night fish

eelgrass · Jul 24, 2014

I've been doing this for the past 35 years or so, but this is the first time I've taken a camera. It's one of my favorite things to do here on the north coast.

These surf smelt are called "night fish" because they only hit the beach during darkness on outgoing tides. They are smaller and much better eating than regular surf smelt that run in the day time.

I heard the fish were running yesterday so I called a couple buddies and we were off.

A view from the parking lot. That's Trinidad Head on the right with the trees. The ocean is about as calm as it gets around here. I also kayak fish around all those rocks too.

Down on the beach waiting for the tide to turn and for darkness to fall. It's a great time for a beer!

You can see a few birds working in close (left). That's a great sign that fish are on the way.

After dark you can see the fish in the breakers if you shine a flashlight. Get to work guys!

This is my buddy Donnie. He had to work this morning, but that never stops him! The wave breaks into your net and you scoop them up. No fish on this dip.

After you get all you want, it's time to load the bucket. The limit is 25 lbs. but we're smarter than that now days. 10 lbs. or so is plenty to deal with. I caught these in two dips.

My super long time friend Norm. He's 70 and still going strong!

Get your wife to clean them

roll them in corn meal and fry them until the tails are nice and crispy.

Good times, and even better friends!

Eel

Abiggerfish2fry · Jul 24, 2014

I love catching grunion! They are fun but can't get them while it is light!

Abiggerfish2fry · Jul 24, 2014

Sorry you can but not like that!

elkassassin · Jul 24, 2014

You GUT Sardines?

I Thought you ate GUTS & All?

[font color="red"]From My Smokin Cherry Red Hot Barrel & My Dead Cold Hands I Shall go down Fighting for American Pride & Rights!
I Know I'm Out Numbered by Pusssies & Brainwashed Democrats that'll Throw Their Hands in the air & I know I can't Lick the U.S. Military by Myself when they Turn on us but I'll make
you one Guarantee,They'll be Enduring a Situation where I Hope to Hell All Americans become True Americans once again & Stand up for their Rights!

1911 · Jul 24, 2014

Doesn't hardly seem fair to the smelt. Were you spotlighting?

2lumpy · Jul 24, 2014

Eel, thanks for posting those pictures. I really enjoy learn about the different kinds of outdoor activities guys do that live in different places in the country. Living next to the ocean provides so many different kinds of hunting/fishing activities than we have here in So. Central Utah.

I'm not complaining about the many things we have here but I also envy the fun everybody else gets to have doing things unique to their back yards. I think it's fantastic that you are utilizing all the different stuff you can do where you live and I hope you'll take that camera more often so we can all enjoy the good times with you.

DC

sageadvice · Jul 24, 2014

It must be above reproach or fishtofry would have already gotten the authorities involved by now.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

overton · Jul 24, 2014

LOL Sage

Abiggerfish2fry · Jul 24, 2014

Hey tumble weed! Are you still in a bad mood because you didn't draw again this year?

>It must be above reproach or
>fishtofry would have already gotten
>the authorities involved by now.
>
>
>Joey
>
>
>"It's all about knowing what your
>firearms practical limitations are and
>combining that with your own
>personal limitations!"

sageadvice · Jul 24, 2014

fishtofry, That's tumble weed Sir to you punk. Being that you asked, I just can't figure why you try to keep crawling into a bed that you already crapped in.

Foundation is one of the best, nicest guys on here and you went to his Boss at the PD to try and get him in hot water or possibly ruin his career over "nothing". The exact particulars don't matter but the fact that you did what you did badges your character and now that you want to come back here and be chummy, it turns my stomach.

You got it? You did it, live with it!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

PleaseDear · Jul 24, 2014

+1 Joey

Neat thread eel and interesting.

Thanks for sharing

Robb

Abiggerfish2fry · Jul 25, 2014

Yeah I was wrong for doing that and regret it but it is past and I can't change that! And I going to keep posting on here so I hope you don't puke!

>fishtofry, That's tumble weed Sir to
>you punk. Being that you
>asked, I just can't figure
>why you try to keep
>crawling into a bed that
>you already crapped in.
>
>Foundation is one of the best,
>nicest guys on here and
>you went to his Boss
>at the PD to try
>and get him in hot
>water or possibly ruin his
>career over "nothing". The exact
>particulars don't matter but the
>fact that you did what
>you did badges your character
>and now that you want
>to come back here and
>be chummy, it turns my
>stomach.
>
>You got it? You did it,
>live with it!
>
>Joey
>
>
>
>"It's all about knowing what your
>firearms practical limitations are and
>combining that with your own
>personal limitations!"

Roy · Jul 25, 2014

Nice cozy cover story!

Tell them the REAL truth Eel!!

What is the REAL reason you are out there "NIGHT FISHING"???

What Eel has failed to mention is that the big reason that the smelt run to the shore is that they are driven there but scores of sea turtles, who instinctively know that the smelt can't see well at night so they drive them towards the beaches where they can easily trap them.

So where there is smelt - there are also TURTLES!!

Smelt fishing is a common ruse for turtle poachers. They wait for the turtles to push the smelt towards the beach them blind them with their powerful spotlights and go out and whack them on the head with a club - not even sporting enough to use a fishing spear, a bow or even a bullet. Of course, the sound of a gun would attract the fish and game, so they just use the club as it also keeps the turtles from screaming in agony as they do when properly harvested with a bow or spear. It is a well known fact that turtle screams can be heard for miles and can even be detected on some forms of light-aircraft radar.

Nice touch of posting the "evidence" that you are only there to catch the smelt - like we are really going to believe you are going to eat those slimy things! Guess you felt the heat was on to you a little so what better way to cast away suspicion than to establish a counter-narrative that covers up the real events. Pure Poaching Propaganda 101 tactic right there!! Disgusting.

And you guys just keep congratulating him. Encouraging and emboldening his cowardly turtle thieving behavior. Keep it up fellas - just keep it up! Turn you head the other way and bury it in the sand.

Ignorant bunch of ninnies!

HOOK 'EM!
_______________________________________

Since I am frequently asked about my religion on this site and others, I have created a profile that explains my beliefs. If you are interested in finding out more about my faith, please visit the link below:

http://mormon.org/me/6RNQ/

Roy · Jul 25, 2014

Then to say he has been doing this for 35 years but that this is the first time he ever took a camera??

Really - wonder why?? BECAUSE HE IS A TURTLE POACHER! That's why!

No pics of any turtles though - that is the rule! Not until next spring that is when he finds some fresh new turtle "sheds" and brags about how lucky he is to find them and then takes them to the taxidermist to have them mounted.

So yeah, keep on believing him. Just keep it up.

HOOK 'EM!
_______________________________________

Since I am frequently asked about my religion on this site and others, I have created a profile that explains my beliefs. If you are interested in finding out more about my faith, please visit the link below:

http://mormon.org/me/6RNQ/

eelgrass · Jul 25, 2014

Thanks 2Lumpy. The reason we all got into night fish was because it's very low tech and very inexpensive to do. A pair of chest waders, a net, and a 5 gallon bucket and you're set.

Eel

sageadvice · Jul 25, 2014

Steve, do you guys really gut them?

There was a Father and Son that used to hunt a part of my Grandfathers Ranch, they always brought fruit, fish, and/or smelt as gifts every year in thanks and to help pave their way to access. They often brought smelt and we loved them on the dinner table. Crispy, head, tails, guts, and all! Sometimes we'd set the heads aside.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

Roy · Jul 25, 2014

>Thanks 2Lumpy. The reason we all
>got into night fish was
>because it's very low tech
>and very inexpensive to do.
>A pair of chest waders,
>a net, and a 5
>gallon bucket and you're set.
>
>
>Eel

And a heavy club... don't forget that little detail.

HOOK 'EM!
_______________________________________

Since I am frequently asked about my religion on this site and others, I have created a profile that explains my beliefs. If you are interested in finding out more about my faith, please visit the link below:

http://mormon.org/me/6RNQ/

2lumpy · Jul 25, 2014

Eel, I read that you kayak fish and now these pics of the smelt. What other kinds of fishing/hunting stuff are you do through out your year, out on the coast

Clams?
Crabs?
Tuna?
Abalone?

DC

Roy · Jul 25, 2014

>Eel, I read that you kayak
>fish and now these pics
>of the smelt. What
>other kinds of fishing/hunting stuff
>are you do through out
>your year, out on the
>coast
>
>Clams?
>Crabs?
>Tuna?
>Abalone?
>
>
>DC

You mean - besides TURTLES???!!!

HOOK 'EM!
_______________________________________

Since I am frequently asked about my religion on this site and others, I have created a profile that explains my beliefs. If you are interested in finding out more about my faith, please visit the link below:

http://mormon.org/me/6RNQ/

eelgrass · Jul 25, 2014

Joey, I agree but the wife can't quite do it so we clean them. She snips the head off with scissors and I rinse them off. 90% of the guts come out. It goes a lot faster than one might think. Of course I vacuum seal some whole to use as rockfish and lingcod bait. It's killer for both.

2Lumpy, that about covers it. Abalone is real popular, but I don't do it. Very rarely does the warmer water come close to Humboldt, so Albacore once in awhile. A 60 mile run one way keeps me from doing it. I'm on one charter boats waiting list, but I doubt they will call me. They usually have their experienced clients go.

My brother and I did go salmon fishing July 11. We had a pretty good day with limits.

Roy, I'm going to show you my club one of these days

Eel

RELH · Jul 25, 2014

Eel don't fret with Roy. He is just ticked off that you surpassed him in getting more poached turtles then he did. That and the fact those sea turtles are more tasty then those desert tortoise that Roy poaches. Are you inviting Kilo and Ransom over for some homemade turtle soup this weekend. Maybe you should send a invitation to Roy to sooth his hurt feelings and you can show him your club.

RELH

foundation · Jul 27, 2014

>Yeah I was wrong for doing
>that and regret it but
>it is past and I
>can't change that! And I
>going to keep posting on
>here so I hope you
>don't puke!
>
>
>>fishtofry, That's tumble weed Sir to
>>you punk. Being that you
>>asked, I just can't figure
>>why you try to keep
>>crawling into a bed that
>>you already crapped in.
>>
>>Foundation is one of the best,
>>nicest guys on here and
>>you went to his Boss
>>at the PD to try
>>and get him in hot
>>water or possibly ruin his
>>career over "nothing". The exact
>>particulars don't matter but the
>>fact that you did what
>>you did badges your character
>>and now that you want
>>to come back here and
>>be chummy, it turns my
>>stomach.
>>
>>You got it? You did it,
>>live with it!
>>
>>Joey
>>
>>
>>
>>"It's all about knowing what your
>>firearms practical limitations are and
>>combining that with your own
>>personal limitations!"

Wow. I don't even know what to say.

kilbuc · Jul 27, 2014

I remember surf perch...barely. Caught some when in college. Of course we later found out we were in a closed area...LOL.

But hey, we were young and dumb and full of cum.

Don't know anything about turtles.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"