closer to shore - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

wms,Jr · 04-11-2011, 09:48 AM

Hey, again-just gettin into this coastal fishin thing. I notice most of the info is on the La Jolla area and for really experienced hardcore guys. I'd wanna start off with my son at the local kelp beds, Encinitas and north to Carlsbad. Just some Calicos, Sandies and maybe some Mackerel, and if lucky some Halibut. If anybody else is hitting these areas between their La jolla big game days, please post a report or some tips, THX

evilkhemist · 04-11-2011, 09:58 AM

Try hitting Cardiff, it can have the yellows and WSB like La Jolla. The kelp beds are really close and have tons of bass. Plus, you can park basically 10 feet from the launch.

dsafety · 04-11-2011, 10:14 AM

Cardiff is a good place but be careful of the launch conditions. The surf is almost always larger there than at the shores and things can change dramatically based on the tidal conditions. I have embarrassed myself on both launches and landings a number of times at Cardiff.

Parking can be challenging at this location. You can pay to park in the State lot or park for free along the highway. Finding a parking place after about 9:00 on a nice day can be a real problem. Weekends are worse.

Bob

old_rookie · 04-11-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wms,Jr

... I notice most of the info is on the La Jolla area and for really experienced hardcore guys. ...

Not entirely true. There may be experience hardcore guys out there, but there are also inexperienced rookie types too. I know - I'm one of them.

evilkhemist · 04-11-2011, 11:04 AM

Bob is correct, I left out some important info. The pay parking area is nice, because it puts you right on the beach. It can be a pain to park on summer days. I have the state parking pass, which is cheaper if you are at the beach alot. The waves can be huge and change based on the tide. I have flipped a couple of times at Cardiff, which sucks with all the people watching you

. It is still a nice location to fish in North County.

Zed · 04-11-2011, 11:23 AM

LJ Shores launch is about the most consistent beginner friendly kayak launch, aside from a harbor launch. It only gets bigger in places other than the Shores.

Kaijuu · 04-11-2011, 01:43 PM

You can always start out by launching at the harbor at O'Side. You step into your yak from a dock and off you go.

Good place to start to learn the yak. Inside the harbor is always easy going. Outside gets a little blown sometimes but its still quite manageable.

If you want to fish for halibut or bass, about a mile or so in 40' on a 275 heading, not a bad place to start. There's artificial reefs.

I go out usually on week days, If you wanna tag along, just PM me.

P.S. don't use or park at the boat launch, its free on the other side of the harbor.

wms,Jr · 04-11-2011, 02:04 PM

now we're talkin, thats some good info. right now my son and i are fishin off of sup's, i hope that dosent get me kicked off the site!! eventually i will move to one of the fancy kayaks i see on this site, but thats after he gets his butt outta the house, i wanna keep it fun for him now so i can enjoy his company as long as possible, a lil surf a lil fish, so the kelp beds along the shore are the best for us. The reef, pipes and swamis sound good, thanks for the oside info. dont know how it feels to be on an sup way out in the ocean, freaks me a lil thinkin about it, but if thats what i have to do to catch fish, so be it. any tips on bait, tactics, and what is PM?

dsafety · 04-11-2011, 04:25 PM

You know, a great place to launch a SUP would be the Children's Pool. The fishing grounds start a couple hundred feet out. What could be easier than that?

Bob

mtnbykr2 · 04-11-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wms,Jr

now we're talkin, thats some good info. right now my son and i are fishin off of sup's, i hope that dosent get me kicked off the site!! eventually i will move to one of the fancy kayaks i see on this site, but thats after he gets his butt outta the house, i wanna keep it fun for him now so i can enjoy his company as long as possible, a lil surf a lil fish, so the kelp beds along the shore are the best for us. The reef, pipes and swamis sound good, thanks for the oside info. dont know how it feels to be on an sup way out in the ocean, freaks me a lil thinkin about it, but if thats what i have to do to catch fish, so be it. any tips on bait, tactics, and what is PM?

I believe our kayak fishing kayaks have evolved from sups...good luck out there and enjoy, but be warned it is an addiction

Jimmyz123 · 04-11-2011, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsafety

You know, a great place to launch a SUP would be the Children's Pool. The fishing grounds start a couple hundred feet out. What could be easier than that?

Bob

I'm all for this. The more people that show up to use the beach the more the seals will find somewhere else to sleep.

Amish Ed · 04-11-2011, 06:49 PM

For the bass use Zooms on a sleadhead and 3-5" swimbaits. Plus use some sort of scent, I like Hotsauce. Fishing the kelp I wouldn't use heavier than 15lb line, this time of year I'd use 10lb.

wms,Jr · 04-12-2011, 04:12 PM

zooms? sleadhead? hotsauce? burrito hotsauce?

Amish Ed · 04-12-2011, 07:13 PM

Zoom= Zoom Supper Fluke, I usually use 5" or 7". Baby bass and smokin shad are my 2 favorites. The new swimmin super fluke is awesome. I got mine from Hogan's Bait and Tackle in Dana Point.

Sled Head = a lead head that allows for weedless rigging of baits like the Super Fluke. Perfect for the kelp and boilers, when rigged right it's really hard to snag and lose your bait.

Hotsauce = a fish attractant. They also make the Flurry, my favorite small swimbait. I fish Big Hammers for 5" and above. They also make the Hyspin, turns any lead head with a big enough eye into a spinner bait.

wms,Jr · 04-13-2011, 06:18 AM

Nice lesson, outlined just the way i can understand. Is there a place to get this stuff affordable on-line or just go to the local shop!! This stuff good for harbors and kelp beds? I know you senior guys don't give up all your secrets so I don't wanna push ya, thx.

tight lines · 04-13-2011, 07:32 AM

We all develop our own style of fishing .Different things work from day to day .Learning the basics are the most important.At the the end of the day ,the best thing you can do is ,fill your tackle box with a variety of swim baits and put some time on the water . Go have some fun.
Good luck !!

taggermike · 04-13-2011, 07:50 AM

I used to fish the North County areas when I lived up there. There's loads of near shore kelp and hard bottom from Carlsbad all the way to Solona beach that can hold fish. I've had great boiler rock bassin' around SeaSide and table tops. Fun fishing but you have to keep your head on a swivle to watch for waves. I've launched out of Moonlight beach and caught a few YT out side of Swami's. There are few/no places up there that will be as calm as LJ Shores unless the swell is way down. Another issue in the summer on those N. Co. beaches is crouds. I've launched super early at Solona Beach, Moonlight, and Buccaneer when I had the place to my self. Hours later when I was coming back in the place was packed with hundreds of swimmers and the life guards were out in force. They waved me off and even came out to talk to me on a wave runner. I ended up having to land way the hell down the beach, walk back to where I left my wheels, walk back to the yak, and then mule the yak back to my car. You gotta do what you gotta do but that was a drag pulling the yak hundreds of yards down the beach dodging all the kids, vals, tourists, and zonies. You're also going to have to deal with sufers up there. Most are super cool and a lot of them are anglers. Fishing tight to the line up at Swami's, Cardiff Reef, or Seaside can put very close to them. Just some things to keep in mind. Mike

04-11-2011, 09:48 AM	#1
wms,Jr Junior Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 24	closer to shore Hey, again-just gettin into this coastal fishin thing. I notice most of the info is on the La Jolla area and for really experienced hardcore guys. I'd wanna start off with my son at the local kelp beds, Encinitas and north to Carlsbad. Just some Calicos, Sandies and maybe some Mackerel, and if lucky some Halibut. If anybody else is hitting these areas between their La jolla big game days, please post a report or some tips, THX

04-11-2011, 11:04 AM	#5
evilkhemist Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sorrento Valley_SD Posts: 40	Bob is correct, I left out some important info. The pay parking area is nice, because it puts you right on the beach. It can be a pain to park on summer days. I have the state parking pass, which is cheaper if you are at the beach alot. The waves can be huge and change based on the tide. I have flipped a couple of times at Cardiff, which sucks with all the people watching you. It is still a nice location to fish in North County.

04-11-2011, 11:23 AM	#6
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	LJ Shores launch is about the most consistent beginner friendly kayak launch, aside from a harbor launch. It only gets bigger in places other than the Shores. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

04-11-2011, 01:43 PM	#7
Kaijuu "Floater" Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: so cal Posts: 164	O'Side fishing You can always start out by launching at the harbor at O'Side. You step into your yak from a dock and off you go. Good place to start to learn the yak. Inside the harbor is always easy going. Outside gets a little blown sometimes but its still quite manageable. If you want to fish for halibut or bass, about a mile or so in 40' on a 275 heading, not a bad place to start. There's artificial reefs. I go out usually on week days, If you wanna tag along, just PM me. P.S. don't use or park at the boat launch, its free on the other side of the harbor.

04-11-2011, 06:49 PM	#12
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	For the bass use Zooms on a sleadhead and 3-5" swimbaits. Plus use some sort of scent, I like Hotsauce. Fishing the kelp I wouldn't use heavier than 15lb line, this time of year I'd use 10lb. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

04-11-2011, 09:58 AM	#2
evilkhemist Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sorrento Valley_SD Posts: 40	Try hitting Cardiff, it can have the yellows and WSB like La Jolla. The kelp beds are really close and have tons of bass. Plus, you can park basically 10 feet from the launch.

04-11-2011, 10:14 AM	#3
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	Cardiff is a good place but be careful of the launch conditions. The surf is almost always larger there than at the shores and things can change dramatically based on the tidal conditions. I have embarrassed myself on both launches and landings a number of times at Cardiff. Parking can be challenging at this location. You can pay to park in the State lot or park for free along the highway. Finding a parking place after about 9:00 on a nice day can be a real problem. Weekends are worse. Bob

04-11-2011, 02:04 PM	#8
wms,Jr Junior Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 24	now we're talkin, thats some good info. right now my son and i are fishin off of sup's, i hope that dosent get me kicked off the site!! eventually i will move to one of the fancy kayaks i see on this site, but thats after he gets his butt outta the house, i wanna keep it fun for him now so i can enjoy his company as long as possible, a lil surf a lil fish, so the kelp beds along the shore are the best for us. The reef, pipes and swamis sound good, thanks for the oside info. dont know how it feels to be on an sup way out in the ocean, freaks me a lil thinkin about it, but if thats what i have to do to catch fish, so be it. any tips on bait, tactics, and what is PM?

04-11-2011, 04:25 PM	#9
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	You know, a great place to launch a SUP would be the Children's Pool. The fishing grounds start a couple hundred feet out. What could be easier than that? Bob

04-12-2011, 04:12 PM	#13
wms,Jr Junior Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 24	zooms? sleadhead? hotsauce? burrito hotsauce?

04-12-2011, 07:13 PM	#14
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Zoom= Zoom Supper Fluke, I usually use 5" or 7". Baby bass and smokin shad are my 2 favorites. The new swimmin super fluke is awesome. I got mine from Hogan's Bait and Tackle in Dana Point. Sled Head = a lead head that allows for weedless rigging of baits like the Super Fluke. Perfect for the kelp and boilers, when rigged right it's really hard to snag and lose your bait. Hotsauce = a fish attractant. They also make the Flurry, my favorite small swimbait. I fish Big Hammers for 5" and above. They also make the Hyspin, turns any lead head with a big enough eye into a spinner bait. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

04-13-2011, 06:18 AM	#15
wms,Jr Junior Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 24	Nice lesson, outlined just the way i can understand. Is there a place to get this stuff affordable on-line or just go to the local shop!! This stuff good for harbors and kelp beds? I know you senior guys don't give up all your secrets so I don't wanna push ya, thx.

04-13-2011, 07:32 AM	#16
tight lines Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: North County Posts: 62	We all develop our own style of fishing .Different things work from day to day .Learning the basics are the most important.At the the end of the day ,the best thing you can do is ,fill your tackle box with a variety of swim baits and put some time on the water . Go have some fun. Good luck !!

04-13-2011, 07:50 AM	#17
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	I used to fish the North County areas when I lived up there. There's loads of near shore kelp and hard bottom from Carlsbad all the way to Solona beach that can hold fish. I've had great boiler rock bassin' around SeaSide and table tops. Fun fishing but you have to keep your head on a swivle to watch for waves. I've launched out of Moonlight beach and caught a few YT out side of Swami's. There are few/no places up there that will be as calm as LJ Shores unless the swell is way down. Another issue in the summer on those N. Co. beaches is crouds. I've launched super early at Solona Beach, Moonlight, and Buccaneer when I had the place to my self. Hours later when I was coming back in the place was packed with hundreds of swimmers and the life guards were out in force. They waved me off and even came out to talk to me on a wave runner. I ended up having to land way the hell down the beach, walk back to where I left my wheels, walk back to the yak, and then mule the yak back to my car. You gotta do what you gotta do but that was a drag pulling the yak hundreds of yards down the beach dodging all the kids, vals, tourists, and zonies. You're also going to have to deal with sufers up there. Most are super cool and a lot of them are anglers. Fishing tight to the line up at Swami's, Cardiff Reef, or Seaside can put very close to them. Just some things to keep in mind. Mike