Blood on the rocks.

[the rockfish ninja]

No, not mine ...  although I did tweak a hammy climbing around.... I'm getting too old for this

A little heatwave going on in the Bay Area right now. So while everybody was either sweltering though work or lounging around in the warm weather, I bolted for the cool crisp coast. Threw my surf rig and pack of sardines in the trunk and down to the shore I went with no big expectations. The surf was up and I had a hard time keeping my presentation on the bottom, and out of the snags, but I was rewarded for my efforts with a decent blue Ling.



-Daiwa Emcast Surf rod
-Avet SXJ reel
-Chunks of sardine

[Sharkb8]

What a cool looking fish are they good eating

Kim

[thorhammer]

Good work, Tony! At least you tweaked hammy doing something- I caught a cramp in mine the middle of last night and couldn't go back to sleep! lol. Where'd you get the Daiwa? Happy with? Sharp design.

[the rockfish ninja]

What a cool looking fish are they good eating

Kim

Oh yes, excellent table fare. Meat is blue and turns white when cooked.

Lingcod are the top predators of our reefs, filling the niche that groupers usually do, and have teeth like a barracuda.

[the rockfish ninja]

Good work, Tony! At least you tweaked hammy doing something- I caught a cramp in mine the middle of last night and couldn't go back to sleep! lol. Where'd you get the Daiwa? Happy with? Sharp design.

Forgot where I got that rod, I've had it for well over a decade, even rewrapped the grip a couple times. There's been 2 newer generations of that line since but I like that series because it's a lot stiffer than most. Makes keeping them from going back into their hole a lot easier. It's not even their top line, mid level product me thinks. Works though.

[El Pescador]

...  although I did tweak a hammy climbing around.... I'm getting too old for this

Tony!!!!   Great day out-picking thru the rocks!!!!   AND yes, it was HOT here yesterday, 94 degrees in San Mateo!!!

I have to say one thing, If you were a Horse, and tweaked your hammy....    we'd have to shoot you, BUTT your NOT.

Keep fishing and call me next time.

Wayne

[steelfish]

great fish amigo, one question, is the drag lever at max or its an optical illusion? do those fish fight that hard?

[Rocket Dog]

Nice.... Never been able to pull one from the rock down south in LA.

[Hardy Boy]

Nice ling off of the shore! Good job.

Cheers:

todd

[the rockfish ninja]

great fish amigo, one question, is the drag lever at max or its an optical illusion? do those fish fight that hard?

Yes it is. They are the best fighters of our reefs, not like a pelagic, but any Lingcod past 7 lbs is going to put up a fuss. This one was almost 8lbs and was taking drag at strike so I pushed it to full to keep it out of the snags, deadlifted it up onto the rocks too.

The Daiwa Emcast rods from about 15 years ago are almost bulletproof, although I did snap one highsticking on a big shark once.

[oc1]

Really nice fish.  You said surf gear.  How does that Accurate cast?  I have always shied away from lever drags for casting but accurate claims theirs are up to the task and that SXJ is just my size.

[Gfish]

Great Linger. Ain't been able to get one that big offa the rocks. The SJX is an Avet, close to an Accurate, but I like the AR system on the Avet better and the b.bearings in the Accurate reels better.

[oc1]

Sorry.  Intended to say Avet.  Don't own either one.

[the rockfish ninja]

Really nice fish.  You said surf gear.  How does that Accurate cast?  I have always shied away from lever drags for casting but accurate claims theirs are up to the task and that SXJ is just my size.

It's an Avet SXJ-MC, magged for casting against strong winds. IMO the standard SX is a little better for surf, it's only slightly wider, but holds much more line, and line lay is much easier. Something to take into account if you're standing on the rocks fighting a fish, when you don't want another thing to think about like thumb guiding the line. The only reason I'm using the SXJ is because my SX was stolen in a car burglary years ago.

As for casting, as long as the bearings are good, lever drag vs star drag cast the same to me. I just prefer them and my only star drags are low profiles.

[Benni3]

I'm glad it all worked out for you,,,,, and you got a nice one,,,,,,,,,,