LJ 8/3 report & learning experience. - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

taggermike · 08-04-2012, 11:37 AM

Got on the water around 9:30, had to take the kids to school first, and was greeted by a rising S/W wind. Never a good sign but surf was down and water was warm. Made exactly 1 green mack and headed toward the NWC. Lots of boats all along the kelp edge with no sign of hookups.

Made it to the corner with no sight of boils, birds, or fish. Started trolling my mack, should have giving him a name, because I walked him like a dog for miles. Saw 2 small cuda caught on skiffs and 2 pelicans come over the rail of the Chubasco II.
On a slightly funny/sad/stupid/rather offensive note, I saw a guy in a skipjack not so slowly trolling live bait. He was up on the top bridge and didn't even notice he had a flock of birds dropping and pecking away at his baits. A peli got hooked and Mr. Oblivious water skied the dam thing for a couple hundred yards befor he turned his head around and saw it.

Had enough, released my mackeral, hoisted the AI's sail and headed in. I thought I'd take advantage of the wind and make a sceanic trip in. Tacked from the NWC to the childrens pool and then turned north just off Shell and Boomers. There is wind eddy or vortex that forms at Point LJ on a south wind. The wind acellerates and whipps a 90 degree turn in to the cove. Feels sorta like riding through a bowl section of a wave. Any way the point of this. Rode that eddy just flying past the cove and stalled out in front of the caves with all the yak tour folks. I then got chased down by a life guard on j-ski. He said I had crossed the "official LJ swim lane" and that he could write me a huge ticket. I told him I've been yakking LJ for 14 years and had never heard of this. It's new and only in the summer, evedently. I kept a super cool mellow attitude and got off with a warning and lecture. I know few fishers go that way back from out side but give the cove a wide swing to the north if you do. Sorry for the novella enstead of a report.
Mike

Deefeesha · 08-04-2012, 12:44 PM

Was that you Mike on the yellow AI? If so, we saw you zip by while we were drifting. That thing looks like fun.

SquidJig · 08-04-2012, 07:57 PM

FYI: the swim lane has been there for years. It's marked by six (or is it eight?) white buoys that clearly mark a long rectangle. The lane lines up between the Cove and the Shores so that about half the distance is boat free. Closer to the Shores, the swimmers are fair game.

If I remember correctly, there's a plaque in Scripps Park overlooking the Cove that describes the underwater park/reserve, including a map. I believe the swim/no boat lane is marked on the map. If you stay north of the second yellow reserve buoy, the swim lane isn't an issue.

I believe the swim lane buoys are taken down during the winter. I don't know if that means the swim lane isn't enforced during the winter but I won't be tempting fate. Now that I think about it, I don't remember seeing the buoys this summer but I've been staying well north of the second yellow buoy.

Anyway, tight lines and stay ticket-free.

Iceman · 08-04-2012, 08:06 PM

pretty sure the sail would have been the reason. Kayaks have always been allowed inside the swim zones......take Doho for instance. No boaters allowed.

taggermike · 08-04-2012, 09:53 PM

Thanks SquidJig, I have never had my kayak, peddle, paddle or sail in that area and I haven't been to the cove in a very long time. Ignorance is no excuse and I'm lucky not to get cited. The guard didn't say the swimmers were fair game but that when they are out of the swim lane they are on thier own. Close enough. And yep, that was me on the yellow AI. When you get those things trimmed just right they really move. They're so light that it feels like they jump up and run. Mike

08-04-2012, 11:37 AM	#1
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	LJ 8/3 report & learning experience. Got on the water around 9:30, had to take the kids to school first, and was greeted by a rising S/W wind. Never a good sign but surf was down and water was warm. Made exactly 1 green mack and headed toward the NWC. Lots of boats all along the kelp edge with no sign of hookups. Made it to the corner with no sight of boils, birds, or fish. Started trolling my mack, should have giving him a name, because I walked him like a dog for miles. Saw 2 small cuda caught on skiffs and 2 pelicans come over the rail of the Chubasco II. On a slightly funny/sad/stupid/rather offensive note, I saw a guy in a skipjack not so slowly trolling live bait. He was up on the top bridge and didn't even notice he had a flock of birds dropping and pecking away at his baits. A peli got hooked and Mr. Oblivious water skied the dam thing for a couple hundred yards befor he turned his head around and saw it. Had enough, released my mackeral, hoisted the AI's sail and headed in. I thought I'd take advantage of the wind and make a sceanic trip in. Tacked from the NWC to the childrens pool and then turned north just off Shell and Boomers. There is wind eddy or vortex that forms at Point LJ on a south wind. The wind acellerates and whipps a 90 degree turn in to the cove. Feels sorta like riding through a bowl section of a wave. Any way the point of this. Rode that eddy just flying past the cove and stalled out in front of the caves with all the yak tour folks. I then got chased down by a life guard on j-ski. He said I had crossed the "official LJ swim lane" and that he could write me a huge ticket. I told him I've been yakking LJ for 14 years and had never heard of this. It's new and only in the summer, evedently. I kept a super cool mellow attitude and got off with a warning and lecture. I know few fishers go that way back from out side but give the cove a wide swing to the north if you do. Sorry for the novella enstead of a report. Mike

08-04-2012, 08:06 PM	#4
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	pretty sure the sail would have been the reason. Kayaks have always been allowed inside the swim zones......take Doho for instance. No boaters allowed. __________________

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08-04-2012, 12:44 PM	#2
Deefeesha Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: I.E. Posts: 179	Was that you Mike on the yellow AI? If so, we saw you zip by while we were drifting. That thing looks like fun.

08-04-2012, 07:57 PM	#3
SquidJig Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 76	FYI: the swim lane has been there for years. It's marked by six (or is it eight?) white buoys that clearly mark a long rectangle. The lane lines up between the Cove and the Shores so that about half the distance is boat free. Closer to the Shores, the swimmers are fair game. If I remember correctly, there's a plaque in Scripps Park overlooking the Cove that describes the underwater park/reserve, including a map. I believe the swim/no boat lane is marked on the map. If you stay north of the second yellow reserve buoy, the swim lane isn't an issue. I believe the swim lane buoys are taken down during the winter. I don't know if that means the swim lane isn't enforced during the winter but I won't be tempting fate. Now that I think about it, I don't remember seeing the buoys this summer but I've been staying well north of the second yellow buoy. Anyway, tight lines and stay ticket-free.

08-04-2012, 09:53 PM	#5
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Thanks SquidJig, I have never had my kayak, peddle, paddle or sail in that area and I haven't been to the cove in a very long time. Ignorance is no excuse and I'm lucky not to get cited. The guard didn't say the swimmers were fair game but that when they are out of the swim lane they are on thier own. Close enough. And yep, that was me on the yellow AI. When you get those things trimmed just right they really move. They're so light that it feels like they jump up and run. Mike