Dana Point Pipe Location

[ctrujillo]

Can anyone help with the location of the pipe out of the Dana harbor. I have recently returned to fishing off of a kayak. Also looking for decent areas to make bait in the area. Any information is appreciated. Thanks.

[Salty]

Welcome back to the kayak world! Do you have a fish finder/GPS on your kayak yet? If not, it might be hard to find the pipes. I've added some maps to give you an idea where they are. I don't fish the pipes often, but when I do, these are the 2 I'll patrol. There's a shorter one close to the harbor and the longer one offshore. The further pipe has two tall, skinny buoys marking the end of the pipe so you'll know you're in the right spot. Careful with the offshore pipe if the afternoon wind is from the NW. It will make it tougher to get back to shore if it picks up enough and you're not as strong a paddler. Like I said, I don't fish these pipes too often, so I'd love to hear more feedback from anyone that knows them well! I've also found bait at the green buoy(on the map labeled "Dana Point Lighted Buoy 1"), but again, bait's always moving, so you might just have to move around and find the right school of fish.

If it's just bait you're looking for, if you can spare $20(+tip), you can always get a kayak scoop from the bait barge in the harbor. Try to get there early (before 5:30ish) to beat the charter boats so you don't have to wait in line forever. It's usually worth it to me so I spend less time looking for bait and more time actually fishing.

If you'd rather make your own bait, I've had luck just outside the Western harbor wall. Really you can find bait anywhere around the harbor. Usually when I go for tuna on the boat, I'll spend 15-20 minutes pre-dawn with a sabiki(and a can of cat food) to get some mackerel. I usually end up with larger-grade greenbacks for bait though. It's great if you're going offshore on a boat, or on a kayak praying for a rogue yellowtail, WSB, jumbo halibut or trolling for a thresher. But for what I normally see around DP on the kayak, it's just too big. Of course, maybe that's why all my halibut this year have been undersize, so what do I know?? Smelt are pretty common to pull up on the sabiki too, but I never use those for bait(if any experienced kayak angler thinks I'm wrong on that, please chime in!). I'm also guilty of using larger sabikis, so that could be part of my problem too!

Hope this helps

[ctrujillo]

I do have a garmin striker 4 gps/ ff combo. I have and do purchase bait at the barge but I want to make it my next session out. Thank you for all the great information. I really appreciate it.

[Salty]

Originally Posted by ctrujillo

I do have a garmin striker 4 gps/ ff combo. I have and do purchase bait at the barge but I want to make it my next session out. Thank you for all the great information. I really appreciate it.

No worries! Also, I almost always pick up a small box of squid at the gas station on PCH by the Carl's Jr. on my way to the harbor. Sometimes that's the only thing keeping me from getting skunked, even with the right bait. Greenbacks out around the point always seem hungry for squid too. If you're not having luck with the sabiki alone, put some tiny squid chunks on the hooks and you'll get some for sure. Good luck out there! Hope you get the bait you're looking for, but more importantly hope you find the fish that wants that bait

[PapaDave]

I have a set of GPS numbers for it, PM me and I will try to send some to you. The maps aren't correct when they show you the line going out, at least mine isn't.