Newport Harbor Sunday 5/7

[Stuck20]

Took two work buddies out for an early morning session. Tried to launch from the Coast Guard station but bayside was blocked off for a marathon, those poor people were running in the rain. We went across the harbor to launch.

Tried the docks near the white buoys first for a few short bites but no takers.

It was a bit cold in the morning but nothing we couldn't handle so we kept working at it. Tried near the jetty but the bites were non existent there. Low tide came in on our way back and we were running out of time. Went to one last spot, that blue and yellow buoy in front of the Coast Guard boat. The sun was able to peek through the clouds for about 15 minutes and that's when all our action happened.

I got a 16" spottie, short halibut (I'm guessing 12" or so) and a short sandy. My buddy got a 14" spottie in the same spot. It was his first time there so he went to try near the rocks at the Coast Guard beach. I was thinking "that place is so overfished, I should tell him to stay with the bite here" but kept my mouth shut and let him do his thing. Good thing I did, he landed a 23" halibut very shortly after.

I was using a drop shot with a zoom fluke and one ounce weight. He had a green grub on a lead colored jig head. All fish caught and released.

He is looking for a kayak for himself now.

[iethinker]

I alternate between drop-shot and other things for the spotties. Drop-shot seems to get more by-catch (in san diego bay) however sometimes the spotties short-bite it. I think sometimes they like to chase stuff more and then I use the swimbaits or fluke on carolina rig. Never fished Newport though.