San O 6/16 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

GregAndrew · 06-18-2018, 06:10 PM

Got out to San O for the first time in a while to pretty snotty conditions. Onshore winds lasting thru the night, and not changing direction all morning made for some chop. Add in a couple of different swell directions and it made for one of those days you just wonder what you are thinking as you set up your kayak. Hit the beach right at low tide for a long drag over the reef to the water. Started paddling parallel to the beach in the narrow channel between the outside reef and the beach part, and realized my hat had fallen off on my drag to the water. 10 minutes later I am back at the end of the narrow channel, passing through the small inside surf. I get through that and know better than to let up now. A minute or two later, I am glad I knew better as I pass face first through a breaker. Wind was probably only 5-10 for the most part, with occasional bursts for a few minutes. The problem was that it had been blowing a long way in the same direction for a long time. It took me 2 hours to get out the 3 miles I was shooting for, with the occasional stop to catch some bait. Made some good summertime bait in 9 - 11" Greenies. Wind was blowing me right back at the launch, and I was not going to stay long if conditions did not improve. First drop in about 75' gets picked up for a Halibut probably in the teens which I released. Just continued the drift that I was on, all the way back toward the kelp line. About an hour later I get picked up with some big head shakes. Thought small shark for a few seconds, until it just went to dead weight with short runs. Ended up being a big gurl that was ready to pop with eggs at 31lbs 6 oz. Landing was uneventful except for 1 sneaker wave that I had to back paddle through. Sorry, it is a bit long to show the miserable conditions.
https://youtu.be/ZGO2Q0D9VhA
Ps: La Jolla was pretty poor conditions on Sunday, with very green water and about no light reaching over 85' all morning. Bait was a scarce mixture of grande Greenies and tiny Spanish.

rossman · 06-18-2018, 08:40 PM

I love that place and I hate that place and your video perfectly captures the reasons for both feelings. In most surf landings you can sit outside the surf line and paddle like hell between sets through the danger zone, but at San O those rogues can pop up anywhere within 1/4 mile from shore. I used to pick my days very carefully there and I would have aborted in the parking lot on the day of your video Greg,

blitzburgh · 06-18-2018, 08:44 PM

Another slob flattie. You Sir, are The Butt Whisperer

DanaPT · 06-19-2018, 05:55 AM

Very impressive to get out there solo. Nice fish! You always make it look easy peasy.

Tomol · 06-19-2018, 09:38 AM

Nice. At least someone did well. I slogged all the way out to the upcurrent end of the bed, found horrible green water and packed it in. I was home by 9:30.

WARRIORMIKE · 06-19-2018, 10:44 AM

Brass balls for sure. Good Job!!

katchfish · 06-19-2018, 04:21 PM

Congrats Greg! Great effort and report.

Reading about footwear, sheepshead and fish finders, you'd think it was January and had been raining for two weeks straight.

ultimatejay · 06-19-2018, 08:01 PM

I don’t get how when you launched you went through like 15 waves but on the way back there wasn’t one breaker? How is that?

GregAndrew · 06-19-2018, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ultimatejay

I don’t get how when you launched you went through like 15 waves but on the way back there wasn’t one breaker? How is that?

Tides and timing.

lamb · 06-20-2018, 05:43 AM

stellar Greg!

mrJB · 06-20-2018, 07:54 AM

can be a bitch...

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YakHanded · 06-20-2018, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katchfish

Reading about footwear, sheepshead and fish finders, you'd think it was January and had been raining for two weeks straight.

This is awesome^

TheBentRod · 06-20-2018, 05:32 PM

Thanks Greg. Nice footage. It's also very nice that some hack is not talking the whole video!

the dude · 06-20-2018, 07:43 PM

1st of all, where do I buy your book?
2nd, thank you for not putting music to the video like some others. I like the sound of the ocean, it's soothing and relaxing makes me feel like I was there.

GregAndrew · 06-20-2018, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the dude

1st of all, where do I buy your book?
2nd, thank you for not putting music to the video like some others. I like the sound of the ocean, it's soothing and relaxing makes me feel like I was there.

Yeah, I was using my GoPro 5 in the dive housing up until recently. It really hampered the sound, like most of the cameras before it. Now I am just using it as it came, since it is waterproof to like 10'. Captures a lot more sound, but it did magnify the wind sound quite a bit. Not that you are likely to hear anything but the fish thrashing, wave crashing or a bit of drag pulling in my videos. I am just not very animated (at least until I do the next dumb thing).

JohnMckroidJr · 06-21-2018, 01:54 AM

Nice Halibut ! Good job maneuvering the surf !

dpasinli · 06-21-2018, 10:55 AM

Legend Status! I probably wouldn't have even surfed that day! Well done sir! If I may, how deep are you fishing...

Minnowchaser · 06-21-2018, 11:32 AM

That fire me up to get back out there. Proof that questionable weather does not necessarily make bad fishing. Thanks for sharing the vid!

GregAndrew · 06-21-2018, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpasinli

Legend Status! I probably wouldn't have even surfed that day! Well done sir! If I may, how deep are you fishing...

Started about 75' and drifted back to about 50'.

Hunters Pa · 06-21-2018, 07:40 PM

Always calm and cool

06-18-2018, 06:10 PM	#1
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	San O 6/16 Got out to San O for the first time in a while to pretty snotty conditions. Onshore winds lasting thru the night, and not changing direction all morning made for some chop. Add in a couple of different swell directions and it made for one of those days you just wonder what you are thinking as you set up your kayak. Hit the beach right at low tide for a long drag over the reef to the water. Started paddling parallel to the beach in the narrow channel between the outside reef and the beach part, and realized my hat had fallen off on my drag to the water. 10 minutes later I am back at the end of the narrow channel, passing through the small inside surf. I get through that and know better than to let up now. A minute or two later, I am glad I knew better as I pass face first through a breaker. Wind was probably only 5-10 for the most part, with occasional bursts for a few minutes. The problem was that it had been blowing a long way in the same direction for a long time. It took me 2 hours to get out the 3 miles I was shooting for, with the occasional stop to catch some bait. Made some good summertime bait in 9 - 11" Greenies. Wind was blowing me right back at the launch, and I was not going to stay long if conditions did not improve. First drop in about 75' gets picked up for a Halibut probably in the teens which I released. Just continued the drift that I was on, all the way back toward the kelp line. About an hour later I get picked up with some big head shakes. Thought small shark for a few seconds, until it just went to dead weight with short runs. Ended up being a big gurl that was ready to pop with eggs at 31lbs 6 oz. Landing was uneventful except for 1 sneaker wave that I had to back paddle through. Sorry, it is a bit long to show the miserable conditions. https://youtu.be/ZGO2Q0D9VhA Ps: La Jolla was pretty poor conditions on Sunday, with very green water and about no light reaching over 85' all morning. Bait was a scarce mixture of grande Greenies and tiny Spanish.

06-18-2018, 08:40 PM	#2
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	I love that place and I hate that place and your video perfectly captures the reasons for both feelings. In most surf landings you can sit outside the surf line and paddle like hell between sets through the danger zone, but at San O those rogues can pop up anywhere within 1/4 mile from shore. I used to pick my days very carefully there and I would have aborted in the parking lot on the day of your video Greg, __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

06-18-2018, 08:44 PM	#3
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Another slob flattie. You Sir, are The Butt Whisperer __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

06-19-2018, 04:21 PM	#7
katchfish Paddle for Mahi Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Doing the happy paddle! Posts: 848	Congrats Greg! Great effort and report. Reading about footwear, sheepshead and fish finders, you'd think it was January and had been raining for two weeks straight. Last edited by katchfish; 06-19-2018 at 07:00 PM.

06-20-2018, 05:43 AM	#10
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,563	stellar Greg! __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

06-19-2018, 05:55 AM	#4
DanaPT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South OC Posts: 1,606	Very impressive to get out there solo. Nice fish! You always make it look easy peasy.

06-19-2018, 09:38 AM	#5
Tomol Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 34	Nice. At least someone did well. I slogged all the way out to the upcurrent end of the bed, found horrible green water and packed it in. I was home by 9:30.

06-19-2018, 10:44 AM	#6
WARRIORMIKE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 303	Brass balls for sure. Good Job!!

06-19-2018, 08:01 PM	#8
ultimatejay Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 96	I don’t get how when you launched you went through like 15 waves but on the way back there wasn’t one breaker? How is that?

06-20-2018, 07:54 AM	#11
mrJB Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: O.C. Posts: 352	Re-entries... can be a bitch... __________________ "I Brake for Halibut"

06-20-2018, 05:32 PM	#13
TheBentRod Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Murrieta, CA and Bonney Lake, WA Posts: 425	Great share Thanks Greg. Nice footage. It's also very nice that some hack is not talking the whole video!

06-20-2018, 07:43 PM	#14
the dude Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Valley Center Posts: 271	1st of all, where do I buy your book? 2nd, thank you for not putting music to the video like some others. I like the sound of the ocean, it's soothing and relaxing makes me feel like I was there. __________________ The dude abides.

06-21-2018, 01:54 AM	#16
JohnMckroidJr Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,933	Nice Halibut ! Good job maneuvering the surf !

06-21-2018, 10:55 AM	#17
dpasinli Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: San Clemente Posts: 118	Legend Status! I probably wouldn't have even surfed that day! Well done sir! If I may, how deep are you fishing...

06-21-2018, 11:32 AM	#18
Minnowchaser Junior Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 1	It's posts like these.... That fire me up to get back out there. Proof that questionable weather does not necessarily make bad fishing. Thanks for sharing the vid!

06-21-2018, 07:40 PM	#20
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,359	Always calm and cool