Hit the beach around 23rd Ave in South Seaside Park tonight for some magic hours fishing from 7 PM - 9:30 PM. Tide was outgoing, moderate SSW wind around 10 knots or so with some decent gusts, waves 1-2 feet with an occassional 3-4 footer here and there, however the undertow was STRONG and pulling hard. Water was warm, I didn't have a thermometer, but I would guess around 70 degrees give or take. Very little bait around, ocassional small pod of bunker sporadically and quickly swimming by with nothing on them...not even birds. Beach was surprisingly not crowded and not too many people fishing. Of course, there was someone in the obvious hole right there in front of the Old Top O' The Mast. Look like he was dead sticking a few rods and working lures on another.
Started working about 8 blocks of beach north with a bucktail with gulp...no takers. Saw one of the locals working the bottom for some fluke too, but didn't see any takers for him either. Worked the pods of bunker as they came quickly through with top water and Hopkins, but no one was home. As dusk approached switched over to plugging for bass. Few casts in, had a good explosion on a popper. Fish came right out of the water and missed the lure. Tried getting it again...no luck. Guy in the hole, had one of his rods doubled over. I thought he might have hooked up with a decent bass, but after 10 minutes or so, up came a gigantic skate...had to be 3 1/2 feet across.
That was about it. Called it quits when the mosquitos came out in full force. It was nice to be out on the beach fishing, especially in warm water and without waders. Seems it has been slow on the surf end of fishing the last 2 weeks or so.
