A few days in Newport - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

bracks · 08-06-2020, 11:56 AM

Up in Newport for a week with the family and brought along the Hobie to learn the ropes of bay fishing from the yak. I used to fish a lot from piers here as a kid with cut anchovy as bait and we did well on spotted bay bass and short halibut (as I remember).

After 4 sessions on the kayak this week all I can say is 'I've got a lot to learn!'

Fished plastics at the PCH bridge for one bite, no fish.
Drifted a drop shot gulp jerk shad tight to the docks all around Balboa Island twice for a few bites, no hookups. Got a small spottie on a 1/4 ounce leadhead with a silvery soft plastic grub.
Fished the breakwalls on both sides of the the outer channel for nothing (plastics, hardbait); picked up a small spottie in the middle on a crocodile.
Fished throughout the mooring boats on both sides of the main channel for no bites.
Drifted the main channel with a drop shot at the bottom and casting a leadhead/plastic for no bites.
Got a nice hit on the gulp shrimp near the Balboa Island fuel dock but no hookup.
Didn't venture outside the harbor.

A couple things I noticed:
1. "Weedless" leadheads obviously weren't field tested with the eel grass here. It latches on to line and lures first chance is gets and doesn't let go easily.
2. Dropshot is a cool way to fish but I missed all my bites. Do I need to add a trap hook?

Love the setup here and looking forward to learning how to get the job done!

jbl_91762 · 08-07-2020, 08:31 AM

After many years of fishing NPH, I've found what works best for me are swimbaits on slowwww retrieve and hookup baits. Slack tide makes it very difficult for the fish to bite but just keep working it and cover alot of ground. Yeah eel grass sucks at many places but itis what it is. There was a gent who used to fish alot with his son and posted here alot and he seemed to slay them all the time but unfotrunatley he stopped posting. My guess he bought a boat lol.

SoCalEDC · 08-07-2020, 08:46 AM

what king of hook were you using for your drop shot?

2/0-4/0 ewg hooks usually have a pretty solid hook up ratio for me when fishing for bass in the bay. I use a pretty heavy weight, 1-2 oz depending on depth and I let it hang about 12" below the lure which I typically rig Texas style.

deptrai · 08-08-2020, 04:33 PM

1/2 oz spinnerbaits. Let sink to bottom and slowly retrieve.

Troll shad colored crankbaits through the mooring cans.

Always retrieve your lure in the direction of the tide. Fish will position their noses into the tide, waiting for a meal to drift by.

Ggiannig89 · 08-09-2020, 06:33 PM

The learning curve is tough! Try different weedless baits. The eel grass is where the fish like to be.

FullFlavorPike · 08-10-2020, 06:04 PM

I think there's a fine art to getting your swimbait to glide along the top of the eelgrass (close enough to tempt an ambush) without getting caught in the weeds.

carbonbass · 08-13-2020, 09:43 AM

next time venture out to the bell buoy , Sabiki up some mackerel and troll it heading north or south. There are frequently thresher sharks in that area and this time of year a shot at something more exotic (yellow/wsb). Goodluck!

bracks · 08-13-2020, 10:59 AM

Thanks for the advice all! On the dropshot I was using a live bait hook not a long-shank (per advice I got on using this setup for surf fishing, so not the same). I can see how the longer shank can get more hookups.

Appreciate the advise on tides and eel grass, makes sense. Also, I like the idea of heading out, dragging macks but that might just be me leaning into what I know. Thanks all!

08-06-2020, 11:56 AM	#1
bracks Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: La Jolla Posts: 52	A few days in Newport Up in Newport for a week with the family and brought along the Hobie to learn the ropes of bay fishing from the yak. I used to fish a lot from piers here as a kid with cut anchovy as bait and we did well on spotted bay bass and short halibut (as I remember). After 4 sessions on the kayak this week all I can say is 'I've got a lot to learn!' Fished plastics at the PCH bridge for one bite, no fish. Drifted a drop shot gulp jerk shad tight to the docks all around Balboa Island twice for a few bites, no hookups. Got a small spottie on a 1/4 ounce leadhead with a silvery soft plastic grub. Fished the breakwalls on both sides of the the outer channel for nothing (plastics, hardbait); picked up a small spottie in the middle on a crocodile. Fished throughout the mooring boats on both sides of the main channel for no bites. Drifted the main channel with a drop shot at the bottom and casting a leadhead/plastic for no bites. Got a nice hit on the gulp shrimp near the Balboa Island fuel dock but no hookup. Didn't venture outside the harbor. A couple things I noticed: 1. "Weedless" leadheads obviously weren't field tested with the eel grass here. It latches on to line and lures first chance is gets and doesn't let go easily. 2. Dropshot is a cool way to fish but I missed all my bites. Do I need to add a trap hook? Love the setup here and looking forward to learning how to get the job done!

08-07-2020, 08:46 AM	#3
SoCalEDC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Rancho Cucamonga Posts: 609	what king of hook were you using for your drop shot? 2/0-4/0 ewg hooks usually have a pretty solid hook up ratio for me when fishing for bass in the bay. I use a pretty heavy weight, 1-2 oz depending on depth and I let it hang about 12" below the lure which I typically rig Texas style. __________________ IG: @blackflag_fishing Youtube: Blackflag Fishing 2014 Ocean Kayak T13 SOLD 2020 Hobie Outback SOLD 2021 Stealth Fisha 500 #StealthTribe

08-07-2020, 08:31 AM	#2
jbl_91762 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 347	After many years of fishing NPH, I've found what works best for me are swimbaits on slowwww retrieve and hookup baits. Slack tide makes it very difficult for the fish to bite but just keep working it and cover alot of ground. Yeah eel grass sucks at many places but itis what it is. There was a gent who used to fish alot with his son and posted here alot and he seemed to slay them all the time but unfotrunatley he stopped posting. My guess he bought a boat lol.

08-08-2020, 04:33 PM	#4
deptrai Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 54	1/2 oz spinnerbaits. Let sink to bottom and slowly retrieve. Troll shad colored crankbaits through the mooring cans. Always retrieve your lure in the direction of the tide. Fish will position their noses into the tide, waiting for a meal to drift by.

08-09-2020, 06:33 PM	#5
Ggiannig89 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: El Cajon Posts: 512	The learning curve is tough! Try different weedless baits. The eel grass is where the fish like to be.

08-10-2020, 06:04 PM	#6
FullFlavorPike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 809	I think there's a fine art to getting your swimbait to glide along the top of the eelgrass (close enough to tempt an ambush) without getting caught in the weeds.

08-13-2020, 09:43 AM	#7
carbonbass Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 367	next time venture out to the bell buoy , Sabiki up some mackerel and troll it heading north or south. There are frequently thresher sharks in that area and this time of year a shot at something more exotic (yellow/wsb). Goodluck!

08-13-2020, 10:59 AM	#8
bracks Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: La Jolla Posts: 52	Thanks for the advice all! On the dropshot I was using a live bait hook not a long-shank (per advice I got on using this setup for surf fishing, so not the same). I can see how the longer shank can get more hookups. Appreciate the advise on tides and eel grass, makes sense. Also, I like the idea of heading out, dragging macks but that might just be me leaning into what I know. Thanks all!