Mike finally got a reel for his surf fishing rod.

Time to load it up with some fishing line.

okay... The rod is ready... Now we need to think about bait.

Throwing a cast net takes some practice.

Lots of practice...

The idea is to catch your own bait with the cast net.

Mike's friend Kerry takes a stab at the cast net.

Finally, Mike starts to "get it."

Nice throw... good deployment.

Andie takes a stab at it.

and does pretty good

A perfect thow.

Do we have to get up this early?

Too early for even the bait... Kerry brings the cast net back empty.

The surf was perfect for fishing...

Pre-dawn...

Time to get serious about fishing.

Casting into the sunrise...

Mike is officially "fishing."

Not necessarily catchin’, just fishin’…

and more "fishing"...

Mike decides to try the cast net. We need "real" bait.

After a furry of activity (so much that we didn't take a picture)... Mike fills an Orange Depot bucket with Spanish Sardines.

Now we have real bait...

and real fish...

First trip out, Mike catches a Spanish Mackerel.