Easy catches in the La Jolla kelp?

[jbm]

I'm a total beginner with ocean fishing and kayaking. All my prior experience has been lake fishing, though I started doing some surf fishing prior to getting my kayak. That said, I've been out on my kayak in the La Jolla kelp beds three times now. The only thing I've caught has been bait, but even that felt like an accomplishment.

Can anyone suggest some species to target and methods for a relatively easy catch out there? I know the most popular targets are yellowtail and WSB, but I get the feeling that those species may be a bit more challenging than some others. I'd like to bring up at least one fish on something other than the sabiki next time out.

And yes, I know it's called fishing and not catching for a reason, I'm just looking to maximize my chances.