FTFF Gatherings / Saltwater Poker

OK I want to make sure we get back to our roots.  I am planning a gathering in early March.  This will be our Saltwater Poker Event.  Date and Time to be determined.  Here is how it works.

Seabridge Park Huntington Harbor and March 11th, 6:30 am meetup: Bets will be one unopened nnew pack of fishing lures ($5 value and up) You can also drop in $5 if you don't want to do the lures. Once your bet is placed you are cleared to fish in the harbor and will need to be back to show your hand by Noon. If you are late you will not be allowed to show your poker hand. Please bring a digital camera or fish with someone who has one to show proof of your catch.

Best poker hand gets 50% of the pot from the morning's bet, 2nd place gets 30% of the remaining pot and 3rd place will get what is left.

This is played just like a game of poker (5 card draw), here is your deck of cards.

Mud Marlin –  Ace
Halibut – King
Crocker - ​Queen
Calico - ​​Jack
Sand Bass - ​​10
Spotted - ​​9
Mackerel -​8
Crocher - ​​7
Perch - ​6


Royal Flush -​Mud Marlin, Halibut, Crocker, Calico, Sand Bass
Flush -​Any 5 species in consecutive order
Full House - ​3 of one species and 2 of another
4 of a kind - ​Any 4 of one species
3 of a kind - ​Any 3 of one species
2 of a kind - ​Any 2 of one species


In the event of a tie it will go to the high card in their hand, example: if you have a royal flush and caught a Perch as well, but someone else has a royal flush but has caught an extra halibut they hold the high card and will win..

The idea is to get us all on the water as a group just for some simple fun.  I will be explaining more in the near future and will also be working on a second event that I think will take place at Santa Fe Damn or Puddingstone, (more on that later).

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1. jeffcpr
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Sounds fun. I’m in, pending nothing prevents me from making it in March.

What happens if no one lands five fish?

I’m totally in . Let me know when and where . Was excited about this last year and it never came to fruition. I think you and I and Daeley did a session by ourselves that day. In fact I think Dae bailed too and I was just me and you.

beedee wrote:Sounds fun. I’m in, pending nothing prevents me from making it in March.

What happens if no one lands five fish?

There are plans for most all scenarios.  2 of a kind or 3 of a kind.   Let me look through past events as there are other plans Incase.

OK so we are going to hold this Saltwater Poker Event on March 11th.  Question is where.  I like Huntington Harbor for Parking.  A lot of guys would ask we go to Newport Harbor and that would work as well tighter for parking at CGS but it can work.  Also the LAB, we could meet at the front of the Peninsula not to bad for parking there.  I want to know what you all think of this where should we hold it?

jeffcpr wrote:OK so we are going to hold this Saltwater Poker Event on March 4th.  Question is where.  I like Huntington Harbor for Parking.  A lot of guys would ask we go to Newport Harbor and that would work as well tighter for parking at CGS but it can work.  Also the LAB, we could meet at the front of the Peninsula not to bad for parking there.  I want to know what you all think of this where should we hold it?

This is a tough one to answer. Almost feel like it would be worth throwing the three options in one of those lucky winner wheel generators you do for the raffle/product winners and let that determine where.

Each location has its pros/cons. And I'm sure everyone has had both good and bad sessions at each location.

For pure, selfish reasons, I'd vote Alamitos Bay because it is the closest, but if we all met at the west end of the peninsula, is the fishing that good down there? I haven't had much luck there, but have done decent when launching at 69th. But then parking at that end might be a bit tricky depending on the FTFF turnout.

HH, Seabridge, plenty of easy parking and if we wanted to all hangout and have a little bbq or something there, that would be fun. Bathrooms right there too. Depending on the tide, a few different options in which way to head out to fish after launching on the sandy side of the park.

NH; CGS. Decent parking if we all get there early enough. Pretty much guaranteed to be more pressure on the water with the kayaks, but all those guys are super nice, and there is usually plenty of fish to go around. Decent amount of fishing areas, head out towards the middle of the channel, head west towards the channel entrance, all the boat moorings and all the docks along Balboa Island or along the Yacht Club side.

It's a toss up for me.

Thanks for me it's about parking.  If it's small parking is not a big deal the bigger it gets the more important parking becomes.  
If it were up to me it would be Huntington Harbor (in the end it is up to me  ).  But I still would like input I am planning for a big turn out but if it stays small we can move it a few days before if we want to.

My favorite is Alamitos but only for the fishing . I have learned where a few sweet spots and always do good there . Seabridge is probably the best for a group outing . Plenty of parking and the park setting with the restrooms for when everyone comes out of the water would be cool.

I am going to say I am shocked I have 2 polls running on Facebook and Instagram listing the 3 locations. I thought for sure Newport would take it hands down but the LAB and Huntington are the top picks. I will let them run a little longer and will make a decision by Monday next week and start pushing it out to everyone.

beedee wrote:...
HH, Seabridge, plenty of easy parking and if we wanted to all hangout and have a little bbq or something there, that would be fun. Bathrooms right there too. Depending on the tide, a few different options in which way to head out to fish after launching on the sandy side of the park.

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My Saturdays usually start at 4a, so I'm just an interested spectator in this contest but I'd vote for Seabridge even though I haven't been there...but I have launched at the boat ramp...I've fished LAB (not my 1st choice anyway, the fish seem smaller and I've seen more parasites), I've fished most of Newport Bay (onshore, in the water, day & night) but parking generally sucks unless you're willing to walk...uphill, both ways, in the Winter, and/or pay.

The park at HH seems to best for the fellowship before and after...but I don't know about parking.

(edit: I just Googled satellite photos on Maps and it looks like at least 60 parking spots, with an implied BBQ area, judging from the "No BBQ outside BBQ Area" sign...and if someone forgets a food item, they can paddle across to Trader Joes, assuming a buddy will watch their gear)

Another option is Baby Beach at Dana Point...I haven't been there awhile, but when I went there regularly, parking was free and plentiful as long as you got there early. Except for the occasional 300# Mako the fish were generally small but I could hook everything from Calicos to Bonito and there's a long run of deeper water, but most of the harbor is around 10-12ft, but there are plenty of docks to fish around...and if someone wanted, they could fish outside, but I don't know why they would want to (don't say the "W" word)... but as I said I haven't been there in awhile and it's probably too far for many people.

(A mud marlin is an Ace? Jeesh you might as well make the Ace a juvenile WSB and a legal WSB an automatic Full House...at least you'll have a chance...just sayin')

Ya guys I think this will be Huntington Harbor just I will make a decision soon but it does make the most sense for this event. I will need help promoting this. I will be pushing it here in the Forum and all social media but we need more to share it as well. Let make this one happen

I'm curious...when I was looking at Google Maps, satellite view, I noticed and remembered Mother's Beach on Naples, and the Marine Stadium parking.

I assume that no-one launches from MB because of the pay parking (at least I seem to remember parking meters),

but the Marine Stadium parking lot looks open, especially by the launch ramp (judging by the shadows and the cars) and there's a bathroom or two...

Why don't I hear about anyone launching from any of those 2 places?

Of course everyone knows about 72nd place, and I used to take classes at the sailing center through the city so I tend to park near there but I never hear about other launch sites...from "back in the day"...I used to be in and around Belmont Shore alot.

I know the spot you are talking about.  I would to hear from others.  I know that most of that side is private.  I am down that way a lot with my wife I think you can drive in but I am not sure.  Might head down this weekend if so I will see if we can get in.

We’ve launched from mothers beach several times. We just parked on the street for free near the Appian way bridge. It’s a nice beach to launch but the issue I’ve ran into is the crowds. Lots of paddle boarders,kayaks(not the fishing guys) and the dragon boat and rowing teams all launch out of there. Going out early is good but coming back in usually runs into crowds. On the positive side is launching from there you can get to the shipyard near second street bridge where some big spotties hang out and a drift back by Marine Stadium for some Halibut. Also have to check the marine stadium schedule. We got stuck on the wrong side one day and event staff in their boats wouldn’t let us cross the channel through the race course and we had a long kick against the current to go around .

Ya crowd can be big over there and the boats in the area are a problem.  We use to do night sessions off mother beach there that worked out well.

Those row teams and dragon boats are all kind of crazy. Is it necessary for them to use a bullhorn at 6:15am when the trail boat/coach is literally less than 5 yards away from the team?

Regarding Davies Launch Ramp, I know there is a ticket machine at the entrance, not sure if that means you have to pay? But the boat launch traffic on the weekend there is really hectic.

Ok 6:30 am meet up at Seabridge Park Huntington Harbor.  Bring a $5 minimum New Pack of lures for your bet to compete.
Here is the Facebook link to the event for those that are on Facebook.  Please share it from here, Facebook, and Instagram as well.  Let's fill the harbor like the old days.

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1. jeffcpr
2. BigMaxFloats 
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In. Looking forward to it.

I am adding you to the list buddy.

1. jeffcpr
2. BigMaxFloats 
3. beedee
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Count me in, even though I won’t come close to winning, I gain more knowledge about the water ways and fishing tips that are so helpful, I know that my fishing skills will just grow more and more. So by next year, I might give you guys a run for your money!

Sweet you are in and hey you never know bud it could happen.

1. jeffcpr
2. BigMaxFloats 
3. beedee
4. Nickelcent
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I hate to do this but I need to move this event to March 11th. I have in-service for work on the 4th. Plus the PCS is that same weekend so maybe this will land a few more to the event. So all is the same other the a week later for the event March 11th.

1. jeffcpr
2. BigMaxFloats 
3. beedee
4. Nickelcent
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I will be there on the 11th!

I know this is still a month away. Join us for Saltwater Poker March 11th in Huntington Harbor. Bring a $5 pack of lures as your bet and fish till you have a hand you think you can win with. This is a 5 card draw stay game and winner will be
1st - 50% of the pot.
2nd - 30% of the pot.
3rd place takes the rest. It all to get us together on the water for some fun. Questions please ask and we look forward to seeing you all out there.

1. jeffcpr
2. BigMaxFloats 
3. beedee
4. Nickelcent
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I'm not sure that I'll be able to make the new date. My wife works every other Saturday, and the 11th falls on a Saturday in which she'll be working.