S2E1

Welcome to the When Fishing Podcast, today the cat dragged in our first ON THE WATER podcast with guest Tom Hilgert, founder of Prehistoric Soul forums. We went fishing for bat rays in an undisclosed California estuary. Tom DID land one early on, but the first hour’s audio got corrupted, so the recording picks up when we sit back in our seats with slime on our hands and fresh batteries in the audio interface.

If you are enjoying this episode, you can visit and join Tom’s website at PrehistoricSoulForum.com, It is a free, friendly and informative site with fishing reports and idea sharing, based in SoCal and open to the world. The 18th Annual Saturday Night Bat Fight commences on March 8, 2025. It’s a Bat Ray derby, teams divided by county, biggest bat ray wins out. Join now to get in on the fun!

Chris Madison is a US Marine and a hardcore fisherman. He uses small inflatables to catch the biggest, pointiest game fish in SoCal. We talked a little about his history and a lot about reports, observations, and strategies.

Recapping 3 surf trips, 1 boat, 1 FW micro attempt. Co-existing with surfers. Maybe try for some stripers this week?

Talkin' fishing from the critter hole, getting back in the groove with surf fishing, where the yellowfin tuna might be now.

Talkin' partial rockfish closure for Southern California, effective September 15. Catching up on reports from offshore, the harbor, and a little freshwater. Plus the game plan for the week.

Dr. Milton Love is a marine biologist specializing in research of fishes around the Eastern Pacific. You may know his book Probably More Than You Want To Know About the Fishes of the Pacific Coast, and its comprehensive sequel: Certainly More Than You Want To Know About the Fishes of the Pacific Coast. He's something of a hero of mine and we cover our bases in a wide ranging conversation.

Talkin' post Hilary, coastal bluefin, catch and release, and Labor Day Weekend gameplan.

Talkin' bass reports, new fish finders, carb cleaning, learning how to rig kites and yummies, Hurricane Hilary, and an upcoming webinar with Windy.app on fishing.Use code JROD with the Windy.app and receive a free month of Pro membership!

Today the show welcomes its first guest, Jared Funk, to shoot the shit.

Coastal Bluefin search, thresher success, thresher conservation, and the week's game plan.