Catalina Trip End of July/Early August

[wiredantz]

Thanks okay. Our campsite fits 12 people I currently have it reserved for 6 people.

Fun times to come

Here is an article on how to pack your kayak light for camping...


http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/s...stkayakcamping

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

"The entire stretch is scenic and very fishy. The whole route can be done (weather permitting) in about 2 hours. Since we’re fishing along the way it usually takes us about 4 hours. "

I'll be straight up here. I've fished Catalina a ton, and the trip your planning is completely dependent on conditions. If the conditions are not good you could easily end up in lot of trouble. You need to plan ahead for bad weather and have a backup plan if things go wrong.

Essentially you'll fishing the backside or weather side of Catalina Island. It's not always a nice place to fish and at times it's downright dangerous.

I know of more boats lost on the backside of Catalina and of more boating related deaths there then anywhere else in California. Private boater guys fish it all the time and I have a bunch of trips back there but the deal is we usually fish it mornings, watch the forecast and leave before the wind comes up. Boats can power out of there when things get bad kayaks can't, but we still try to play our cards right, always be on top of the situation and definitely know when to cut our losses when it comes to dealing with the backside..

Think of the island as the top of a mountain surrounded by water thousands of feet deep. On the backside you have the whole Pacific on one side, and the other side cliffs something like a thousand feet tall. The swells barrel in from the open ocean smash against the cliffs and are reflected back out making a washing machine effect close to shore. The wind in the afternoons is almost always blowing towards the shore and it's intensified by the islands shape making a mildly windy day for anywhere else into a very windy day on the backside Catalina. It can be downright dangerous in the afternoon when the wind comes up, plan for it, and if and when it does come up you need to be off the water as quickly as possible.

Your radio will be almost useless once you leave Cat harbor due to the cliffs so if you get in trouble it will be impossible to call for help unless someone just happens to be out in front of you away from the island somewhere between Catalina and Clemente. So essentually you guys will be on your own. Depending on your experience level and skills that may or may not be a problem. I would strongly suggest you find a private boater with experience that will be in the same area the same day, to run support, or at the very least relay radio calls for you guys on your trip in case you get in trouble.

Lots of doom and gloom....huh....

Well I'm just trying to warn you that things can go bad back there really quick. For example.... let's take today. Say you took the boat over and walked your gear across the isthmus and now were just launching on the other side.


Forecast calls for:

9:00am 12 knots
12:00pm 15 knots
3:00pm 15knots
6:00pm 12kinots

With all the wind out of the west.

A pretty normal day for Catalina.

Add the island effect caused by the cliffs back there and you can figure plus three to five knots to all those numbers. So if you were there today you'd be launching into around 18 to 20 mile and hour winds, into whitecaps and a washing machine conditions, and then you have to paddle all the way to little harbor, and then still set up your campsite once you get there. Could I do that personally..Yeah I probably could. Would I want to? Nope! Not really.

The next morning you'd have to break camp load your gear and hopefully get back to Cat Harbor before noon because according to the forecast it's going to be even windier tomorrow at noon and going back you'll be paddling against the wind and whitecaps when it comes up. so you don't want to be paddling back in that direction after the wind comes up.

If you get a really good weather day you'll have a great trip, get a bad weather day and it'll be almost unfishable. On short trip an average days like today and tomorrow plan on mostly paddling and work with a little fishing in the morning.

Might be a blast and at any rate it will be an adventure.

Good luck, Jim

[wiredantz]

Originally Posted by Jim Day

Might be a blast and at any rate it will be an adventure.

Good luck, Jim

This trip is weather permitting!

Back up plan # 1
If weather is bad we are not going
Back up plan # 2
Lock up all the kayaks and take the safari bus to camp
Back up plan # 3
Go to the Sierras and fish

[Iceman]

Frank, back up plan #1 should be Parson's Landing on the front side. Instead of crossing the penninsula, you just load em up and paddle to the left a few miles. (the site says 7 miles, but Google Earth shows 4.75, the same as Little Harbor)The only thing it does not have that Little Harbor has is running water. Two Harbors it self may be an option if there is anything available.

I have always wanted to camp here.

http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/t...onsLanding.php

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

This trip is weather permitting!
Back up plan # 1
If weather is bad we are not going
Back up plan # 2
Lock up all the kayaks and take the safari bus to camp..

Sounds good... The bottom line is just use your head.

Even if the wind comes up the frontside is fishable because it's blocked off from the wind to an extent and gets no swell. Just stay tight to the island and fish close. If it's too windy when you arrive I'd say just fish the frontside and catch the bus to little harbor to camp. The drag is the return bus is at noon so you would not get much fishing time in either day but it beats paddling through really really bad conditions, or not fishing at all.

If I was going and the forecast was iffy: I'd maybe take a backpack that could hold all my gear, pack lite, then if it's windy fish the frontside, lock the yak to something leaving things that no-one would steal like waders inside it, go to little harbor, camp, sleep there, break camp at first light, hike back and fish untill I'd have to catch Flyer. It's less then five miles on the TC trail. Depending on your health it might be tough, but I'd do it for the added fishing time.

Additionally I know that at times in the past they have allowed overflow camping at two harbors when conditions were too rough for boats. So if push came to shove they might even allow you to camp somewhere around the harbor. The deal is that will not tell you that because they want to discourage it except for emergencies.

Jim

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

This trip is weather permitting!

Back up plan # 1
If weather is bad we are not going
Back up plan # 2
Lock up all the kayaks and take the safari bus to camp
Back up plan # 3
Go to the Sierras and fish

Back up plan #4
strip club

[wiredantz]

Originally Posted by Jim Day

If I was going and the forecast was iffy: I'd maybe take a backpack that could hold all my gear, pack lite, then if it's windy fish the frontside, lock the yak to something leaving things that no-one would steal like waders inside it, go to little harbor, camp, sleep there, break camp at first light, hike back and fish untill I'd have to catch Flyer. It's less then five miles on the TC trail. Depending on your health it might be tough, but I'd do it for the added fishing time.

I love this is a back up plan. Thank you.

@ Andy

I wanted to stay at two harbors, but both two harbors and parson landing are booked Solid.

[RedSledTeam]

There are also other spots on the frontside like Goat Harbor and Rippers Cove.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Iceman

I have always wanted to camp here.

http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/t...onsLanding.php

You and me both Andy.

I always anchor and overnight just around the corner on the other side of arrowhead point. Very calm and quite at night. Must of spent over fifty nights there on the hook over the years. Definitely my favorite place to drop an anchor at Cat.

Caught a ton of fish there too, sometimes right in the anchorage. Some huge Calicos in the kelp around there. Hands down the best Yellowtail bite I ever saw was right there, where you could dangle a dead sardine right on the surface and hookup literally two feet from the skiff. Fishing can be great all the way from Crystal coven to the west end.

We should do a trip. I could take my skiff for bait and support, even haul the kayaks over with it.

Jim

[tagyak]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

I wanted to stay at two harbors, but both two harbors and parson landing are booked Solid.

parsons landing has july 15,16,17 open, but i will be in vancover that weekend. fyi

[wiredantz]

Originally Posted by RedSledTeam

There are also other spots on the frontside like Goat Harbor and Rippers Cove.

I saw those boat in campsites, but they require you to bring your own portable potty.

Originally Posted by tagyak

parsons landing has july 15,16,17 open, but i will be in vancover that weekend. fyi

I will be comming back from Montana road trip

[Iceman]

I saw those boat in campsites, but they require you to bring your own portable potty.

two words................bait ......................tank

or one of these

[tagyak]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

I will be comming back from Montana road trip

go figure only weekend open in july and we can't take advantage of it

[tagyak]

Originally Posted by Iceman

two words................bait ......................tank

or one of these

http://www.pksafety.com/honeybucket.html

what about croaker dave's post about gett'n th'm MACs

[tagyak]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

This trip is weather permitting!

Back up plan # 1
If weather is bad we are not going
Back up plan # 2
Lock up all the kayaks and take the safari bus to camp
Back up plan # 3
Go to the Sierras and fish

maybe the backup plan should be taking one of those islander 1.5 day trips???? it'll only be $150 more than this trip????

[wiredantz]

Jim stop scaring the crew. Summertime should not be as unpredictable as spring

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

Jim stop scaring the crew. Summertime should not be as unpredictable as spring

Sorry about that.

I'm not trying to scare anyone I'm just saying watch the weather and use your head. It's a great place to fish with good conditions

[StinkyMatt]

So let me get this straight, Jim is or is not going on this trip?

Unless I get a letter from God that the weather will be perfect, that there are no Great Whites in the area and that the ocean water will not be salty I am staying at home.

Yes, stuff can always happen, but you can't run your life like that. We will use our heads and not get into a stupid situation just for a stinkin fish.

Frank, I too have fished Catalina many times and agree that the protected side may be a better option for our group. It is simply more pleasant to kayak. I would not mind a primitive campsite on the quiet side.

Look into changing our spot to the backside (protected) The potty situation is a minimal factor. I will bring a GIANT trash bag you can use.


The main concern is the closed to fishing areas of the island. Anyone know a link to a map of the closed off areas?

[wiredantz]

Originally Posted by StinkyMatt

So let me get this straight, Jim is or is not going on this trip?

Unless I get a letter from God that the weather will be perfect, that there are no Great Whites in the area and that the ocean water will not be salty I am staying at home.

Yes, stuff can always happen, but you can't run your life like that. We will use our heads and not get into a stupid situation just for a stinkin fish.

Frank, I too have fished Catalina many times and agree that the protected side may be a better option for our group. It is simply more pleasant to kayak. I would not mind a primitive campsite on the quiet side.

Look into changing our spot to the backside (protected) The potty situation is a minimal factor. I will bring a GIANT trash bag you can use.


The main concern is the closed to fishing areas of the island. Anyone know a link to a map of the closed off areas?

well if we can get a better map of the protected areas i can find a primitive site and just bring a 5 gallon bucket with a trash bag....


The choices are mostly all of them but i think We should either stay at paradise or rippers? What do you think Matt



Here is a mini map of the kayakers map of the boat in camps with no poop toilets

http://www.kayakcatalinaisland.com/html/camping.html


Los Angeles County

• Abalone Cove State Marine Park
  JPEG | PDF | MPA Coordinates
• Point Fermin State Marine Park
  JPEG | PDF | MPA Coordinates
• Special Closure: Arrow Pt. to Lion Head Point (Catalina Island) Invertebrate Area
  JPEG | PDF | MPA Coordinates
• Catalina Marine Science Center State Marine Reserve
  JPEG | PDF | MPA Coordinates
• Farnsworth Bank State Marine Conservation Area
  JPEG | PDF | MPA Coordinates
• Lovers Cove (Catalina Island) State Marine Conservation Area
  JPEG | PDF | MPA Coordinates

The Circled areas are current no take zones but everything else is open until MLPA Steps in and takes everything away!!!

Los Angeles County	SPECIES PROHIBITED For Recreational Take	SPECIES ALLOWED For Recreational Take
Abalone Cove State Marine Park	All marine aquatic plants. All invertebrates.	Finfish by hook-and-line or spear
Point Fermin State Marine Park	All marine aquatic plants. Invertebrates EXCEPT lobster. Finfish EXCEPT rockfish (family Scorpaenidae), greenling, lingcod, cabezon, yellowtail, mackerel, bluefin tuna, kelp bass, spotted sand bass, barred sand bass, sargo, croaker, queenfish, California corbina, white seabass, opaleye, halfmoon, surfperch (family Embiotocidae), blacksmith, Pacific barracuda, California sheephead, Pacific bonito, California halibut, sole, turbot and sanddab.	Lobster. Rockfish (family Scorpaenidae), greenling, lingcod, cabezon, yellowtail, mackerel, bluefin tuna, kelp bass, spotted sand bass, barred sand bass, sargo, croaker, queenfish, California corbina, white seabass, opaleye, halfmoon, surfperch (family Embiotocidae), blacksmith, Pacific barracuda, California sheephead, Pacific bonito, California halibut, sole, turbot and sanddab by hook-and-line or spear fishing gear.
Arrow Pt. to Lions Head Pt. Invertebrate Area Special Closure (Catalina Island)	All invertebrates	Finfish. Marine aquatic plants.
Catalina Marine Science Center State Marine Reserve (Catalina Island)	All	None
Farnsworth Bank State Marine Conservation Area (Catalina Island)	Purple coral	Finfish. Marine aquatic plants. Invertebrates EXCEPT purple coral.
Lover's Cove State Marine Conservation Area (Catalina Island)	All	None

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by StinkyMatt

So let me get this straight, Jim is or is not going on this trip?

Yeah unfortunately it's not for me. I'm not big on Ferries

It's really just not my thing for a bunch of reasons.....

For one thing the economics don't work. I can run over, fish the island, sleep in my skiff, and stay as long as I like for less money then going the flyer camping route. I've fished the island a lot but have actually only set foot on it a few times, because I'm always on some kind of private skiff or running a boat.

I also don't like reservations and set dates for fishing because you can't adapt to the weather or bite. That goes for party boats as well. Two thirds of the time you just end up going on the wrong day. I can take off usually when I want so I tend to go on weekdays on my own when there is a bite on.

Also Camping in paid campgrounds rubs me the wrong way. I grew up Solo open land camping or what is now called dispersal camping so I'm not big on paid camp grounds or the crowds you get at them. I've always camped to get away from the city, from other people, to get out on my own and relax. So big trips with lots of people to paid campgrounds doesn't appeal to me. I'll sometimes go with a date (girl) to camp in a paid campground if they want to, but that's about it.

I've considered paddling the channel in my sit-inside then doing the boat in camping areas on weekdays when no-one is there. Just paddling around and fishing a few days, and then crossing back, but never got around to it, and you need a really good weather window to do it.

This year I'm thinking about doing some combo Kayak/skiff trips where I take my skiff anchor up and then fish some of my favorite areas at Cat from my yak, but usually when I do Multi day trips to Cat I go alone, with just my skiff, anchor up in the little cove just east of arrowhead point, catch and release a bunch of fish and I'm the only person there. What can I say it works for me.

Jim