First time at LJ 8/14 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

cjthomas · 08-17-2009, 01:26 PM

I live in Orange County so I mostly kayak out of Newport harbor or Dana pt. but I have been aching to go to LJ. I played hooky on Friday and was in the water by 6:30AM. I was kind of freaked out about going out without bait and not having a FF but I was able to spot some breaking the surface. My first bite produced 3 spanish macks at once and I got to break in my bait tube. I went down the line to the NW corner until I found a lot of bait in the water and tied off to rest (the mini-x stinks for long paddles). While trying to make more bait my flylined mack hooked up a calico. A little later, with a new mack, I was bit hard and taken for a run. I was making good head way on the fish until it wrapped me around the kelp. I asked a free diver to assist but he couldn't go that deep. It very well could have been the right kind and I was bummed I didn't have spectra. I threw out another mack and was bit almost instantly, I really put the wood to this fish, but it came unbuttoned. That was it for action and I made a great landing. I can't wait to go back!

Billy V · 08-17-2009, 01:57 PM

I'm very happy to hear a New to La Jolla Yak Fisherman have such a great day, especially on the 1st visit.

Please keep this in mind.
-We need every Kayak Fisherman we can muster to show up at these 2 Final MLPA Meetings to Speak their Piece. They are going to shut Us Down Forever if we do not keep up the resistance.

See you on the water, hopefully for Years to come.

rogersmith · 08-17-2009, 03:43 PM

hey I think Friday was some sort of noobie day, I was there myself, my first time out. Very similar report. No FF, so followed "the pack" beyond the preserve and managed to make a few macks and used the tube for the first time. Macks seemed cozy enough in there

First one got a decent bite, but missed the hookset, cuda maybe? small YT? Anyway hooked up the other mac and sharp strike, turned to see a sea lion looking at me from my wake saying, "got anymore of those pal?". So I headed out to the kelp and worked plastics for Calico, didn't manage any but a few raked/shredded swimbaits. Came back in nice and dry. Had a BLAST even though I didn't hook up. Will be back in a week or so.

I feel bad I could not make any MLPA meetings. I am somewhat recent transplant from the east coast, where I was active, albeit exhausted from lobying for access rights to coastline and preservation of the surf fishery. I deeply, deeply appreciate the hard work of the kayak fisherman, spear fisherman and others working to preserve La Jolla and other locations for responsible sport fishing. These are tough battles against a very narrow mindset. I recently got a letter stating I would be invited to fill out a survey for the DFG. I will certainly write a letter outlining my views on the MLPA closures and look here for additional info on what more we can do as a group.

Billy V · 08-17-2009, 05:08 PM

I'm transplanted from New Jersey, so I know just how bad things can get for fisherman.
-You can't even fish the Jersey Shore anymore because of all the DFG size limits.

Kalifornia is trying to shut down all fishing to 3 miles out, it will be worse that what happened on the East Coast.

Please do as much as you can in the little time we have left.

08-17-2009, 01:26 PM	#1
cjthomas Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 108	First time at LJ 8/14 I live in Orange County so I mostly kayak out of Newport harbor or Dana pt. but I have been aching to go to LJ. I played hooky on Friday and was in the water by 6:30AM. I was kind of freaked out about going out without bait and not having a FF but I was able to spot some breaking the surface. My first bite produced 3 spanish macks at once and I got to break in my bait tube. I went down the line to the NW corner until I found a lot of bait in the water and tied off to rest (the mini-x stinks for long paddles). While trying to make more bait my flylined mack hooked up a calico. A little later, with a new mack, I was bit hard and taken for a run. I was making good head way on the fish until it wrapped me around the kelp. I asked a free diver to assist but he couldn't go that deep. It very well could have been the right kind and I was bummed I didn't have spectra. I threw out another mack and was bit almost instantly, I really put the wood to this fish, but it came unbuttoned. That was it for action and I made a great landing. I can't wait to go back!

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08-17-2009, 01:57 PM	#2
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	I'm very happy to hear a New to La Jolla Yak Fisherman have such a great day, especially on the 1st visit. Please keep this in mind. -We need every Kayak Fisherman we can muster to show up at these 2 Final MLPA Meetings to Speak their Piece. They are going to shut Us Down Forever if we do not keep up the resistance. See you on the water, hopefully for Years to come.

08-17-2009, 03:43 PM	#3
rogersmith Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 465	hey I think Friday was some sort of noobie day, I was there myself, my first time out. Very similar report. No FF, so followed "the pack" beyond the preserve and managed to make a few macks and used the tube for the first time. Macks seemed cozy enough in there First one got a decent bite, but missed the hookset, cuda maybe? small YT? Anyway hooked up the other mac and sharp strike, turned to see a sea lion looking at me from my wake saying, "got anymore of those pal?". So I headed out to the kelp and worked plastics for Calico, didn't manage any but a few raked/shredded swimbaits. Came back in nice and dry. Had a BLAST even though I didn't hook up. Will be back in a week or so. I feel bad I could not make any MLPA meetings. I am somewhat recent transplant from the east coast, where I was active, albeit exhausted from lobying for access rights to coastline and preservation of the surf fishery. I deeply, deeply appreciate the hard work of the kayak fisherman, spear fisherman and others working to preserve La Jolla and other locations for responsible sport fishing. These are tough battles against a very narrow mindset. I recently got a letter stating I would be invited to fill out a survey for the DFG. I will certainly write a letter outlining my views on the MLPA closures and look here for additional info on what more we can do as a group.

08-17-2009, 05:08 PM	#4
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	I'm transplanted from New Jersey, so I know just how bad things can get for fisherman. -You can't even fish the Jersey Shore anymore because of all the DFG size limits. Kalifornia is trying to shut down all fishing to 3 miles out, it will be worse that what happened on the East Coast. Please do as much as you can in the little time we have left.