FINALLY THE LEGAL BUTT.....
 

So I was at work today and looking out the windows saw what a beautiful day it was, and couldn't stand to be inside one second longer. So I got the ok to leave work to go take care of some stuff. Once I was done it was around 12. I ran home grabbed the yak and headed for dana point. I launched at baby beach around 130 got some dines and began my search not even a bite, so I headed in gave some guys I heard complaining they didnt have good bait fishing from the jetty, so I gave them the rest of my dines but 2. I hooked one up dropped it fown and began my paddle to baby beach. I get snagged up in some old fishing line. I spent probably 20 minutes pulling probably a good 150 feet of line off the bottom but hey I got a free weight out of it. I hook on the last dine and give it a little rub for good luck. As soon as it hit the bottom I go bendo. Get ot to the surface it looks legal but I cant tell and no gaff..:eek: so I grab my net and attempt to net it it takes 3 more runs and I finally get it in the net amd its going bonkers....it calms down just long enough to get the game clip in and I give it a measure and boom 23 inches yesss. Yea its a small one but its my small one and its a keeper finally. So I took out all my aggression on all the mishaps ive had this season on its head with my beating stick and was laughing the whole time. Some bystanders probably think im nuts but oh well I finally broke my halibut skunk. Thanks to all who have given me tips and set up advice. I couldn't have done it without you. And a big shout out to Jim.

Gongrats:luxhello: A lot of people are in search of their first. Glad to see you got yours. I've been following your post, I know you've put your time in.

:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:

Nice dude, time on the water is all it takes.

A legal is a legal. I recall catching my first legal, I think it was right around 24inches.......I was so fricken excited I must have taken 300 pictures of the damn thing. I'm glad you finally got on a legal!

Now is the time that you need to look back at what's worked and what hasn't, experiment a little; longer hook leader, shorter sinker line, longer sinker line, shorter hook leader line. Don't be afraid to try new rigs from time to time, it won't hurt to try it out.

Its about time!:luxhello: was there any fish left over to eat after you smashed the hell out of that thing?:eek:

Congrats! The first legal is always the best, my first taped in a 22.5! Always close

Congrats on your cherry popper!!! :luxhello: The first one is usually the hardest one to get. So it's all down hill from here. Stoked for you.

Awesome man, bout time all your work paid off. Keep'em coming.

Way to go! It was really a brutal year for hali hunting but you did it finally. Also, you discovered one of the truths about 'but fishing - they are almost impossible to get into a net!

Congrats. I think many of us had you in our prayers after reading about your mishaps.

You might want to wait until you go home before you bash off its head since you never know if it will measure a few inches short if a warden measures it. LOL:D

I knew I'd read this one day. Congrats.

Pics?

^^^Yeah no pics no proof haha congrats on your first legal.

Had to go out to dinner with the in laws last night. Didnt get to cut it up till about 11.

Nice! Did you celebrate with a shot of that Sky Vodka on the refrigerator?

nice job. way better than hearing about all the butts you lost!

congrats and enjoy.

Oh yesssss...!!!!!!
 

Yaaaaaay Easyday!!

:grouphug:

Now go get a bigger one! Congratulations my friend!

Janine

Does this mean its my turn for a legal? haha nice catch... last drop of the day makes it sooooo much better.

Congrats on the first legel...

I like this story.....

Got off my butt, and went fishing.
Grabbed a butt that was bigger than any butt I held before.
Now, I have a butt to chew.


Great story, Congrats and good eating! I sure this is the first butt of many more for you.

nice going man! still waiting for my legal from the yak..

Congrats man :luxhello:

I remember my first legal hali.....No I don't, it hasn't happened yet. Congrats on yours!:you_rock:

About time, congrats on the skunk off! So you gonna do the butt with dove on the grill? Call it fin and feather! Better get a gaff.

Were actually waiting for the supwrbowl we will be doing stuffed lobster , dove rolls, leopard shark tacos, halibut, trout, and steaks

Great, welcome to the first legal club, also the first one is always the tastes one.:cheers1:

Good for you, breaking the ice on your first legal flat one. Keep it up, they'll grow on you.

Congrats, well deserved! Bigger units are in your future!

It's abutt time!! WTG, let the flood gates open.

Yup! You earned it. They're going to start flying over the rails now :notworthy::notworthy::reel::reel: :reel::drool5: :drool5::drool5:

Damn sounds like a great spread!

Are you standing in a midget's kitchen? You're dwarfing that fridge by like 2 feet.


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Easy is an imposing sight. Then he smiles at you and it's like you've known him for years. A real nice guy. Congrats my friend. We need to fish together soon.

I thi k it was just a weird angle on the camera.:D

Right on! I knew this post was coming. Glad to hear you got one after all that time put in.

Dude! Just got back in town. Super stoked for you. There's just nothing better than earning that first legal. Well done and well deserved. You'll ALWAYS remember your first time...Jim

Congratulations! I can hardly wait for the followup catches...

NICE!!! :cheers1:
They'll just grow from there!

Great Job!
 

I still await my first legal Halibut.