Sandbass at Night! - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

JeffB · 05-12-2013, 08:54 PM

Sand bass fishing at night, nothing beats it. I've been land locked pretty much all year, only been on the water a handful of times. So I took advantage of my wife being off of work for the night and the good current conditions and hit the water around 8pm. The game plan was through big baits all night and leave the smaller stuff at home. I went out geared with heavy rods paired up with a couple Calcutta D's ( if you don't have one, I defiantly recommend spending the money for one of these bad boys, they're like mini conventionals), a saltist 20 level wind and an EJ. I rigged each rod up with 1 1/2oz- 2oz jig heads with 6/0 and 7/0 hooks. I had two 6" swim baits tied on with a 6" grub and 5" swim bait. Right off the bat the bite was hot. It stayed that way off and on through out the night. The fish were really aggressive and ate the 6" swim bait almost all night long. I did switch things up a little during the slack tide. I put on a 1oz jig head paired with some 4" baits. It seemed to do the trick in a little bit shallower water ( 35'-40'), most of my fish came in 47'-50' of water, a few in 53'-55'. I caught my fair share of shorts, but caught some nice fish as well. Over all I had about a 2 1/2lb average for the night with the sand bass and a 11" average with the Calico's. I had a coupl fish in the 4lb range and a decent number in the 3lb range. I did not catch any monsters, but did have 3 big hits. First big hit double my rod and ripped my 6" swim bait right off the jig, brand new bait. The second one pulled the hooked about 30 secs into it, and the third one did a repeat of the first one. Over all I would have called it an average to above average night for me. Caught probably in total 7-8 short calico, 10 or so short sand bass, and a solid 30x 16"-17"+ sandbass with a couple 20"+. I was fishing alone, so don't really have any pix, plus my phone died in the first 30min of being out there. I fished till about 6:30am hoping for an early morning halibut bite. The tide was completely slack and not working in my favor. I would highly recommend getting out there and putting some time in at night if you have a chance while the bite is still going. I found that the summer bite usually slows down pretty good.

easyday · 05-12-2013, 09:25 PM

Sounds like a great night

caddisx · 05-12-2013, 09:36 PM

Sounds like a great night!

skrilla · 05-12-2013, 10:49 PM

Sounds like a great night.

Old Man in the Sea · 05-13-2013, 08:31 AM

Man Jeff - you are the sandbass king!!!
as always another great report !!

xpresso2am · 05-13-2013, 09:42 AM

great report Jeff. I hate it when my camera dies..better dead than dropping it into the water...I have left a few in my day in the ocean

blitzburgh · 05-13-2013, 10:15 AM

Nice work

lowprofile · 05-13-2013, 01:49 PM

sounds like a great night!

MrPatrick · 05-13-2013, 03:03 PM

Wasn't that a song from the 80's
"I catch my Sand Bass's at night"
😎

JeffB · 05-13-2013, 03:23 PM

I plan on going back out again Thursday night.

roadx · 05-14-2013, 06:05 AM

good report jeff
if it was any other thursday night i would join you but work wont let me this time. go get'm

stephenG · 05-14-2013, 07:11 PM

Sounds fun. I gotta try the night bite sometime.

"jjcawjj" · 05-14-2013, 07:40 PM

Great information!!!! Thanks for the 411.

rieffer · 05-15-2013, 10:33 AM

Cool report. I'm inspired!

05-12-2013, 08:54 PM	#1
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Sandbass at Night! Sand bass fishing at night, nothing beats it. I've been land locked pretty much all year, only been on the water a handful of times. So I took advantage of my wife being off of work for the night and the good current conditions and hit the water around 8pm. The game plan was through big baits all night and leave the smaller stuff at home. I went out geared with heavy rods paired up with a couple Calcutta D's ( if you don't have one, I defiantly recommend spending the money for one of these bad boys, they're like mini conventionals), a saltist 20 level wind and an EJ. I rigged each rod up with 1 1/2oz- 2oz jig heads with 6/0 and 7/0 hooks. I had two 6" swim baits tied on with a 6" grub and 5" swim bait. Right off the bat the bite was hot. It stayed that way off and on through out the night. The fish were really aggressive and ate the 6" swim bait almost all night long. I did switch things up a little during the slack tide. I put on a 1oz jig head paired with some 4" baits. It seemed to do the trick in a little bit shallower water ( 35'-40'), most of my fish came in 47'-50' of water, a few in 53'-55'. I caught my fair share of shorts, but caught some nice fish as well. Over all I had about a 2 1/2lb average for the night with the sand bass and a 11" average with the Calico's. I had a coupl fish in the 4lb range and a decent number in the 3lb range. I did not catch any monsters, but did have 3 big hits. First big hit double my rod and ripped my 6" swim bait right off the jig, brand new bait. The second one pulled the hooked about 30 secs into it, and the third one did a repeat of the first one. Over all I would have called it an average to above average night for me. Caught probably in total 7-8 short calico, 10 or so short sand bass, and a solid 30x 16"-17"+ sandbass with a couple 20"+. I was fishing alone, so don't really have any pix, plus my phone died in the first 30min of being out there. I fished till about 6:30am hoping for an early morning halibut bite. The tide was completely slack and not working in my favor. I would highly recommend getting out there and putting some time in at night if you have a chance while the bite is still going. I found that the summer bite usually slows down pretty good. Attached Images __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

05-12-2013, 09:25 PM	#2
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Sounds like a great night __________________

05-12-2013, 10:49 PM	#4
skrilla Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 664	Sounds like a great night. __________________ Urban Camo Trident 13

05-13-2013, 08:31 AM	#5
Old Man in the Sea Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Bay Park Posts: 569	way to go... Man Jeff - you are the sandbass king!!! as always another great report !!

05-13-2013, 10:15 AM	#7
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Nice work __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

05-12-2013, 09:36 PM	#3
caddisx caddisx Join Date: May 2012 Location: Orange County Posts: 77	Sounds like a great night!

05-13-2013, 09:42 AM	#6
xpresso2am Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 209	great report Jeff. I hate it when my camera dies..better dead than dropping it into the water...I have left a few in my day in the ocean

05-13-2013, 01:49 PM	#8
lowprofile #1 on fishstick's hitlist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sea level Posts: 1,478	sounds like a great night! __________________ MLPA- My Largest Poaching Area

05-13-2013, 03:03 PM	#9
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	Wasn't that a song from the 80's "I catch my Sand Bass's at night" 😎

05-13-2013, 03:23 PM	#10
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	I plan on going back out again Thursday night. __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

05-14-2013, 06:05 AM	#11
roadx . Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,155	good report jeff if it was any other thursday night i would join you but work wont let me this time. go get'm __________________

05-14-2013, 07:11 PM	#12
stephenG Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Clemente Posts: 97	Sounds fun. I gotta try the night bite sometime.

05-14-2013, 07:40 PM	#13
"jjcawjj" Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Vista, California Posts: 174	Great information!!!! Thanks for the 411.

05-15-2013, 10:33 AM	#14
rieffer Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 91	Cool report. I'm inspired!