Kayak Fishing The Dana Point Kelp Beds | Season Ending Sheephead Trip, 12/2022 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Southwest Kayak Fishing · 01-14-2023, 08:09 AM

Hey guys
I finally put together another video. This one’s from mid December.
Ryan and I headed north out of Dana Point harbor to target Sheephead one last time before the season came to an end.
The weather was perfect and the kelp was laid out nicely on the surface. Fortunately I managed a nice limit of Sheep and a chunky Sculpin.

Last year the limit was 5 Sheep per angler, 12”. The limit of Sheephead for 2023 drops to only 2 per angler, 12”. We’re going to have to wait until March 1st to target them.
Rockfish in the Southern Zone the CDFW pushed the opener back a month to April 1st..

Kayak Fishing The Dana Point Kelp Beds | Season Ending Sheephead Trip, 12/2022

https://youtu.be/RqWqcRTtoFc

PapaDave · 01-15-2023, 08:07 AM

Looks like you had a good day out there.

daperrin · 01-15-2023, 12:52 PM

Great stringer. Too bad for the 2023 catch numbers.

Southwest Kayak Fishing · 01-15-2023, 04:53 PM

Thanks Guys!

JohnMckroidJr · 01-16-2023, 08:27 AM

Well done Glen. The Dana Point kelp beds are a beautiful area. Congratulations on getting on one last five fish limit of sheephead before the regulations changed!

Southwest Kayak Fishing · 01-18-2023, 08:22 PM

Thanks John, it was just being in the right place at the right time.
Hopefully this new season I could pick up where I left off. We may possibly hit the surf break for some winter Halibut.

JohnMckroidJr · 01-19-2023, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southwest Kayak Fishing

Thanks John, it was just being in the right place at the right time.
Hopefully this new season I could pick up where I left off. We may possibly hit the surf break for some winter Halibut.

Looking fwd to seeing your successes Glen! Keep em coming....

daperrin · 01-20-2023, 10:15 PM

I didn't know the Sheephead had an off season. Glad I saw your post but then again not so glad. Doesn't leave much to go for the next few months

Guess the flatties and bass will be on all our radars.

vincentek9 · 01-24-2023, 08:33 AM

amazing vid and looks like you had a blast. I've tried chasing sheephead out of LB and newport with extremely minimal luck. I might need to drag my kayak down to Dana Point and go explore.

pescadormejor · 01-27-2023, 04:38 PM

Another great video, thanks for posting these as I am using them to gather confidence to take my first trip on my recently acquired Hobie.

dsafety · 02-05-2023, 09:40 AM

When bottom fishing restarts in April, I plan to get back on the water after a year off. I would like to start by targeting Sheepshead and more importantly Ling Cod.

I fish, (or at least used to fish) off La Jolla. If anyone has fishing locations and techniques that they would like to share, I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks,

Bob

Southwest Kayak Fishing · 02-05-2023, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapaDave

Looks like you had a good day out there.

Thanks Dave 🤙

Southwest Kayak Fishing · 02-05-2023, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pescadormejor

Another great video, thanks for posting these as I am using them to gather confidence to take my first trip on my recently acquired Hobie.

Thanks Pescadormejor. I’m not sure how much kayak fishing experience you have but make sure you get used to fishing on it in the bay prior to heading out on the ocean. Get used to how it handles and you know when you’re ready for the ocean.

Southwest Kayak Fishing · 02-05-2023, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsafety

When bottom fishing restarts in April, I plan to get back on the water after a year off. I would like to start by targeting Sheepshead and more importantly Ling Cod.

I fish, (or at least used to fish) off La Jolla. If anyone has fishing locations and techniques that they would like to share, I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks,

Bob

I’m not sure about where to fish in SD for Sheeps and Ling other than LJ.

I usually fish out of Dana Point and head north to the Salt Creek/Strand area.
You can find rockfish about two miles just southwest of Newport harbor as well as Redondo in LA.

MITCHELL · 02-07-2023, 06:29 AM

I will ever keep. It taste like the bottom of the bait tank.
I don't remember what the small one's taste like
It was 29ins and close to 20lbs.
I don't fish for sheepshead it was by catch and the next one would have to be gut hooked before I keep it.
But there fun to catch I had one in la Jolla one time as I was fighting it on a boron graphite bass rod snap the reel seat on the rod and it was a Fenwick rod. I got the fish.
When I got home I called Fenwick up because it had a life time guarantee and drove up to their plant and they gave me a goldwing rod even better.
They said sometimes they get an air bubble in that model when pouring the mold. Thanks for sharing cool video.

01-14-2023, 08:09 AM	#1
Southwest Kayak Fishing Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Near Mission Viejo Posts: 196	Kayak Fishing The Dana Point Kelp Beds \| Season Ending Sheephead Trip, 12/2022 Hey guys I finally put together another video. This one’s from mid December. Ryan and I headed north out of Dana Point harbor to target Sheephead one last time before the season came to an end. The weather was perfect and the kelp was laid out nicely on the surface. Fortunately I managed a nice limit of Sheep and a chunky Sculpin. Last year the limit was 5 Sheep per angler, 12”. The limit of Sheephead for 2023 drops to only 2 per angler, 12”. We’re going to have to wait until March 1st to target them. Rockfish in the Southern Zone the CDFW pushed the opener back a month to April 1st.. Kayak Fishing The Dana Point Kelp Beds \| Season Ending Sheephead Trip, 12/2022 https://youtu.be/RqWqcRTtoFc Attached Images Last edited by Southwest Kayak Fishing; 01-14-2023 at 02:10 PM.

01-15-2023, 08:07 AM	#2
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,473	Looks like you had a good day out there. __________________ So long and thanks for all the fish...

01-15-2023, 12:52 PM	#3
daperrin www.TheKayakLaunch Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Orange County Posts: 237	Great stringer. Too bad for the 2023 catch numbers. __________________ David P YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thekayaklaunch https://www.instagram.com/thekayaklaunch

01-20-2023, 10:15 PM	#8
daperrin www.TheKayakLaunch Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Orange County Posts: 237	I didn't know the Sheephead had an off season. Glad I saw your post but then again not so glad. Doesn't leave much to go for the next few months Guess the flatties and bass will be on all our radars. __________________ David P YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thekayaklaunch https://www.instagram.com/thekayaklaunch

01-24-2023, 08:33 AM	#9
vincentek9 MAYNEE-YAK Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: So Cal Posts: 533	amazing vid and looks like you had a blast. I've tried chasing sheephead out of LB and newport with extremely minimal luck. I might need to drag my kayak down to Dana Point and go explore. __________________

01-15-2023, 04:53 PM	#4
Southwest Kayak Fishing Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Near Mission Viejo Posts: 196	Thanks Guys!

01-16-2023, 08:27 AM	#5
JohnMckroidJr Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,945	Well done Glen. The Dana Point kelp beds are a beautiful area. Congratulations on getting on one last five fish limit of sheephead before the regulations changed!

01-18-2023, 08:22 PM	#6
Southwest Kayak Fishing Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Near Mission Viejo Posts: 196	Thanks John, it was just being in the right place at the right time. Hopefully this new season I could pick up where I left off. We may possibly hit the surf break for some winter Halibut.

01-27-2023, 04:38 PM	#10
pescadormejor Junior Join Date: Jan 2023 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 9	Another great video, thanks for posting these as I am using them to gather confidence to take my first trip on my recently acquired Hobie.

02-05-2023, 09:40 AM	#11
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	When bottom fishing restarts in April, I plan to get back on the water after a year off. I would like to start by targeting Sheepshead and more importantly Ling Cod. I fish, (or at least used to fish) off La Jolla. If anyone has fishing locations and techniques that they would like to share, I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks, Bob

02-07-2023, 06:29 AM	#15
MITCHELL Sea Hunter Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Where ever I may roam where I lay my head I call home. Posts: 2,277	This is the last big sheepshead.... I will ever keep. It taste like the bottom of the bait tank. I don't remember what the small one's taste like It was 29ins and close to 20lbs. I don't fish for sheepshead it was by catch and the next one would have to be gut hooked before I keep it. But there fun to catch I had one in la Jolla one time as I was fighting it on a boron graphite bass rod snap the reel seat on the rod and it was a Fenwick rod. I got the fish. When I got home I called Fenwick up because it had a life time guarantee and drove up to their plant and they gave me a goldwing rod even better. They said sometimes they get an air bubble in that model when pouring the mold. Thanks for sharing cool video. Attached Images __________________ Duke Mitchell Last edited by MITCHELL; 02-07-2023 at 07:01 AM.