It was a cold and windy night. I thought for sure our planned trip to fish the platform at Opaleye Point during low tide this morning was going to be awash. But there I was at the trailhead watching the tall palm tree near the railing bend over the bluff. That was a good thing. As long as the blow was at that angle, the cliff would protect the platform from being completely blown out.

As I stood on said rock, everything seemed to be normal except for the occasional swell that came three feet over the pillow lava I was casting from. Unlike Saturday when the three of us had no bass hits on our plastic jigs, I caught a thirteen-inch skinny calico on my twentieth fling of the five-inch blacksmith perch pattern Fish Trap. I actually felt sorry for the fish, seeing that it was so decrepit looking and all, so I threw it back.

After sunrise, I tossed the opaleye enteromorpha bobber rig out there in hopes of the kind of bite for that specie we had two days ago. I was going to give any indication of a nibble until eight o'clock before bailing, but a snag and a bobber loss got me out of there at a quarter 'till.

But you know, I felt fortunate. I was out running errands in Lil' Miracle Sunday when I heard the news. Three fellow breakwall anglers were swept out to sea Saturday off Cabrillo Beach. One's still missing. Tim, Robert; we got out just in time.

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