Dana Pt, 7-5-11
 

Launched at 5:20am to a slight breeze out of the NW and headed straight for the Pipe. Water was a balmy 69º and kinda dirty. Spent almost the whole morning fishing in around 50-45'. The bite was just a pick all morning until about 9am when it shut off like a light. Maybe 3 bites from 9-10:30 and I worked a much bigger section of pipe too. Finished the morning with about 25 bass, about 50/50 sand to plaid. No one bait ever produced much with 5.5" Big Hammer, 3" Flurry, and MC drop shot bait doing the grunt work. At one point I saw a BIG bass chasing bait, but I couldn't get turned around in time to fire a cast. I did manage 3 fish out of the same spot in 3 casts though. Nothing big for the morning, biggest was maybe 3.5lbs. Most were running in the 2lb range though.

High lights were watching a thresher and a pod (maybe 100) of Common Dolphin working over all the bait in the area. Sun came out of the tropical clouds off and on and the wind picked up around 9, but wasn't too strong. Finally called it a day around 10:30 and headed in.

I should also mention that I was covered in flies. Picked up about a 100 of the bastards off the end of the jetty and spent the whole morning killing them. It was supremely annoying. I'd set the hook and flies would take off in all directions, only to return with in seconds. It was probably 9:30 before I had killed enough of them to not be annoyed.

Sounds like fun.Where is the pipe in relation to the harbor mouth?

Sounds fun!

my 2 cents on 7/5 the pm shift in Dana Point. . .
 

I launched south of the jetty and made my way towards the "pipe" around 2:30. The wind peaked around 5 and then began to glass-off. I was off the water by 7 ish it looked really nice.

wind was tough at the peak and way too many jet-skiers. Between them and the wind, it was war at sea. It was fishy. I managed bait, bigger macks killing my hammer and a single calico. It was impossible to stay put and fish an area.

I made my way into the harbor by the bait barge for a couple of raked bait and one 12 in halibut safely released.

I too would like to know where the pipe is. I drifted well south of the creek outlet looking for "structure" on the FF.

COordinates please?

Didn't mean to hijack the original report, his is better than mine.
:you_rock:

25 bass in a few hours? Yeah baby...

The Pipe is pretty easy to find, if you know where to look. Head out of the harbor and paddle to the red buoy that's straight ahead. Then hang a right at it and head out. There is 2 barber poles about a mile out. Line up the one on the left with the red buoy and you'll find the Pipe. Problem is it's hard to see the barber poles from the red buoy. Pre-GPS I'd paddle out at an angle to the buoy to about 45' then bear left until I came up on the Pipe. It comes up about 10' so it's easy to see on the meter. Once you find it it's easy to work out land marks for yourself. Just remember, Red Buoy and left hand Barber Pole and you'll find it.

Ed, thanks for the detailed report as always. Lots of folks on here learning a lot from you.

:D:D:D

25 bass in a couple of hours...That's not too bad. Sandies and checker-boards, nice mix.

Alway enjoy reading your posts. Like Matt stated good info for those who do not have the knowledge yet.

Thanks for taking the time to be so thorough.

FFY

Thanks for the report Ed. Just an FYI, lots of bigger sandies usually come from 90' to the corner at 100'. Turn the corner and work towards the right hand barber pole. 100' to about 110' there. Sometimes the larger models like to hang out there too. Tough to fish when the current is ripping but not bad at all on a nice day. Funny how the pipe disappears in the 60' ish to 70' ish depth.

Great report...but it would sure be nice if someone could post a coordinates to 'the pipe'

Damn good info...

Thanks for the heads up Kobra. Never fished out there. I'll try it next time.

Brokeloser, it's really not too hard to find. Once you do, if you have GPS you're golden. If you don't, just make yourself some landmarks. I have a few I use, but describing them wouldn't work. Or wait until lobster season, then just follow the line of buoys.