Crazy Day on the Bay

[Bait Killer]

Launched from Shelter Island around 6:15am. I fished the Coronado side from the crane on Shelter Island to the Military dock across from the bait barge. I used a 1oz sardine Hookup bait and lost count of the total but it was a good day. Lost one very large halibut early in the day by miss gaffing it. That sucked; however, the coolest thing I have ever seen happened a little later.
As I was jigging the lure, I felt what I thought was a huge strike. So, I set the hook and immediately felt "head shakes". It was not coming up off the bottom. Finally, it gave way and a couple seconds later I saw the leader. Hoping for another chance for redemption after the botched gaffing, I was set and ready. To my surprise there was not a huge halibut, but instead it was a shrimp. Yes, an actually shrimp. Known as a Mantis Shrimp, this thing has a powerful punch. When I was unhooking it, the other puncher reached out and tagged me on the finger nail. It still feels like I hit it with a hammer. Definitely, one of the coolest things I've seen up close and personal.