Chula Vista 12/15 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Harry Hill · 12-16-2016, 09:42 PM

Jeff Lowe and I decided to give Chula Vista another shot. We thought with the storm coming in it might put the fish on the bite. We were on the water by about 6:15. While paddling out of the harbor I saw one of the osprey flying by with what looked like a corvina in it's talons. That was the only corvina I saw. The spots were biting okay but mostly on the small side. I had two keeper sized for the day that were released. I also kept my sabiki in the water looking for bait and managed to get two jack smelt. I put a large one on a sliding sinker rig and started slow trolling for halibut cruising the shoreline of Coronado, then all the way across the bay to the Chula Vista side and back to the harbor getting back about noon. The second smelt I fly lined while I was slow trolling hoping a corvina would take it. I still haven't managed to catch a legal halibut or corvina, Jeff did good on the spotties though as they stayed active most of the morning. The bad news is when we got back to the launch and went to load my yak on the trailer it had a lot of water in it. It was very heavy and you could feel it sloshing when I lifted it. It was a good thing I had help because I wouldn't have gotten it loaded by myself. There was enough water that two hours later when I got home it was still draining onto the trailer, and I can't find a hole or crack. I'll put it back on the trailer and put some water in it to see if I can find the leak. It's funny how the morning started out pretty warm, then about 9 it got real cold for about an hour then warmed back up. The tide never turned into an issue, though I thought because of the king tide it would cause us problems. I'll keep looking for the secret to catching halibut but I think the secret is time on the water.

Amish Ed · 12-17-2016, 01:11 PM

Thanks for the report Harry. Which yak sprang a leak?

Harry Hill · 12-17-2016, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amish Ed

Thanks for the report Harry. Which yak sprang a leak?

Ed, it is the Pro2T. I have given the bottom a real good check and can't find any thing yet so the next check is put some water in the hull and see if I can figure out where it is leaking.

Amish Ed · 12-17-2016, 03:41 PM

Well, I hope you find it. It can be tough.

Orca Winfrey · 12-17-2016, 05:09 PM

Were the drain plugs screwed in tight? If it turns out to be a leak, I've had some experience fixing big leaks on a used Hobie Lanai with a Homedepot bucket and a heat gun. It hasn't leaked a drop since the fix. Let me know if you find it and want to go for the quick and ugly fix.

Harry Hill · 12-17-2016, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orca Winfrey

Were the drain plugs screwed in tight? If it turns out to be a leak, I've had some experience fixing big leaks on a used Hobie Lanai with a Homedepot bucket and a heat gun. It hasn't leaked a drop since the fix. Let me know if you find it and want to go for the quick and ugly fix.

Thanks, I will fill it with water this week while it's on the trailer then start looking for where it's draining from. It has to be on the bottom somewhere because it was all drained by the time I got home though it was still dripping from someplace.

12-16-2016, 09:42 PM	#1
Harry Hill Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,136	Chula Vista 12/15 Jeff Lowe and I decided to give Chula Vista another shot. We thought with the storm coming in it might put the fish on the bite. We were on the water by about 6:15. While paddling out of the harbor I saw one of the osprey flying by with what looked like a corvina in it's talons. That was the only corvina I saw. The spots were biting okay but mostly on the small side. I had two keeper sized for the day that were released. I also kept my sabiki in the water looking for bait and managed to get two jack smelt. I put a large one on a sliding sinker rig and started slow trolling for halibut cruising the shoreline of Coronado, then all the way across the bay to the Chula Vista side and back to the harbor getting back about noon. The second smelt I fly lined while I was slow trolling hoping a corvina would take it. I still haven't managed to catch a legal halibut or corvina, Jeff did good on the spotties though as they stayed active most of the morning. The bad news is when we got back to the launch and went to load my yak on the trailer it had a lot of water in it. It was very heavy and you could feel it sloshing when I lifted it. It was a good thing I had help because I wouldn't have gotten it loaded by myself. There was enough water that two hours later when I got home it was still draining onto the trailer, and I can't find a hole or crack. I'll put it back on the trailer and put some water in it to see if I can find the leak. It's funny how the morning started out pretty warm, then about 9 it got real cold for about an hour then warmed back up. The tide never turned into an issue, though I thought because of the king tide it would cause us problems. I'll keep looking for the secret to catching halibut but I think the secret is time on the water. __________________ you can't eat it if you release it

12-17-2016, 01:11 PM	#2
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Thanks for the report Harry. Which yak sprang a leak? __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

12-17-2016, 03:41 PM	#4
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Well, I hope you find it. It can be tough. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

12-17-2016, 05:09 PM	#5
Orca Winfrey Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: The I. E. Posts: 353	Were the drain plugs screwed in tight? If it turns out to be a leak, I've had some experience fixing big leaks on a used Hobie Lanai with a Homedepot bucket and a heat gun. It hasn't leaked a drop since the fix. Let me know if you find it and want to go for the quick and ugly fix.