9/9/01 Santa Clause lane,

Got on the beach at 6:45 AM. I took a friend from work Dave; this is his first time Surf fishing.
I read Bill Hartmans “Corbina 101” so on the drive down I was telling Dave we might get a Corbina Blah Blah blah .
I thought we would fish for Surfperch first and if we saw anything we would try for Corbina. We fished motor oil grubs on trout rods with 6lb test. Dave’s first cast “Fish On” a nice Perch. We worked our way east towards the white palace. Catching a fair number of perch and having a good time. But all the time I am thinking about Bills article and I’m watching the current rip to the East. And thinking I gotta try a Sand Crab.
All the Sudden “Dave Yells I saw a Corbina!” I start digging for Crabs, the first one is huge 2” long I keep digging but I’m not finding any small ones and if they are small they don’t have any roe or Red stuff between their legs. So I rig up one about dime size, light gray and no Roe. we look like idiots; we are crouched over stalking the mighty Corbina.
Walkers with their coffee stop and watch, Joggers look and laugh. Then this guy comes by with two dogs he’s watching us and say’s “Sneaking up on them are you?” While his dogs run right into the surf. Augh!! I cast out a little farther and Catch another Perch.
We give up and go back to catching perch on the grubs and start heading back west along the beach. At the West End, in front of the houses. I had a solid strike then a splash and zing goes my Reel, I’m yelling at Dave check it out Corbina, I start taking some line back in and another run, finally land it and it’s a Halibut about 18-19” long, released
Now I am hooked on catching a Corbina. I have been surf fishing for a while and never saw one before. We ended up seeing three different ones but spooked them all. Thanks Bill for the great article.


Matt W