Anybody going out regularly between Malibu and Ventura? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

ProfessorLongArms · 09-12-2017, 02:43 PM

Hello all!
I'm new to the forum.

I've been fishing since I was a kid in Alabama. I've spent a lot of time on the water in the Gulf, and on party boats out here in Los Angeles. I'm no stranger to a kayak or the surf, but I'm only just now getting into kayak fishing.

My Dad recently gave me his 13' Ocean Kayak Torque after moving away from Santa Barbara to somewhere more landlocked, and I've been looking to get out and do some fishing.

I've launched once out of Leo Carillo (those stairs are a beast to get a big Kayak up and down!) and pulled up a couple of C&R calicos out of the kelp, and had a blast
That said, my understanding is that it's best not to go alone, and none of my fishing friends have a kayak.
My wife also promised me if I keep going out alone, I might come home to find her shiny new Honda Shadow in the driveway and I'd rather she not take up motorcycling

While I try to coerce my friends into buying kayaks, I'm considering the path of least resistance....

I'm curious if any particularly friendly 'yak anglers who launch between Leo Carillo and Oxnard wouldn't mind a rookie tagging along sometime? I'm fully outfitted, mild mannered, punctual, and good with social cues. I'm also freelance, so my schedule tends to be pretty flexible for making it to the beach during the week or on short notice.

Cheers!

PS: I also *might* not be averse to picking up lunch at Neptune's Net or elsewhere locally convenient for anyone nice enough to have me

TJones · 09-12-2017, 03:49 PM

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Cronus · 09-13-2017, 07:30 AM

I have recently started going from Leo myself. I have a Lure 13.5 that weighs 95 lbs empty so I know what you mean about getting to the water. I have been told to also hit Deer Creek but that staircase is damn near vertical. No way to do that alone. I park on the north side of Leo on PCH and use my kart to get down to the water. I usually launch right next to the large rocks on the right. There is a trail you can snake through the boulders but usually that area is full of kids when I come back. So I land at the right of the rock patch, when looking from the water, and pull my kayak on the bike trail since the dirt is harder and I dont have to fight the sand. I have hit some nice calico, a hali on my first trip, and fought with a ray there. If the waves are too big I hit the break wall out of Channel Islands. I am somewhat of a nube myself when it comes to ocean fishing but I catch. I just picked up a laminated fish ID chart so I know what Im pulling in. There are some fish that I'm like, what the hell is this, lol. I just checked the surf report and this weekend the waves are 1ft + so it will be a good time to go. I'll be at Leo by 7. I like to be earlier but have not slept much lately so will not jump too early, live in Simi. Black Cayenne with a Lure in winter cammo, Mike is the name.

Roscoe · 09-13-2017, 07:59 AM

I try to go out every weekend.
Between Leo and Ventura harbor.
Sometimes farther north if I can swing it.
Pm me your number and I will text you the next time I go out.

ProfessorLongArms · 09-13-2017, 09:42 AM

Thanks everybody for such a quick and welcoming response! (I also got a private message with some extra info)

Glad to know there's such an active Kayak fishing community up here, and I'm even more excited to get out on the water now.

I'll shoot that PM over now.

My name's Spencer, btw. I'll be out there in a Yellow Ocean Torque (fancied up Trident 13) with long hippie hair and a beard.

I'm curious if there are any launch sites recommended for easy access to the water... I'd trade *great* fishing for easy access starting out....

I noticed the north side of leo carillo has a pretty easy parking situation next to the beach, but the parking attendant told me I'd get thrashed in the surf, and I'm not sure if there's much structure worth fishing there like kelp, etc. I keep hearing nice things about deep hole...

Definitely not planning to go down the stairs alone again... I almost sold my kayak after trying to drag it up those stairs.

ProfessorLongArms · 09-13-2017, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cronus

I have recently started going from Leo myself. I have a Lure 13.5 that weighs 95 lbs empty so I know what you mean about getting to the water. I have been told to also hit Deer Creek but that staircase is damn near vertical. No way to do that alone. I park on the north side of Leo on PCH and use my kart to get down to the water. I usually launch right next to the large rocks on the right. There is a trail you can snake through the boulders but usually that area is full of kids when I come back. So I land at the right of the rock patch, when looking from the water, and pull my kayak on the bike trail since the dirt is harder and I dont have to fight the sand. I have hit some nice calico, a hali on my first trip, and fought with a ray there. If the waves are too big I hit the break wall out of Channel Islands. I am somewhat of a nube myself when it comes to ocean fishing but I catch. I just picked up a laminated fish ID chart so I know what Im pulling in. There are some fish that I'm like, what the hell is this, lol. I just checked the surf report and this weekend the waves are 1ft + so it will be a good time to go. I'll be at Leo by 7. I like to be earlier but have not slept much lately so will not jump too early, live in Simi. Black Cayenne with a Lure in winter cammo, Mike is the name.

Also thanks for the tip on the trails at Leo! I had no idea about those. Gonna scout that out when I'm up that way tomorrow.

Hunters Pa · 09-13-2017, 10:34 AM

Make sure you know where the MLPA closures are. We lost some prime areas up there through that process and you don't need some NIMBY activist on their balcony or "their beach" with binoculars and a heightened sense of self importance trying to tell you that you were targeting "ocean puppies" in a protected area.

TJones · 09-13-2017, 12:04 PM

Month ago I heard some rustling in the bush half way up steps. I was thinking mice moving in middle of day? I look and a see a snake body 3-4 " thick and appears to be a rattler. It continues slithering through a clearing in bush and low and behold, a rattler on the end of its tail. An adult snake estimated to be close to 3 foot. Probably enjoying the sun like the rest of us. This occurred while I was packing it up at around 15:30.

goldenglory18 · 09-13-2017, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunters Pa

Make sure you know where the MLPA closures are. We lost some prime areas up there through that process and you don't need some NIMBY activist on their balcony or "their beach" with binoculars and a heightened sense of self importance trying to tell you that you were targeting "ocean puppies" in a protected area.

LOL "ocean puppies"

I married one of those yuppies and find that very funny.

TJones · 09-13-2017, 12:12 PM

Week day warrior for next couple of months. It has its advantages. Hitting some Lj home guards during fall, winter, spring with less crowds is a blast . Can't wait to try them new flat falls.

Cronus · 09-13-2017, 12:17 PM

You can see my launch spot in this video.----, killed that link - poor quality. My son had me make a new channel for the kayak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMF-xeher00

acorad · 09-13-2017, 12:50 PM

Hi Spencer, I actually prefer those steps. Trying to maneuver a kayak up or down a trail or an unimproved bluff is way more difficult!

I've found the fishing there is very hit or miss. I mostly target calico there and hope to sight schools of bonita or cracker YTs, although they are few and far between.

I've also found the launch/landing there to be difficult due to wave size, although I'm no expert.

I'm up for exploring more, I'll sent you a PM.

Andy

Denis_Ruso · 09-13-2017, 01:28 PM

Have someone walk you through a beach launch and always be ready to take a spill.

What's wrong with paying for parking and parking right near the sand?

I've dealt with the steps, but you can always drive in to the campsite side, pay for parking drive under PCH and park on the right side of the rocks at Leo. I usually would rather launch in that shore break anyways and you only have to drag/wheel your kayak on sand.

Cronus · 09-13-2017, 01:47 PM

Here is my map. I park in the circle and pull the yak on my cart to the rocks edge. Very short distance in soft dry sand. Land on the other side, same side if not full of kids, and this is the bike path I mentioned. Long walk back but not a problem. Only way I found to fish the kelp beds by myself. Every time I look at that parking lot along the beach there is very rough surf there. The other side that I use is much more friendly. But do not go if the surf report is showing anything over 3ft. I had a hell of a day once when it was rated 4-6 ft. One guy never made it out.

acorad · 09-13-2017, 02:41 PM

Cronus, thanks for the launch info. That definitely looks like a sheltered spot to launch.

Andy

Hunters Pa · 09-13-2017, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenglory18

LOL "ocean puppies"

I married one of those yuppies and find that very funny.

Yeah, seems funny now. I do laugh at it. Kinda

But it was far from humorous when the urchin-huggers were loading up misinformed kids by the busload to the meetings to get good fishing areas closed. They DID call fish sea-kittens and ocean-puppies. I kid you not.

Rant over, just please be careful as to where you drop a line. There are nebulous lines for the closures and all you need is someone whose speedos are in a wad for some reason to call DFW on you because they can't figure out the actual closure line and they do not want you in the view from their deck over the sand.

Edit to add link to crappy map https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...=105396&inline

Cronus · 09-13-2017, 04:17 PM

I did not know about the closure spots, frickin hippies lol. I looked it up and it looks like we are good at Leo. Thanks man!

Cronus · 09-13-2017, 04:27 PM

And on the "deep hole" fishing spot I have heard a lot about it. It was actually called "depot" as it was crap from a train depot that was along the shore. They tore it out and dumped the concrete and junk in the water. I have not fished it yet but would like to. I have an Elite 7ti fish finder with GPS so if anyone wants to try for it I am game. Would really like to go with someone who has been there.

domtesta27 · 09-13-2017, 04:38 PM

If you're trying for deep hole you'll probably want to launch at County Line.
The problem we were having with Deep hole earlier in the year is that every weekend one or two of the 1/2 or 3/4 day sport boats were coming in and cleaning it completely out.

I haven't had very good luck launching out of Leo, but if you launch from County there are tons of different structure points in anywhere from 80 to 180 feet of water that hold rockfish and Lings.

Good luck and tight lines!

ProfessorLongArms · 09-13-2017, 04:53 PM

Just wanted to pipe in and say how much I appreciate all of the shared info! This is extremely helpful, and i'm really glad to see so many people are fishing here. Thanks again. This gives me a ton to think about.

09-12-2017, 02:43 PM	#1
ProfessorLongArms Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 401	Anybody going out regularly between Malibu and Ventura? Hello all! I'm new to the forum. I've been fishing since I was a kid in Alabama. I've spent a lot of time on the water in the Gulf, and on party boats out here in Los Angeles. I'm no stranger to a kayak or the surf, but I'm only just now getting into kayak fishing. My Dad recently gave me his 13' Ocean Kayak Torque after moving away from Santa Barbara to somewhere more landlocked, and I've been looking to get out and do some fishing. I've launched once out of Leo Carillo (those stairs are a beast to get a big Kayak up and down!) and pulled up a couple of C&R calicos out of the kelp, and had a blast That said, my understanding is that it's best not to go alone, and none of my fishing friends have a kayak. My wife also promised me if I keep going out alone, I might come home to find her shiny new Honda Shadow in the driveway and I'd rather she not take up motorcycling While I try to coerce my friends into buying kayaks, I'm considering the path of least resistance.... I'm curious if any particularly friendly 'yak anglers who launch between Leo Carillo and Oxnard wouldn't mind a rookie tagging along sometime? I'm fully outfitted, mild mannered, punctual, and good with social cues. I'm also freelance, so my schedule tends to be pretty flexible for making it to the beach during the week or on short notice. Cheers! PS: I also might not be averse to picking up lunch at Neptune's Net or elsewhere locally convenient for anyone nice enough to have me Last edited by ProfessorLongArms; 09-12-2017 at 04:51 PM. Reason: Forgot to add something at the end

09-12-2017, 03:49 PM	#2
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	Percfecto .

09-13-2017, 09:42 AM	#5
ProfessorLongArms Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 401	Wow.. Thanks everybody for such a quick and welcoming response! (I also got a private message with some extra info) Glad to know there's such an active Kayak fishing community up here, and I'm even more excited to get out on the water now. I'll shoot that PM over now. My name's Spencer, btw. I'll be out there in a Yellow Ocean Torque (fancied up Trident 13) with long hippie hair and a beard. I'm curious if there are any launch sites recommended for easy access to the water... I'd trade great fishing for easy access starting out.... I noticed the north side of leo carillo has a pretty easy parking situation next to the beach, but the parking attendant told me I'd get thrashed in the surf, and I'm not sure if there's much structure worth fishing there like kelp, etc. I keep hearing nice things about deep hole... Definitely not planning to go down the stairs alone again... I almost sold my kayak after trying to drag it up those stairs.

09-13-2017, 12:04 PM	#8
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	Watch your step Month ago I heard some rustling in the bush half way up steps. I was thinking mice moving in middle of day? I look and a see a snake body 3-4 " thick and appears to be a rattler. It continues slithering through a clearing in bush and low and behold, a rattler on the end of its tail. An adult snake estimated to be close to 3 foot. Probably enjoying the sun like the rest of us. This occurred while I was packing it up at around 15:30.

09-13-2017, 12:12 PM	#10
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	No weekends for me right now Week day warrior for next couple of months. It has its advantages. Hitting some Lj home guards during fall, winter, spring with less crowds is a blast . Can't wait to try them new flat falls.

09-13-2017, 07:30 AM	#3
Cronus Cheat to win Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Simi Valley Posts: 93	I have recently started going from Leo myself. I have a Lure 13.5 that weighs 95 lbs empty so I know what you mean about getting to the water. I have been told to also hit Deer Creek but that staircase is damn near vertical. No way to do that alone. I park on the north side of Leo on PCH and use my kart to get down to the water. I usually launch right next to the large rocks on the right. There is a trail you can snake through the boulders but usually that area is full of kids when I come back. So I land at the right of the rock patch, when looking from the water, and pull my kayak on the bike trail since the dirt is harder and I dont have to fight the sand. I have hit some nice calico, a hali on my first trip, and fought with a ray there. If the waves are too big I hit the break wall out of Channel Islands. I am somewhat of a nube myself when it comes to ocean fishing but I catch. I just picked up a laminated fish ID chart so I know what Im pulling in. There are some fish that I'm like, what the hell is this, lol. I just checked the surf report and this weekend the waves are 1ft + so it will be a good time to go. I'll be at Leo by 7. I like to be earlier but have not slept much lately so will not jump too early, live in Simi. Black Cayenne with a Lure in winter cammo, Mike is the name.

09-13-2017, 07:59 AM	#4
Roscoe Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Camarillo Posts: 91	I try to go out every weekend. Between Leo and Ventura harbor. Sometimes farther north if I can swing it. Pm me your number and I will text you the next time I go out.

09-13-2017, 10:34 AM	#7
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,360	Make sure you know where the MLPA closures are. We lost some prime areas up there through that process and you don't need some NIMBY activist on their balcony or "their beach" with binoculars and a heightened sense of self importance trying to tell you that you were targeting "ocean puppies" in a protected area.

09-13-2017, 12:17 PM	#11
Cronus Cheat to win Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Simi Valley Posts: 93	You can see my launch spot in this video.----, killed that link - poor quality. My son had me make a new channel for the kayak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMF-xeher00 Last edited by Cronus; 09-13-2017 at 01:29 PM.

09-13-2017, 12:50 PM	#12
acorad Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Agoura Hills Posts: 166	Hi Spencer, I actually prefer those steps. Trying to maneuver a kayak up or down a trail or an unimproved bluff is way more difficult! I've found the fishing there is very hit or miss. I mostly target calico there and hope to sight schools of bonita or cracker YTs, although they are few and far between. I've also found the launch/landing there to be difficult due to wave size, although I'm no expert. I'm up for exploring more, I'll sent you a PM. Andy

09-13-2017, 01:28 PM	#13
Denis_Ruso Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 571	Have someone walk you through a beach launch and always be ready to take a spill. What's wrong with paying for parking and parking right near the sand? I've dealt with the steps, but you can always drive in to the campsite side, pay for parking drive under PCH and park on the right side of the rocks at Leo. I usually would rather launch in that shore break anyways and you only have to drag/wheel your kayak on sand. __________________ 2018 Hobie Outback 13 I do not fear the storm as it will teach me how to sail my ship.

09-13-2017, 02:41 PM	#15
acorad Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Agoura Hills Posts: 166	Cronus, thanks for the launch info. That definitely looks like a sheltered spot to launch. Andy

09-13-2017, 04:27 PM	#18
Cronus Cheat to win Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Simi Valley Posts: 93	And on the "deep hole" fishing spot I have heard a lot about it. It was actually called "depot" as it was crap from a train depot that was along the shore. They tore it out and dumped the concrete and junk in the water. I have not fished it yet but would like to. I have an Elite 7ti fish finder with GPS so if anyone wants to try for it I am game. Would really like to go with someone who has been there.

09-13-2017, 04:38 PM	#19
domtesta27 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Ventura, Ca Posts: 111	Deep Hole If you're trying for deep hole you'll probably want to launch at County Line. The problem we were having with Deep hole earlier in the year is that every weekend one or two of the 1/2 or 3/4 day sport boats were coming in and cleaning it completely out. I haven't had very good luck launching out of Leo, but if you launch from County there are tons of different structure points in anywhere from 80 to 180 feet of water that hold rockfish and Lings. Good luck and tight lines!

09-13-2017, 04:53 PM	#20
ProfessorLongArms Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 401	Just wanted to pipe in and say how much I appreciate all of the shared info! This is extremely helpful, and i'm really glad to see so many people are fishing here. Thanks again. This gives me a ton to think about.