10/03 am... And this bird thought it was a sealion.

[Dennis]

So, yesterday my girl tells me that she feels bad for me when I don't get a chance to fish on my days off. I told her, "twist my arm why don't you"... I'LL FISH!! After not fishing for three weeks, i go this morning.
A late launch... 0630. No wind, green water, vis 15ft, and ankle slappers. Still managed to take two to the chest. I wanted to try my new tank, so I went to the pier and made candy size greenies. Loaded up and made my way to the kelp looking for a barndoor. I get picked up over the canyon three times. A bonie, a shark?, and a sealion (which stayed 5ft behind me the entire way to the kelp). I went to my first spot, dropped a mac and sat there for nothing. I just had my gps, no fish finder so I couldn't tell what the bottom looked like. I decided to take off my weight and flyline through the lobster bouy's. When this bird lands right next to me. Well I guess you don't have to worry about dogs, bonies, and cuda's anymore. This little guy followed, swam underneath me, and hung out for a 15 minutes trying to jack my bait's.

I finally ditched him, and paddled north to a rockfish spot. I rigged up a bottom rig, sent it down, put the rod in the holder, and started yo-yoing. Not long after that my reel chirps. I take it out of the holder, reel up the slack, then heavy weight. I get it to color, and keep it in the water. I try to slide the clip through it's gills, but it goes crazy and heads down. F-it, it's getting gaffed. After three attempts, one finds it's mark under the jaw.

After I bleed and landed the flatty, I go back to the same spot and drop my last bait down. I get picked up again, but I got too excited... Pop! Ohwell... Spoke with Jasmin on the way in. Thanks for the pic, Eddie. Landed at 1130, to ankle slappers. 22lbs 6oz... 37 1/2".