Dana Pt, 7-10-12 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Amish Ed · 07-10-2012, 10:56 PM

Heard the bite was slow at Dana and decided to go anyways. Launched from the ramp at about 5:30 and headed straight for the pipe. Had a really nice sunrise with the fog being kept just offshore by the light offshore wind. With no waves and light wind it was an easy paddle out. Saw a bit of bait on the surface and a few birds on the way too. There was this weird tunnel in the fog where only about a 1/2 mile of the coast wasn't socked in. I should've taken a picture. Anyways, I wasn't out there maybe 20min and the fog closed in on me. Made me glad for my GPS.

The wind was very shifty once the fog came in and made fishing the pipe a big pain. It seemed each drift went a different direction, so each cast felt somewhat blind since I didn't always know where the bait would end up. Water had a decent color to it and not to clear, and felt about 65º. Word on the street is that down south just a bit it is down to 61º.

Got out there and got bit pretty quick and frequently, but couldn't make them stick. It turned out to be a fluke though, because the whole morning was just a really slow pick. I finished with 7 legals and 2 shorts, 50/50 mix of sand and calico. Talking to Steph over at Hogan's though, I found out that I did pretty good. One of her employees fished it yesterday for one bite. I pretty much kitchen sinked it today, and half the fish came on a variety of baits. The other half came on a 4" Flurry in Fire Avocado fished on 10lb. The line weight did seem to make a difference as most every fish came on 10lb, the 17lb wasn't getting bit nearly as well.

I went out expecting slow fishing and got it, but I did twice as good as I expected as well. Hopefully these fish wake up and the water stops rolling. I did better almost every day this last winter.

fishsouthcounty · 07-10-2012, 11:22 PM

hey definitely made the best of it out there. good ratio on the legal to short anyway. Hopefully be gettin into another yak next week. Will have to fish the pipe again soon.

Devildawgjj · 07-11-2012, 07:45 AM

Thanks for the report Ed!

I was thinking about making it out there this week. Have you gone a little north to San Juan Rock or Salt Creek?

DanaPT · 07-11-2012, 02:34 PM

Up early. get the bait. Paddle north.

The same routine. A great sun-rise but the fog crept in . Light on shore wind from the north. Fished the outside kelp about half-way up strands.

All I got was a short sand bass. Hooked up on a shark that cut through the 20lb flouro like only a shark tooth can.

I a bunch of bait fish in the water, but nothing going on. No dolphins or predator fish from below or bird activity from above.

It was a sad day.

Water was reading 62.

I was at the headlands around 5:15 am and off the water at 11 am (before the wind really kicked up!).

Amish Ed · 07-11-2012, 10:40 PM

Looks like another cold slow summer. I think it was 2yrs ago that the water warmed up in Sept or Oct. Maybe we'll get the same this year.

07-10-2012, 10:56 PM	#1
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,906	Dana Pt, 7-10-12 Heard the bite was slow at Dana and decided to go anyways. Launched from the ramp at about 5:30 and headed straight for the pipe. Had a really nice sunrise with the fog being kept just offshore by the light offshore wind. With no waves and light wind it was an easy paddle out. Saw a bit of bait on the surface and a few birds on the way too. There was this weird tunnel in the fog where only about a 1/2 mile of the coast wasn't socked in. I should've taken a picture. Anyways, I wasn't out there maybe 20min and the fog closed in on me. Made me glad for my GPS. The wind was very shifty once the fog came in and made fishing the pipe a big pain. It seemed each drift went a different direction, so each cast felt somewhat blind since I didn't always know where the bait would end up. Water had a decent color to it and not to clear, and felt about 65º. Word on the street is that down south just a bit it is down to 61º. Got out there and got bit pretty quick and frequently, but couldn't make them stick. It turned out to be a fluke though, because the whole morning was just a really slow pick. I finished with 7 legals and 2 shorts, 50/50 mix of sand and calico. Talking to Steph over at Hogan's though, I found out that I did pretty good. One of her employees fished it yesterday for one bite. I pretty much kitchen sinked it today, and half the fish came on a variety of baits. The other half came on a 4" Flurry in Fire Avocado fished on 10lb. The line weight did seem to make a difference as most every fish came on 10lb, the 17lb wasn't getting bit nearly as well. I went out expecting slow fishing and got it, but I did twice as good as I expected as well. Hopefully these fish wake up and the water stops rolling. I did better almost every day this last winter. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

07-11-2012, 02:34 PM	#4
DanaPT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South OC Posts: 1,606	I 2nd the slowness. .. Up early. get the bait. Paddle north. The same routine. A great sun-rise but the fog crept in . Light on shore wind from the north. Fished the outside kelp about half-way up strands. All I got was a short sand bass. Hooked up on a shark that cut through the 20lb flouro like only a shark tooth can. I a bunch of bait fish in the water, but nothing going on. No dolphins or predator fish from below or bird activity from above. It was a sad day. Water was reading 62. I was at the headlands around 5:15 am and off the water at 11 am (before the wind really kicked up!).

07-11-2012, 10:40 PM	#5
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,906	Looks like another cold slow summer. I think it was 2yrs ago that the water warmed up in Sept or Oct. Maybe we'll get the same this year. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

07-10-2012, 11:22 PM	#2
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	hey definitely made the best of it out there. good ratio on the legal to short anyway. Hopefully be gettin into another yak next week. Will have to fish the pipe again soon.

07-11-2012, 07:45 AM	#3
Devildawgjj Kayak BOOT Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Ventura County Posts: 251	Thanks for the report Ed! I was thinking about making it out there this week. Have you gone a little north to San Juan Rock or Salt Creek?