Channel Islands Harbor 2/5

[Wahoo!]

Location: Channel Islands Harbor
Date: Feb 5, 2004
Bait: Squid
Rig: Sliding sinker and 8/0 circle hooks
Total Catch: 1 Bat Ray

HookUpGirl and I met up with some friends at the harbor and decided to get in some full moon fishing! Right after we got there my buddy mike hooks into big bat ray that takes him down the rocks and around the corner. About 20 minutes later I help him land it and it's finally my turn to start fishing! My line is in the water less than 10 minutes when the baitrunner starts clicking like crazy so I click it off, set the drag, and I know right away there's a huge fish on the other end of my line!! I'm fishing with a 15 ft terminator surf rod and an Okuma Epixor EB 80 with 25# p-line CXX. The reel is just screaming as the fish takes off. I fought the fish up and down the shore for an hour and a half before we can finally bring it in. By this time, my arms are shaking, I'm thirsty, and completely exhausted, but somehow my friend Mike and I are able to use the waves to help us get the beast on the beach! We snapped a few pictures, measured it, and released it unharmed. That ray was the biggest one I've ever caught! It had a 51 inch wing span and we estimated it's weight to be around 150#!!! After that, we hung out for a little while, relaxed, and then packed up and went home. It was a nice night and one huge fish!

[Bryan]

Wow, thats a huge fish!

Those things fight like crazy. I remember one time a while back we were fishing for halibut and bass in the harbor and had a very strange bite on rays instead. Hooked them all on 4 pound line. Ended up with no line on our spools but well worth it!