Newport Harbor 7/2
 

My first "official" report..... Here it goes!

Got to the Coast Guard Station at 0630, and was OTW by 0700. The water was nice, low winds, 1-2ft swells tops from what I could tell. Slightly larger out by the buoy, not by much. It was still overcast when I got out at 1230. Only saw two or three others on kayaks all day, a few small 12ft boats, everyone else was on a charter or headed far out to sea.

Tried out my bait tank, works like a charm! Made bait next to the barge, and went out to the buoy. No bites on my Mackerel, but I did get one overzealous Calico on a :jig:. Bonus points to whoever guesses what I was fishing for when I got him....

Also caught two weird fish on my Sabiki at the same time... Almost looks like a blue gill? Caught them by the rocks. If anyone knows... :notworthy:

Before I left, gave my last live Mackerel to a random stranger on another yak, his first time at NPH. Hope he got something with it.

One of the Coast Guards came over when I was loading up and we spoke for a few minutes. The guy moved out here from Florida, and had only been here a year. Nice guy.

It was a CNR day for me... Nothing like enjoying the peace and quiet on the water. Fun day. No traffic. Great conditions.

Looks like you got that kayak dialed in.
Opal eye perch. They get 20"+. I hear they're Good fried.
Hey, do you remember the hours for the CG station parking lot?

Thanks! It was Chris, right? Thank you for the positive ID!

As for the CG parking, it for sure opens up at 6am, and I want to say it closes at 10pm. Not 100% on the closing time though.

Congrats on the maiden bait tank run...looks like it turned out ok to me....
I gotta get back to NPH it is some pretty nice fishing there...water temp up there, or did it fall off like up here in ventura...

6 am to 10 pm

They are cool with getting there a little early in the AM for fishing but dont push the PM .I found that out coming in from hooping a little late.

not really that important as i believe all the perch fall under same regulations set forth by the DFG....

but pretty sure that is not an Opaleye.....coloring looks off...was there a little light colored spot just next to the dorsal?

How was the wind? Hitting Cherry with Landwhale tomorrow, hopefully there's not a lot of morning sickness. I'm horrible with IDs, but it looks like a Blacksmith to me.

Fish ID
 

Looks like a "butterlip or buttermouth" as their known.