GRUNION RUN!!!

Ok so since as long as I can remember I have always wanted to go on a grunion run. I thought it would be a really cool thing to do and would be nice to be able to say "I've done that" and get pictures! The problem with that was I would always hear about them after they happened and wouldn't know when to go in advance. Of course I never thought to investigate it and figure it out...partly because I would hear about it happening and think I'm too late! So I found out about it happening this weekend. I did a little research and found they wont give any sort of good beach to go to, just the dates it should be happening. We did find on one website that it would be tentatively between the hours of 10:35pm and 12:35am of course this isn't exact because the grunion don't send an email or anything as to when/where they would arrive. The tentative times have to do with the moon and the tides. Anyways a couple friends and I went to a beach in Ventura to attempt a grunion run. I even purchased a 1day fishing license to try and catch one. I didn't take any equipment with me though because the law states you cannot use anything but your hands to catch a grunion. SO I was ready to go. I was excited and really looking forward to seeing the run and catching a slippery slimy fish with my hands and taking some pictures. We got to the beach at about 10:30pm and I went straight to the water. I kept my feet in the waves and watched and waited. Then I continued to watch and wait. I walked downshore a little and watched and waited. Walked back and watched and waited. Basically I spent a lot of time with my feet in the sand and water just watching and waiting. Finally about 1:15am we decided the grunion were being rude by making us watch and wait for so long and we left! I really don't know if they came onshore last night or not. I don't know if they came to Ventura or not.... but I do know after that much time watching and waiting my shorts were wet from a few unexpected big waves and I still have no grunion pictures! We noticed on a website last night before we left that you can call the lifeguard towers to see if they have noticed any recent spawnings of the grunion to get a better idea where to go, but it was too late to call.... so next time I learn of a good time for a run I plan to be better prepared. I plan to call ahead and hopefully get a better location to go to~ On the way home I was told that if the next time I go I find the grunion I will then know where to go from then on out. I let her know this is just a one time thing for me! I kind of feel that once I have felt some fish mate at my feet I will be good to go. I don't think I will need to reattend any grunion runs after that!