Got out around 7:30 this morning for my daily therapy and started at the Rock at the end of the parking lot. Second cast produced a short about 17 inches. I was trying to pull it up from the rock like a meathead, lost everything. 3inch bait and all. Ran back to the car a grabbed my little BH box and got back on the rock. Rigged up a new 3 inch chovie on a 1/4 oz. assault dart. 5th or 6th cast gets hit and I immediatley new it was another short. Had no problem getting him up as he only went 11 inches at best. Tossed out a for another 10 minutes and decided to hit the pier up.

Got to the pier at about 8:05. Fished the first cut-in for about 10 minutes. Moving down a foot every couple of cast. Finally at about 8:25 I started back to the car. Of course tossing out all the way back in. Got to the breakers on the west side of the pier and get a real nice hit. Got a good hook set and it was on. Immediatley ran for the shore and on my 6lb test I had to just let him run. After a couple of nice runs it started to work with me. Kinda felt like I was reeling in seaweed. I seen a guy just down the way with the full halibut setups. Aerators and all.I called down to the gentlemen I think they call him HaliKing and he came over with the net. When I seen the net I decided just to beach it. Net looked a little complicated, lets just say that. Anyways, dragged it up a to a safe spot away from the breakers and walked down to grab him. Got it back up and measured it on one of the stickers the DFG guy put down on the pipes. Measured 23 1/2 but wanted to make sure. The guy that brought the net over taped it for me and it went 23 and 1/4. I was stoked. Contemplated tossing him back but I promised a co-worker that the next Halibut I caught I would hook him up. So what did I do. I brought it to work and hooked him up. Live still!!LOL He was crackin up. I filleted it for him in our company kitchen. Anyways. Sorry so long people. I will be out in the morning fishing the cove w/ Leapinbass and a few others, but we'll be in the tubes. Get out to Goleta Pier though!! The Halis are definetly in. All fish were caught less than 20 feet off the breakers.

DBLAZ'