Dana Point - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

fishsouthcounty · 05-10-2011, 05:07 PM

Went out of DP today....Took my time this morning and found myself in the Dana Point Jet Ski parking lot by a little after 7. Not a soul around. Apparently their Tuesday group decided not this tuesday. Then someone rolled in and it was Sea Slug. Not sure if hes on here or just Kayakfishingmafia....anyway didnt get out till about 8 grabbed some bait and headed north towards the headlands. Conditions werent to bad, just a bit of wind chop and small swell. Fished outside inside and all around the kelp from the south point of strands to just outside the big rock. Started with flylined chovie which made me realize that my Tension Knob for the spool must not be working cause the damn things couldnt even take any line on their own. Switched to a 1/2ounce sliding sinker dropping into pockets which resulted in a few short calicos around the 10-11 inch mark. One even came up with about 5-6 chasers all the way to the boat. Had bass boiling on the surface occasionaly in the heavy kelp. Tried the WarBaits heads i bought at FHS with BH swimbaits and even a little Uni-Butter....once again though the Freespool just wasnt falling quick enough to be fished well. Although did have 1 hit and 1 chaser to the surface in the few drops i tried.

By the time i made it to the rock about 11 the wind chop had picked up pretty good so decided to start heading back to the harbor. Once i rounded the corner threw on a chovie to drab the bottom for halibut. Had two hits and two misses leaving two raked baits. 3rd bait crossing the channel got slammed and hooked up a flattie about 18-20 inches. First time catchin one on a kayak and now i understand what everyone means when they talk about them freaking out once they come out of the water.

My stupid ass made the mistake of setting my camera on my lap after taking a picture of the halibut between my legs on top of the center hatch....Anybody with dive gear find a blue Olympia camera on the bottom of the harbor please return to me. haha. oh well. besides the loss of the camera it was a beautiful day and fairly productive...

o ya and probably would have caught several more bass but im still gettin used to this whole Spectra thing. Pulled the hook on quite a few fish on the hook set with the whole no stretch thing. Ill have to get used to that.

Probably try and get out again saturday if the weather permits and anyone would like to join

chefjtwalker · 05-10-2011, 05:36 PM

Good on you for getting out. I stayed home with the forecast being nasty I felt lazy and didn't want to head out if it was going to be a mess.

FYI on Saturday... There is a small get together at DPJS:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...p?topic=2545.0

Not sure how many are going. I probably will be.

Amish Ed · 05-10-2011, 06:41 PM

bummer about the camera and the gear problems. Sounds like you need a spare rod to bring along. My Curado Super-free wasn't so free yesterday. So, last night I broke it down, gave it a bit of lube, and had free spool again. Really hard to fish when the line won't go out.

HI2CA · 05-10-2011, 08:12 PM

Howzit bro,
I was out at dana point as well in the red yak, think i saw u in front of the headlands. I got a few bass on the swimbaits in the kelp, a handful were short but got one nice sandie and a legal calico. Also caught a small thresher maybe 50 or 60 pounds on a mac. Talked to a guy who said he got a short barrie in the harbor and another who got a just legal hali outside of the creek. Hopefully things start to turn on at DP. If u need someone to go with hit me up, i got lots of free time for the next month or so and im down to fish anywhere. Good going today, Aloha

mtnbykr2 · 05-10-2011, 08:25 PM

FYI on Saturday... There is a small get together at DPJS:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...p?topic=2545.0

Not sure how many are going. I probably will be.[/QUOTE]
I am in....

bus kid · 05-10-2011, 09:12 PM

I bs on the butt without pics.

Thanks for the report going to try to head out this weekend.

FishinReelDeals · 05-10-2011, 10:06 PM

I fished off my buddy's skipjack around strands and laguna. We did really well on calicos to 15 inches. (always released) we did some long drifts only to go back and fish calicos again. Lots of bass to be caught, and with that said, hopefully to be released.

fishsouthcounty · 05-10-2011, 11:09 PM

Ed i need to learn how to maintenance my own reels...im scared to take them apart and lose something. im sure it just needs a bit of lube to get back in order.

HI2CA...ya i think you were outside of me by the buoy when i was first paddling out...Sounds like you had a good day. congrats. Ill let you know next time i plan on heading out, probably saturday go down to DPJS for the above mentioned get together.

FRD...were you straight off the headlands around 830 or 9 fishing by a big group of birds workin bait on the surface?? maybe a mile out?

Hopefully see some of you guys saturday

HI2CA · 05-11-2011, 07:12 AM

yep that was me, i stopped by the green can to make bait before heading over near the kelp to fish, thinking about going tomorrow again, and i may check out DPJS on saturday. Just a heads up, the guy who caught the just legal hali told me he was visited by DFG out on the water. Don't forget ur licenses or be tempted to keep any shorties out at DP

fishsouthcounty · 05-11-2011, 03:39 PM

ya i actually saw DFG heading back in while i was out by the headlands...first was 2 in the inflatable then they were followed by the big aluminum thats usually docked over by the Sheriff's boats and the CG boat. Good luck if you go out tomorrow, might see you out there saturday.

bus kid · 05-11-2011, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishsouthcounty

Ed i need to learn how to maintenance my own reels...im scared to take them apart and lose something. im sure it just needs a bit of lube to get back in order.

http://alantani.com

fishsouthcounty · 05-11-2011, 07:24 PM

nice thanks...i remembered seeing threads about it but couldnt remember the name. Im gonna give shimano a shot and see if theyll just replace it for a new one like they used to with this line of reels....i think i may have read on BD that they stopped doing it though.

forefrazier · 05-12-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnbykr2

FYI on Saturday... There is a small get together at DPJS:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...p?topic=2545.0

Not sure how many are going. I probably will be.

There is also a very large get together that same day....SWBA Tourney.

http://www.saltwaterbassanglers.com/schedule.htm

Might be kinda crowded early am start and then again at the weigh in time around 1-2pm. Careful with all of those crazy bass dudes out there!

mtnbykr2 · 05-12-2011, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forefrazier

There is also a very large get together that same day....SWBA Tourney.

http://www.saltwaterbassanglers.com/schedule.htm

Might be kinda crowded early am start and then again at the weigh in time around 1-2pm. Careful with all of those crazy bass dudes out there!

thanks for the headsup, I have been in there during there weigh in, should be pretty good, I will get there late friday, see ya in the am on saturday,
how are the bass doing right now or should we target
the butts for big fish...

swank · 05-12-2011, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishsouthcounty

Ed i need to learn how to maintenance my own reels...im scared to take them apart and lose something. im sure it just needs a bit of lube to get back in order.

Best way to learn is get your hands dirty, if something goes horribly wrong I'm sure one of us can help you get it right.

05-10-2011, 05:07 PM	#1
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	Dana Point Went out of DP today....Took my time this morning and found myself in the Dana Point Jet Ski parking lot by a little after 7. Not a soul around. Apparently their Tuesday group decided not this tuesday. Then someone rolled in and it was Sea Slug. Not sure if hes on here or just Kayakfishingmafia....anyway didnt get out till about 8 grabbed some bait and headed north towards the headlands. Conditions werent to bad, just a bit of wind chop and small swell. Fished outside inside and all around the kelp from the south point of strands to just outside the big rock. Started with flylined chovie which made me realize that my Tension Knob for the spool must not be working cause the damn things couldnt even take any line on their own. Switched to a 1/2ounce sliding sinker dropping into pockets which resulted in a few short calicos around the 10-11 inch mark. One even came up with about 5-6 chasers all the way to the boat. Had bass boiling on the surface occasionaly in the heavy kelp. Tried the WarBaits heads i bought at FHS with BH swimbaits and even a little Uni-Butter....once again though the Freespool just wasnt falling quick enough to be fished well. Although did have 1 hit and 1 chaser to the surface in the few drops i tried. By the time i made it to the rock about 11 the wind chop had picked up pretty good so decided to start heading back to the harbor. Once i rounded the corner threw on a chovie to drab the bottom for halibut. Had two hits and two misses leaving two raked baits. 3rd bait crossing the channel got slammed and hooked up a flattie about 18-20 inches. First time catchin one on a kayak and now i understand what everyone means when they talk about them freaking out once they come out of the water. My stupid ass made the mistake of setting my camera on my lap after taking a picture of the halibut between my legs on top of the center hatch....Anybody with dive gear find a blue Olympia camera on the bottom of the harbor please return to me. haha. oh well. besides the loss of the camera it was a beautiful day and fairly productive... o ya and probably would have caught several more bass but im still gettin used to this whole Spectra thing. Pulled the hook on quite a few fish on the hook set with the whole no stretch thing. Ill have to get used to that. Probably try and get out again saturday if the weather permits and anyone would like to join

05-10-2011, 06:41 PM	#3
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,906	bummer about the camera and the gear problems. Sounds like you need a spare rod to bring along. My Curado Super-free wasn't so free yesterday. So, last night I broke it down, gave it a bit of lube, and had free spool again. Really hard to fish when the line won't go out. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

05-10-2011, 09:12 PM	#6
bus kid Team Keine Zugehörigkeit Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Way out there Posts: 2,854	I bs on the butt without pics. Thanks for the report going to try to head out this weekend. __________________ Não alimente os trolls------------Don't feed the trolls---------------インタネット荒らしを無視しろ

05-10-2011, 10:06 PM	#7
FishinReelDeals Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: High desert Posts: 130	Dp I fished off my buddy's skipjack around strands and laguna. We did really well on calicos to 15 inches. (always released) we did some long drifts only to go back and fish calicos again. Lots of bass to be caught, and with that said, hopefully to be released.

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05-10-2011, 05:36 PM	#2
chefjtwalker Junior Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 9	Good on you for getting out. I stayed home with the forecast being nasty I felt lazy and didn't want to head out if it was going to be a mess. FYI on Saturday... There is a small get together at DPJS: http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...p?topic=2545.0 Not sure how many are going. I probably will be.

05-10-2011, 08:12 PM	#4
HI2CA Junior Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 9	Howzit bro, I was out at dana point as well in the red yak, think i saw u in front of the headlands. I got a few bass on the swimbaits in the kelp, a handful were short but got one nice sandie and a legal calico. Also caught a small thresher maybe 50 or 60 pounds on a mac. Talked to a guy who said he got a short barrie in the harbor and another who got a just legal hali outside of the creek. Hopefully things start to turn on at DP. If u need someone to go with hit me up, i got lots of free time for the next month or so and im down to fish anywhere. Good going today, Aloha

05-10-2011, 08:25 PM	#5
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	FYI on Saturday... There is a small get together at DPJS: http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...p?topic=2545.0 Not sure how many are going. I probably will be.[/QUOTE] I am in....

05-10-2011, 11:09 PM	#8
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	Ed i need to learn how to maintenance my own reels...im scared to take them apart and lose something. im sure it just needs a bit of lube to get back in order. HI2CA...ya i think you were outside of me by the buoy when i was first paddling out...Sounds like you had a good day. congrats. Ill let you know next time i plan on heading out, probably saturday go down to DPJS for the above mentioned get together. FRD...were you straight off the headlands around 830 or 9 fishing by a big group of birds workin bait on the surface?? maybe a mile out? Hopefully see some of you guys saturday

05-11-2011, 07:12 AM	#9
HI2CA Junior Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 9	yep that was me, i stopped by the green can to make bait before heading over near the kelp to fish, thinking about going tomorrow again, and i may check out DPJS on saturday. Just a heads up, the guy who caught the just legal hali told me he was visited by DFG out on the water. Don't forget ur licenses or be tempted to keep any shorties out at DP

05-11-2011, 03:39 PM	#10
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	ya i actually saw DFG heading back in while i was out by the headlands...first was 2 in the inflatable then they were followed by the big aluminum thats usually docked over by the Sheriff's boats and the CG boat. Good luck if you go out tomorrow, might see you out there saturday.

05-11-2011, 07:24 PM	#12
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	nice thanks...i remembered seeing threads about it but couldnt remember the name. Im gonna give shimano a shot and see if theyll just replace it for a new one like they used to with this line of reels....i think i may have read on BD that they stopped doing it though.