so i need a little help - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

jbaker · 05-07-2010, 10:57 PM

so it all started a few weeks ago when my buddy and me got ourselves kayaks. we've been hitting tidelands and glorietta bay a few times a week. mostly in the afternoons around 5pm to 8ish. both of us are totally hooked on the sport but we cant seem to catch anything. I grew up fishing in Coronado off the pier and shore and did ok but on the water we keep getting skunked. we hit a few tackle shops, asked some questions & taken all the advise we can get, but Nada. any advise as far as how to fish? or would any one be willing to meet up with us out on the water and show some new kids how its done? thanks for any help.

dick fabulous · 05-07-2010, 11:02 PM

C: Look for a dude named Josh. Immerse yourselves.

Jimmyz123 · 05-07-2010, 11:21 PM

Seeing how this is the internet I highly recommend learning the Drop Shot and Carolina Rigs for the bay, and any other fishing. Both can be used in Ocean, lakes, and the bays. Invest in some White Curly tailed grubs and Chartruse with black flake grubs, both are deadly in the bay. Pick up some Croc spoons in silver.

If you have fish finders look for water in the 35 feet depth and drop down. Make sure you check your tide movements, and fish using your tides, and be sure to fish the bottom, you will pick up some flatties, and bass.

jbaker · 05-07-2010, 11:40 PM

White Curly tailed grubs and Chartreuse with black flake grubs, I'll check these out. been throwing a rainbow of swim baits in all different sizes and weights lathered in unibutter bouncing them off the bottom as we drift along. I don't have a fish finder or bait tank yet. but have been studying every chart i can find. thanks for the quick response.

yak addact · 05-07-2010, 11:46 PM

PATIENCE...

I always thought my first post would be a picture of me holding a trophy but a year later and countless hours on the water and research still no trophy

. Now maybe the darkhorse is the way to go but even the smallest fish can have the greatest reward when you've earned it yourself. Try Berkly Gulp or ghost shrimp on the drift under the bridge. Good luck and happy fishing.

Deamon · 05-08-2010, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbaker

White Curly tailed grubs and Chartreuse with black flake grubs, I'll check these out. been throwing a rainbow of swim baits in all different sizes and weights lathered in unibutter bouncing them off the bottom as we drift along. I don't have a fish finder or bait tank yet. but have been studying every chart i can find. thanks for the quick response.

There are lots of fish in the Bay. If you can, fish structure...dropoffs, bridges, docks, pylons, bouys, boat moorings, etc...
Also move down in tackle size. I don't know what size you're now at, but I always go smaller when bites are few. 8# with 3/8 oz lead heads
slapping on some attractant helps as well
As Jimmyz says, fish tidal movement...
Small chrome on or near the bottom brings quantity too. 1/4 oz kastmaster yoyo'd with light line will get you lots of fish. But you'll also get all the junk too...Smelt, Mackeral, Lizards...Good luck. I just gave it all up...

Jimmyz123 · 05-08-2010, 07:44 AM

Without having a depth finder I recommend looking for the channel markers they are Green and Red and they mark the edge of the channel, which is the deeper part of the bay. One thing I have learned about the bay is if the tide is not moving, the bite is not happening. Keep that in mind.

dsafety · 05-08-2010, 08:22 AM

Sometimes it's all about luck... Of course those with better skills and more experience are usually more lucky than the rest of us.

When I got started, I hooked up with a couple of mentors who showed me the ropes. It made a big difference.

Bob

FishFeeder · 05-08-2010, 08:34 AM

From Tidelands, fish above the bridge toward the mainland side (maybe the second to third piling from the SD side of the bridge), preferably when the tide is going out or coming in. should be plenty of spotted bay bass to be had using drop shot with 3-4 inch chartreuse or yellow tails on 3/8 to 1/2 oz head, just bouncing along the bottom in 30-40 ft depth.

and as they say, sometimes it's called 'fishing not catching' for a reason--but it still beats sitting here in front of the computer, right?

dniss · 05-08-2010, 05:47 PM

Launch from J street with small plastics, Kastmasters, ghost shrimp (which you can pump at low tide from the beach there) early am before the wind kicks in (usually around 10) or before sunset when it usually glasses off. Use light line (6-8 lb test) and fish the channel edges, flats, and lagoon mouths. You should catch plenty, though typically nothing huge. One thing about south bay is that you don't necessarily need a lot of tidal movement to catch fish. Don't be afraid to move around if it's slow where you're at. Drop shotting ghost shrimp and small plastics with some scent on them ought to get you some spotties and the occasional bonefish, but I've hooked halibut, croaker, and sharks with the same rig as well. I usually deadstick one of those rigs and throw metal or small swimbaits with another. I've fished Tidelands a bunch also and it's always been slimmer pickings for me there. Good luck.

jbaker · 05-14-2010, 09:05 PM

epic day out in the bay today. between me and my buddy we caught 15 spotties, a 3 halibut, a mackerel and a cuda. every cast was a hook up or a bite, weather was a little cold but it was pretty much a lake out there. wore out all my swimbaits and grubs, time to go shopping and get back out, thanks for the help everyone

05-07-2010, 10:57 PM	#1
jbaker Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Redding Ca Posts: 85	so i need a little help so it all started a few weeks ago when my buddy and me got ourselves kayaks. we've been hitting tidelands and glorietta bay a few times a week. mostly in the afternoons around 5pm to 8ish. both of us are totally hooked on the sport but we cant seem to catch anything. I grew up fishing in Coronado off the pier and shore and did ok but on the water we keep getting skunked. we hit a few tackle shops, asked some questions & taken all the advise we can get, but Nada. any advise as far as how to fish? or would any one be willing to meet up with us out on the water and show some new kids how its done? thanks for any help.

05-07-2010, 11:02 PM	#2
dick fabulous Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 90	circle this answer: C: Look for a dude named Josh. Immerse yourselves.

05-08-2010, 08:34 AM	#9
FishFeeder Junior Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 17	moving water helps From Tidelands, fish above the bridge toward the mainland side (maybe the second to third piling from the SD side of the bridge), preferably when the tide is going out or coming in. should be plenty of spotted bay bass to be had using drop shot with 3-4 inch chartreuse or yellow tails on 3/8 to 1/2 oz head, just bouncing along the bottom in 30-40 ft depth. and as they say, sometimes it's called 'fishing not catching' for a reason--but it still beats sitting here in front of the computer, right?

05-08-2010, 05:47 PM	#10
dniss Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 77	close to a sure thing anyway Launch from J street with small plastics, Kastmasters, ghost shrimp (which you can pump at low tide from the beach there) early am before the wind kicks in (usually around 10) or before sunset when it usually glasses off. Use light line (6-8 lb test) and fish the channel edges, flats, and lagoon mouths. You should catch plenty, though typically nothing huge. One thing about south bay is that you don't necessarily need a lot of tidal movement to catch fish. Don't be afraid to move around if it's slow where you're at. Drop shotting ghost shrimp and small plastics with some scent on them ought to get you some spotties and the occasional bonefish, but I've hooked halibut, croaker, and sharks with the same rig as well. I usually deadstick one of those rigs and throw metal or small swimbaits with another. I've fished Tidelands a bunch also and it's always been slimmer pickings for me there. Good luck.

05-07-2010, 11:21 PM	#3
Jimmyz123 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,385	Seeing how this is the internet I highly recommend learning the Drop Shot and Carolina Rigs for the bay, and any other fishing. Both can be used in Ocean, lakes, and the bays. Invest in some White Curly tailed grubs and Chartruse with black flake grubs, both are deadly in the bay. Pick up some Croc spoons in silver. If you have fish finders look for water in the 35 feet depth and drop down. Make sure you check your tide movements, and fish using your tides, and be sure to fish the bottom, you will pick up some flatties, and bass.

05-07-2010, 11:40 PM	#4
jbaker Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Redding Ca Posts: 85	White Curly tailed grubs and Chartreuse with black flake grubs, I'll check these out. been throwing a rainbow of swim baits in all different sizes and weights lathered in unibutter bouncing them off the bottom as we drift along. I don't have a fish finder or bait tank yet. but have been studying every chart i can find. thanks for the quick response.

05-07-2010, 11:46 PM	#5
yak addact Junior Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Point Loma Posts: 9	PATIENCE... I always thought my first post would be a picture of me holding a trophy but a year later and countless hours on the water and research still no trophy . Now maybe the darkhorse is the way to go but even the smallest fish can have the greatest reward when you've earned it yourself. Try Berkly Gulp or ghost shrimp on the drift under the bridge. Good luck and happy fishing.

05-08-2010, 07:44 AM	#7
Jimmyz123 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,385	Without having a depth finder I recommend looking for the channel markers they are Green and Red and they mark the edge of the channel, which is the deeper part of the bay. One thing I have learned about the bay is if the tide is not moving, the bite is not happening. Keep that in mind.

05-08-2010, 08:22 AM	#8
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	Sometimes it's all about luck... Of course those with better skills and more experience are usually more lucky than the rest of us. When I got started, I hooked up with a couple of mentors who showed me the ropes. It made a big difference. Bob

05-14-2010, 09:05 PM	#11
jbaker Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Redding Ca Posts: 85	epic day out in the bay today. between me and my buddy we caught 15 spotties, a 3 halibut, a mackerel and a cuda. every cast was a hook up or a bite, weather was a little cold but it was pretty much a lake out there. wore out all my swimbaits and grubs, time to go shopping and get back out, thanks for the help everyone