Dana Point 3-24 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

stephenG · 03-24-2013, 08:55 PM

Didn't have a lot of time but hit the water anyway from 830-1130. Managed to scrap out 2 sand bass. One was about 16 1/2" the other about 13". Conditions were kinda garbage with lots of free floating kelp and dirty green water. Both fish came in 50ish feet of water. Nice day on the water even though it was quick. The quest for a big fat flat Hali continues....

Raskal311 · 03-25-2013, 07:12 AM

I arrived at the ramp at 7:15 but the plastic didn't hit the water until after 8am. Fished until 2:30 for two calico one short one legal and a short butt.

stephenG · 03-25-2013, 07:54 AM

Did you fish the headlands or the pipe? I saw a guy in a yellow PA catch what looked like a calico near the pipe.

Raskal311 · 03-25-2013, 08:09 AM

Yea I think I was the only yellow PA on the water; the butt was near the barge. I saw some kids catch a few cuda near the barge as well.

SorryCharlie · 03-25-2013, 09:39 AM

Similar experience here.

Was up at the kelp near the headlands around 8am, fished there till about 2pm. Ended the day with nothing legal, but 6 short calicos (2 were so close) and 2 short sandies.

Tried just south of Doheny for some hali for about 45 minutes before calling it a day, nothing there but trying not to get to close to shore for when the big sets came in. Still a decent day on the water.

I did hear that people were catching some barracuda by the bait barge as well, didnt give it a try myself tho.

chefjtwalker · 03-25-2013, 10:28 AM

I was on the pipe for the morning, in a sand revolution. I wound up with a 5+lb sandy and a 2lb calico. Lots of bites from shorts. I was using larger swim baits (6 inch) to keep the macs and shorts off the hook. Had I been using 4" i would have had a lot more in the yak. Lots of PB out there... more than what I normally see. Quite a few whales in the area too.

Raskal311 · 03-25-2013, 11:56 AM

How deep do you think you let the swim bait drop before retrieving when fishing the pipes? I was fishing 4" swim bait but didn't get too many bites.

stephenG · 03-25-2013, 02:02 PM

I try to keep my presentation slow and on the bottom when the water is cold. My larger fish was on live bait and the smaller one was on a drop shot 4". There agian sounds like ChefJTWalker was on a better grade fish than me.

03-25-2013, 02:26 PM

Any help on the location of the pipe?

Raskal311 · 03-25-2013, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephenG

I try to keep my presentation slow and on the bottom when the water is cold. My larger fish was on live bait and the smaller one was on a drop shot 4". There agian sounds like ChefJTWalker was on a better grade fish than me.

I think that was the problem, my lead head wasn't heavy enough to get down low.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madncrzydm

Any help on the location of the pipe?

2-3 o'clock heading out of the harbor, look for yaks and boats lined up.

chefjtwalker · 03-25-2013, 04:40 PM

When I fish the pipe I try and drift over it. I normally cast out so I can drift and bounce it while I drift over it. The pipe is about 10 feet across it seems. It is a little tricky to find it with out a depth finder. In 30-40 feet of water it is almost straight off the life guard tower. In 50-60 feet of water it is almost straight off of the DoubleTree hotel.

I normally fish 3/4 to 1 oz heads so I can get down fast below the macs. If the current is ripping or the wind is pushing me to fast I move up to a 1.5 oz head. The sandies are normally in the bottom 10 feet and I have caught calicos off the bottom and had them chase all the way to the surface.

Like most places its all about time on the water. I have been fishing DP for about 3 years, getting out an average 3+ times a month. If you want to learn some of the spots try and get out during one of the Fishing with Friends events at DP Jet Ski:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...ic,2993.0.html

Always more fun when a little money is involved. Decent amount of people show up so you can see a lot of different areas people fish. Good luck out there.

Raskal311 · 03-26-2013, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefjtwalker

When I fish the pipe I try and drift over it. I normally cast out so I can drift and bounce it while I drift over it. The pipe is about 10 feet across it seems. It is a little tricky to find it with out a depth finder. In 30-40 feet of water it is almost straight off the life guard tower. In 50-60 feet of water it is almost straight off of the DoubleTree hotel.

I normally fish 3/4 to 1 oz heads so I can get down fast below the macs. If the current is ripping or the wind is pushing me to fast I move up to a 1.5 oz head. The sandies are normally in the bottom 10 feet and I have caught calicos off the bottom and had them chase all the way to the surface.

Like most places its all about time on the water. I have been fishing DP for about 3 years, getting out an average 3+ times a month. If you want to learn some of the spots try and get out during one of the Fishing with Friends events at DP Jet Ski:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...ic,2993.0.html

Always more fun when a little money is involved. Decent amount of people show up so you can see a lot of different areas people fish. Good luck out there.

Thats exactly what I saw a small boat do and they were producing a fish every few pass.

FishNinjaY · 03-26-2013, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefjtwalker

When I fish the pipe I try and drift over it. I normally cast out so I can drift and bounce it while I drift over it. The pipe is about 10 feet across it seems. It is a little tricky to find it with out a depth finder. In 30-40 feet of water it is almost straight off the life guard tower. In 50-60 feet of water it is almost straight off of the DoubleTree hotel.

I normally fish 3/4 to 1 oz heads so I can get down fast below the macs. If the current is ripping or the wind is pushing me to fast I move up to a 1.5 oz head. The sandies are normally in the bottom 10 feet and I have caught calicos off the bottom and had them chase all the way to the surface.

Like most places its all about time on the water. I have been fishing DP for about 3 years, getting out an average 3+ times a month. If you want to learn some of the spots try and get out during one of the Fishing with Friends events at DP Jet Ski:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...ic,2993.0.html

Always more fun when a little money is involved. Decent amount of people show up so you can see a lot of different areas people fish. Good luck out there.

Some great info and details. Thanks for helping us newbs.

SorryCharlie · 03-26-2013, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefjtwalker

When I fish the pipe I try and drift over it. I normally cast out so I can drift and bounce it while I drift over it. The pipe is about 10 feet across it seems. It is a little tricky to find it with out a depth finder. In 30-40 feet of water it is almost straight off the life guard tower. In 50-60 feet of water it is almost straight off of the DoubleTree hotel.

I normally fish 3/4 to 1 oz heads so I can get down fast below the macs. If the current is ripping or the wind is pushing me to fast I move up to a 1.5 oz head. The sandies are normally in the bottom 10 feet and I have caught calicos off the bottom and had them chase all the way to the surface.

Like most places its all about time on the water. I have been fishing DP for about 3 years, getting out an average 3+ times a month. If you want to learn some of the spots try and get out during one of the Fishing with Friends events at DP Jet Ski:

http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...ic,2993.0.html

Always more fun when a little money is involved. Decent amount of people show up so you can see a lot of different areas people fish. Good luck out there.

I have to add my thanks as well for helping out us newbs.

I have tried the pipe a few times with limited luck. Did get a nice size calico there once, but only once.

Also thanks for the link, I didn't know they had these events at DP Jet Ski. I will have to try this out in April!

03-24-2013, 08:55 PM	#1
stephenG Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Clemente Posts: 97	Dana Point 3-24 Didn't have a lot of time but hit the water anyway from 830-1130. Managed to scrap out 2 sand bass. One was about 16 1/2" the other about 13". Conditions were kinda garbage with lots of free floating kelp and dirty green water. Both fish came in 50ish feet of water. Nice day on the water even though it was quick. The quest for a big fat flat Hali continues....

03-25-2013, 07:12 AM	#2
Raskal311 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Santa Ana/Westminster Posts: 1,256	I arrived at the ramp at 7:15 but the plastic didn't hit the water until after 8am. Fished until 2:30 for two calico one short one legal and a short butt.

03-25-2013, 07:54 AM	#3
stephenG Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Clemente Posts: 97	Did you fish the headlands or the pipe? I saw a guy in a yellow PA catch what looked like a calico near the pipe.

03-25-2013, 08:09 AM	#4
Raskal311 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Santa Ana/Westminster Posts: 1,256	Yea I think I was the only yellow PA on the water; the butt was near the barge. I saw some kids catch a few cuda near the barge as well.

03-25-2013, 09:39 AM	#5
SorryCharlie Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 140	Similar experience here. Was up at the kelp near the headlands around 8am, fished there till about 2pm. Ended the day with nothing legal, but 6 short calicos (2 were so close) and 2 short sandies. Tried just south of Doheny for some hali for about 45 minutes before calling it a day, nothing there but trying not to get to close to shore for when the big sets came in. Still a decent day on the water. I did hear that people were catching some barracuda by the bait barge as well, didnt give it a try myself tho.

03-25-2013, 10:28 AM	#6
chefjtwalker Junior Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 9	I was on the pipe for the morning, in a sand revolution. I wound up with a 5+lb sandy and a 2lb calico. Lots of bites from shorts. I was using larger swim baits (6 inch) to keep the macs and shorts off the hook. Had I been using 4" i would have had a lot more in the yak. Lots of PB out there... more than what I normally see. Quite a few whales in the area too.

03-25-2013, 11:56 AM	#7
Raskal311 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Santa Ana/Westminster Posts: 1,256	How deep do you think you let the swim bait drop before retrieving when fishing the pipes? I was fishing 4" swim bait but didn't get too many bites.

03-25-2013, 02:02 PM	#8
stephenG Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Clemente Posts: 97	I try to keep my presentation slow and on the bottom when the water is cold. My larger fish was on live bait and the smaller one was on a drop shot 4". There agian sounds like ChefJTWalker was on a better grade fish than me.

03-25-2013, 02:26 PM	#9
madncrzydm Guest Posts: n/a	Any help on the location of the pipe?

03-25-2013, 04:40 PM	#11
chefjtwalker Junior Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 9	When I fish the pipe I try and drift over it. I normally cast out so I can drift and bounce it while I drift over it. The pipe is about 10 feet across it seems. It is a little tricky to find it with out a depth finder. In 30-40 feet of water it is almost straight off the life guard tower. In 50-60 feet of water it is almost straight off of the DoubleTree hotel. I normally fish 3/4 to 1 oz heads so I can get down fast below the macs. If the current is ripping or the wind is pushing me to fast I move up to a 1.5 oz head. The sandies are normally in the bottom 10 feet and I have caught calicos off the bottom and had them chase all the way to the surface. Like most places its all about time on the water. I have been fishing DP for about 3 years, getting out an average 3+ times a month. If you want to learn some of the spots try and get out during one of the Fishing with Friends events at DP Jet Ski: http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...ic,2993.0.html Always more fun when a little money is involved. Decent amount of people show up so you can see a lot of different areas people fish. Good luck out there.