Solana Kelp Beds

[Hondatom]

Where is the best place to launch if I want to hit the kelp off Solana Beach?
It looks like a very promising place to fish,but it also looks like I may have to my first surf launch. Any advice?

[lobstersoup]

Have you been out fishing in Solana Beach yet?

[ccacher1]

I've only gone out of Solana beach because I just started kayak fishing and its within walking distance for me. What I do is launch from dog beach on the north side of the estuary that goes in to the racetrack. Granted last time I went it was 3-4' and I got pummeled 4 times going out. However, I'm also in a Malibu S-9 so I walk the kayak out as far as possible and try to time it. So to answer your question...I'd launch from dog beach north of the estuary, look for a small surf day, and DEFINITELY tie/lay everything down. I've only fished swimbaits for calicos out there but I plan on trying to make bait and going that route next weekend. If you do go off of dog beach paddle a little bit north to the kelp beds.

[Lipripper92592]

On small swell days you should be able to paddle out through the channel just north of Table Rock. Park at the lot, $$ or drag your yak down the stairs just south of the parking lot, free parking. Watch the swell, when the swell is down, you should notice the horseshoe pattern around the reef, the channel is on the south side of the reef, the rip should help get you out a bit faster. The set waves will spill into the channel sometimes, but take 20 or 30 minutes of watching the swell and you should be able to time it perfectly. North of the point is a SWCA/MLPA zone, pelagic only for an area for boat based anglers, wide open for shore based anglers though....got to love the rules.

[iethinker]

Originally Posted by Lipripper92592

On small swell days you should be able to paddle out through the channel just north of Table Rock.

Lipripper - What or where is Table Rock. I have launched from Dog Beach to get to Solana Kelp.

Hondatom - #1, Use a PFD. #2, Dress to get wet. My first launches here left me more cold from being soaked than embarrassed from the pummelling. I get soaked heading out even just poking through and over the waves smoothly. Also, the swells seem to pick-up more as the day goes by. The re-entry is the trick. Go with the expectation to flip and learn and you will begin the process. Definitely wait for low wave/swell days to start. I have sat outside of the breakers for 20-minutes studying and timing re-entry. It's counter-intuitive but don't try and ride the waves in.

[Lipripper92592]

Originally Posted by iethinker

Lipripper - What or where is Table Rock. I have launched from Dog Beach to get to Solana Kelp.

Hondatom - #1, Use a PFD. #2, Dress to get wet. My first launches here left me more cold from being soaked than embarrassed from the pummelling. I get soaked heading out even just poking through and over the waves smoothly. Also, the swells seem to pick-up more as the day goes by. The re-entry is the trick. Go with the expectation to flip and learn and you will begin the process. Definitely wait for low wave/swell days to start. I have sat outside of the breakers for 20-minutes studying and timing re-entry. It's counter-intuitive but don't try and ride the waves in.

Check out Google Earth at 35-59-56.37 117-16-39.39. The imagery shows the reef outline as well as the kelp beds in the area. Park on/near Solana Vista Drive, the stairs are at the end of the road. I have free dived the area for the last few years, but haven't taken the yak out yet. for C&R I would troll a lucky craft 110 pointer right past the breaking waves, or in a east/west direction against the south side of the reef. Two years ago on Christmas there as a super low tide that revealed a good portion of the reef. There are a few holes the size of a Jacuzzi in the reef that the hali's love to hang out in and ambush bait that drifts into the holes.