some structure) that are known for producing as well...same kind of stuff that hook and line guys look for...

Even BigSur has been known to produce some halibut for divers!

http://mail.spearboard.com/showthread.php?s=a1f072098b29fe854937bb001de0e519&t=149709

Hah! I haven't seen that report in years! That was a fun day. Thanks for digging that up and giving me a trip down memory lane. The best part of Bryan shooting that fish was listening to him gripe and groan about how heavy it was as we hiked back to the car. Lol!

Congrats on the flattie! Let us know how the mullet tastes. I've heard mixed things.

Way to go Jim,  I love to see  the Halibut Reports.
Now let's get some Stripers!

Carmel does have sandy stretches that are known to produce halibut, and there are areas throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties that have good habitat (calm enough with sand and/or where sand meets some structure) that are known for producing as well...same kind of stuff that hook and line guys look for...

Even BigSur has been known to produce some halibut for divers!

http://mail.spearboard.com/showthread.php?s=a1f072098b29fe854937bb001de0e519&t=149709

Hah! I haven't seen that report in years! That was a fun day. Thanks for digging that up and giving me a trip down memory lane. The best part of Bryan shooting that fish was listening to him gripe and groan about how heavy it was as we hiked back to the car. Lol!

Congrats on the flattie! Let us know how the mullet tastes. I've heard mixed things.

I came across the report again the other day somehow...so frikkin cool. 

I will let you know for sure how the mullet tastes...ate some scraps raw last night and thought it was great but figure should cook the rest since family will be eating it.

Phone was out of batteries when was filleting last night but it was a trippy fish...pink fat? inside belly cavity...tasted a bit...tasted fatty! 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Way to go Jim,  I love to see  the Halibut Reports.
Now let's get some Stripers!

Thanks dude!

I know right?!?!

I'm due!!

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

I will let you know for sure how the mullet tastes...ate some scraps raw last night and thought it was great but figure should cook the rest since family will be eating it.

the fillets look fantastic. Would like to hear the taste report too!