Biggest Wave Ever Surfed

Enjoyed fishing so much today! San Luis Obispo. 1:30-5:30pm. With Charlie Cote and Eric Brecheen. Beautiful weather and sunset. No wind. Surf-forecast predicted 500-300 wave energy but when we arrived it was much bigger than that. It was a little too big all day, then finally mellowed out in the evening. Eric had to leave before us so he didn’t make it down the beach with us. I walked further than I intended to. I combed miles of beach in one direction with a perch bait, but only got one tap. The waves were breaking really far out, and it dawned on me that I could not recall a single good day of good perch fishing when big waves were crashin that far out. But I found some beautiful agates, and saw dolphins playing in the waves. I felt I had walked far enough and it was time to turn around and re-fish the same stretch in reverse. Maybe some nice fish will move up the beach closer to high tide. I decided to give up on the perch bait and take my chances at some big game since surf was high. Maybe a striped bass or big perch would come through. Tied on the Battlestar 115, Green Sardine and started combing my way back. The surf was chasing me up and down the beach as I waded to whip my cast out as far as I could. After about 40 minutes BAMB! Suddenly my rod is bent over and jerking hard! Huge head shakes, distinctly a perch, but so much power! Then… my rod relaxed and I felt my Jerkbait wobbling again. My heart sunk into my chest and I started throwing a mini tantrum. I’m guessing it would have been my biggest perch of the year so far, but it came off half way in. Heart breaker! Completely disgruntled to lose such a big fish after 3 hours of no bites, I channeled my energy into the pursuit. It drove me to keep casting, even harder. Maybe 15 minutes later, SHAKE! SHAKE! SHAKE! So very heavy! That distinct fast shake of a perch again. This one feels just as big or bigger. It stops shaking and feels like dead weight, so I figure it might be foul hooks. I can’t even budge it in the current so I run down and up the beach, chasing it in the wash. Finally a big wave washes it up on to the sand. The bait was foul hooked in the back. Charlie exclaims “That is a huge perch! That might be the biggest I’ve seen.” It was a really thick female. I decided to release her with the hope that she will make babies for a few more years. After shooting some video I place her back in the water and feel great about it. We got back to casting. Soon after, I look up and Charlie’s rod is bent. He easily lands a beautiful 22” Striped Bass which will be his first for the smoker. After that I landed a 16” Jack Smelt. I thought it was another huge perch but it charged at me, just as Surf Smelt do, and then I saw it. Charlie said that might be the biggest smelt he’s ever seen. The sun was setting and the surf mellowed out. My back muscles felt totally worked but I just couldn’t stop casting. It was so beautiful and so satisfying, and it was about 45 minutes after high tide so I knew magic could happen any second. Maybe a big striper for my third species of the day? No more fish, but I finally walked off filled with contentment, just with the fishing experience. Sometimes it’s just the beauty of the sea and sky, and all the fresh air and exercise that is needed to feel totally pleased. We each caught a beautiful fish after all. Charlie shared a tip. He said he had
Experimented with standing further up the beach to avoid spooking stripers that may be coming into the shore break for sand crabs, so he was not casting out very far, and was fishing the water just on the other side of the lip, maybe 30 or 40 feet from the sand. It makes sense to me. I’d like to go back and try that. It kinda makes hunting stripers more fun if I think I can catch them by being stealthy. We then enjoyed the long walk across the wonderful wild landscape. Long hard walk. The best beaches always are.

VINCE GOES FISHING
Created by Vincent Alexander

Join the Facebook group
https://Facebook.com/groups/CaliforniaSurfFishing

10% OFF use code VINCEGOESFISHING at https://CaSurfFishing.com/shop

YOUTUBE @vincegoesfishing
FACEBOOK PAGE @vincegoesfishing
INSTAGRAM @vincegoesfishing
TIKTOK @vincegoesfishing

THANK YOU, SUBSCRIBERS!
https://www.youtube.com/@vincegoesfishing

THANK YOU, DONORS!
https://www.casurffishing.com/donate
Steve Williams
Mark Phillips
Austin Lee
Steven Cobb
Alexander Zielinski
Alfred Gutierrez
Restyx Catalasan
Aidan Woodruff
Marcus Magdaleno
Katie Unger
Russell Vardaman
Christopher Seidenberg
John Matsubu
Armando Polino Vasquez
Adrienne M Murillo
Travis Angler
Oleg Moseichuk
Landon Peppel
Kurt Jackson
Kevin Brannon
Wayne Seda
Dennis Upchurch
James Gordon
Kiet Le
Ransom Burke
Ray Robitialle
Gary Ino
Jim Borland
Omar Perez
Jesse Montemayor
Michael Rosario
Roy Reed
Rick Baker
Glen Patricio
Marlaena & Jon Chiarappa
Joe Gonzalez
Daniel Conley