San Clemente State Beach - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

clayfish · 05-14-2007, 08:21 PM

Greetings,

Camping at San Clemente State Beach, is there a good place to launch

yak there or in the area? Any good fishing there?

Thanks

Zed · 05-16-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Camping at San Clemente State Beach, is there a good place to launch yak there or in the area? Any good fishing there?

I'm partial to the beach.

There is very little shelter. Mateo Rock can block some swell, but look for channels in the bars. If the swell has any S in it, it will be big, with suck-up inside section. W-NW swell is generally blocked by Catalina. And the hill is a beyotch to drag up, after a long day on the water.

Tell us how your fishing went. The kelp is looking better.

Z

cabojohn · 05-16-2007, 12:08 PM

Charge it!
Gettin yer kayak to and from the beach will kick yer arse. It will feel like it weighs 900 lbs. Pack light.

Kevin · 05-16-2007, 03:15 PM

I've launched from the state beach several times. If you aren't very confident in your beach launch skills, you might be better off heading to dana point.

The negative low tide in the mornings will make for very hollow surf there and with the shorter interval swell forecasted this weekend, the launch window will be very narrow as well. Watch for a good long while before you commit to the paddle. Sunday there is also a longer period south swell forecasted to build (= sets are less frequent) and if you get caught by that with the low tide you will be toast.

And like the others, the hill up to the campground will kill you. Not fun. So pack light or make several trips.

Cabo or Zed, you guys up for an assault on the barn kelp/box canyon? Perhaps the weekend after this one?

Kevin

clayfish · 05-16-2007, 08:46 PM

Thanks all for your insight to San Clemente State Beach. I have launched several times off LJ and had no problems getting out and back in. On one really nice afternoon I unloaded all the tackle and came in on the waves I would regularly avoid - other than the one nose dive the rest went well. I'll take a good look at the waves before I haul the yak down especially before hauling the wifes down (no ocean yak experience (yet)

. Is Dana point more like San Diego Bay behind a jetty? Anyways thanks again for the tips.

clayfish · 05-19-2007, 07:18 AM

Red Tide in San Clemente, not looking good.

greens · 05-19-2007, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clayfish

Thanks all for your insight to San Clemente State Beach. I have launched several times off LJ and had no problems getting out and back in. On one really nice afternoon I unloaded all the tackle and came in on the waves I would regularly avoid - other than the one nose dive the rest went well. I'll take a good look at the waves before I haul the yak down especially before hauling the wifes down (no ocean yak experience (yet)

. Is Dana point more like San Diego Bay behind a jetty? Anyways thanks again for the tips.

San Clemente wave make LJ look like the kiddie pool

. So don't think it's anything like it. You will have to time it right and

like hell. Strap and store everything you have or it's gone. Good luck and take care. Also Dana is a 15 min drive up the 5 and you can launch Baby beach (like the bay) then paddle to the bait barge get good bait and go outside into the big water or stay inside if the swell sucks. Another big plus is I've never been skunked there

. So the wife may have a little more fun.

Just my 2 cents.

Greens
San Clemete resident.

05-14-2007, 08:21 PM	#1
clayfish Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 9	San Clemente State Beach Greetings, Camping at San Clemente State Beach, is there a good place to launch yak there or in the area? Any good fishing there? Thanks

05-16-2007, 12:08 PM	#3
cabojohn PROBATION Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 656	Charge it! Gettin yer kayak to and from the beach will kick yer arse. It will feel like it weighs 900 lbs. Pack light.

05-16-2007, 03:15 PM	#4
Kevin Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 78	I've launched from the state beach several times. If you aren't very confident in your beach launch skills, you might be better off heading to dana point. The negative low tide in the mornings will make for very hollow surf there and with the shorter interval swell forecasted this weekend, the launch window will be very narrow as well. Watch for a good long while before you commit to the paddle. Sunday there is also a longer period south swell forecasted to build (= sets are less frequent) and if you get caught by that with the low tide you will be toast. And like the others, the hill up to the campground will kill you. Not fun. So pack light or make several trips. Cabo or Zed, you guys up for an assault on the barn kelp/box canyon? Perhaps the weekend after this one? Kevin

05-16-2007, 08:46 PM	#5
clayfish Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 9	Thanks all for your insight to San Clemente State Beach. I have launched several times off LJ and had no problems getting out and back in. On one really nice afternoon I unloaded all the tackle and came in on the waves I would regularly avoid - other than the one nose dive the rest went well. I'll take a good look at the waves before I haul the yak down especially before hauling the wifes down (no ocean yak experience (yet) . Is Dana point more like San Diego Bay behind a jetty? Anyways thanks again for the tips.

05-19-2007, 07:18 AM	#6
clayfish Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 9	Red Tide in San Clemente, not looking good.