Not much to report for LJ for 8/23/13

[Aaron&Julie]

Julie and I hit LJ shore yesterday, about 5:30AM, launched a little after 6:00AM to small waves. It was our 1st fishing trip together in 2 years, although we went bugging in Oct, 2012. I went solo once last summer, and caught a 28lb yellow that day, and saw my 1st Great White, as my yellow swam directly under it on it's 1st run. Judging by the fin and the many nature shows I've seen of them, I'd say that Great White was a good 15 feet long, maybe longer.
Many adverse home-life issues and tragic events have kept us away this long. Now, we'll probably get back to going every few weeks.
Friday started out as a beautiful morning, with mostly clear skies and without the patchy fog predicted, and little/no wind. Mackerel was extremely hard to make, but 2-3 hours later we had loaded tanks of various sized greenies, and 2 just-right sized Spanish. Passed by a couple of other yakkers who seemed to have no luck, too. Worked 2 baits each for hours, with nary a bite, going out a good couple of miles from the launch. The place was deserted of any game fish. No little bonies, barries, etc. After paddling into the wind for an hour or so, we made a long drift in with baits out. Halfway in, I started (using a 3rd rod) making long casts with a scrambled egg iron. Worked it well over an hour until we drifted almost to edge of the MLPA zone, outside of the yellow buoys. I thought I may have been hit once on the iron, and I also saw some paint chips, and a visible tooth mark, that I hadn't noticed before.
When we were de-rigging and stowing tackle, straps, etc, we drifted just inside the yellow buoys. 3 ladies were swimming by, the 1st one asked sincerely, "Any luck"? The 3rd made some comment about fishing, and I said, "Oh, we can't fish here", she said, "Oh, yeah, only past the point", then, "And don't clean your fish here". It wasn't so much a request, as an order. Now, I totally understand, because if I was a swimmer in that area, I wouldn't want bloody fish that might attract sharks to that area, but it would have been more polite on her part to ask, "Please, don't clean your fish in here". I haven't read the details on the reserve, but I'm not sure fisherman can't gut their fish inside the yellow buoys. I know I did once, but there weren't swimmers around that day. I was half tempted to tell her, "You might not want to swim around here as we clean our fish around here", but I decided against being a smart-ass. We landed at the shore around 4:00PM.
A guy who just came back from a 5 day trip to San Benitos Island and off-shore fishing for tuna(the trip did well, so it sounded), came up and asked us how we did, and we gave him the low-down. He responded and said, "Yeah, the water temperature had fallen quite a bit the last few days". No doubt it had, it seemed like about 65 degrees, not summer-like at all. That would easily explain the lack of fish. In any case, when it warms up again, and we see reports of anything besides mackerel biting, we'll be back at it. If anybody could send us a PM with a good report of yellows, etc, it would be greatly appreciated.
My mobile home had a fire on Christmas eve of last year (2012). Thank goodness for Home Owners Insurance, as my company shelled out over 31 grand total. A week later, we were living in a hotel for 7 weeks. While all of the belongings were removed by Service Masters, cleaned of soot, off-site, and soot removed from the interior of the home, carpet cleaners came in, while we were away. They removed the plug to the outside chest freezer to plug in their equipment, never plugging it back in. We came home to a freezer chest full of completely defrosted filets of Thresher(>40lbs), WSB(>40lbs), Halibut, Bluefin, plus Pismo Clams(>6lbs of meat), over a gallon of Clam Juice, Lobsters(8), and other seafood vacuum packaged, plus 3 Turkeys, pork, chicken, etc, etc, etc, all completely lost. My insurance company reimbursed the market value on the seafood(entailing a good 90% of the worth), and the cost of all other items, even though they really didn't have to, as it wasn't fire related.
Needless to say, we didn't even an opportunity to start replenishing our supply of freshly caught fish from yesterday's trip, maybe next time.
Well, we're so out of good paddle-all-day physical condition, and with all of the loading and unloading, we feel it today, and are quite sore. Next time, very soon, when we go again, it should be a little easier, and getting easier each time we go soon after that.
All in all, even with the soreness, it was a great day to be on the water again, as we love it, and missed it. And what the hell, at least we caught and kept enough mackerel for our 1st bug trip when the season opens. I even caught a monster 2lber, probably good for 2 lobster bait cages

[PE.rider]

Thanks for the report.

Sorry to hear about your troubles. To some degree, I think we've all seen better days in past years. Optimistically, I do believe things will always swing back around to the right direction of progress and improve with time.

To be out in nature in a kayak is a communion in and of itself. Count your blessings... you guys are sure to come into your bounty of fish if you get out on the water more. After all, it is as they say... a numbers game. Fish more often, catch more fish .

[Deamon]

Wondered what happened to you two. Welcome back to the madness! Jim

[FISH11]

I went out yesterday (Sat. 24th.), got started a little late 7 AM. As I paddled towards the kelp to try and make bait, I passed by some kayaks fishing just north of the kelp. I noticed one guy fighting something so I hung out nearby to watch and saw him land a good size yellowtail. That got my hopes up since most of my recent trip there I had only heard of not seen the action. I continued on to the far out kelp and spent the next 1 1/2 hours trying to make bait I could see then but would not go for the sabiki. Finally I thought I'll just use the Irons or old squid I brought, then out north of the kelp I see bait jumping and I finally landed a few 7" to 9" bonitos. So I hook up the live bait and spend the next 7+ hours fly lining, bottom drifting, etc., with no results. Just had one bonito when I when to change it, it had some gashes on the belly. Saw the one catch and a couple of others on a boat and another kayak, otherwise it was a slow day. I did find out for another kayaker that the boundaries for the reserve where changed at the start of the year and it seems a lot of kayak fishermen are unaware and fish inside the new boundaries. I tried the link for android but it won't superimpose it on the map app. It would be nice if DFG would relocate or add buoys to mark the area better. I don't see Fish and Game out enforcing or educating anyone. If anyone is within the new area it seems it would be mostly DFG's fault. The water temp was not too low 69 to 72. I'll keep on trying I want to catch one of those 3' + yellowtail. Does anyone have any info on the La Jolla ans Scripps protected areas other than Iphone app. for those of us who don't own one.

[Aaron&Julie]

Thanks, Jim and PE.rider for your kind words of encouragement. PE.rider, we do know all about the "numbers" game. We're closing in on 10 years of ocean kayak fishing, with the last 8 mostly off of LJ, and both there and Dana Point we've had our fair share of good timing, and whoppers. We never expect, but only hope we'll catch something nice, and bring back some good eats. We're old school all the way, still paddle, homemade bait tanks (which work great), no electronics. We do have a quality hand-held Garmin GPS, but rarely use it.

When you fish La Jolla often enough, you usually know where to go, not that a fish finder wouldn't help immensely. Down the road as we get into our 60s, we'll probably finally convert to more modern techniques.

[beef78]

When I was stationed in Charleston, South Carolina my friends and I would fish off a pier down there and I was surprised at the amount of anti-fishing comments I would get from people walking up and down the pier. Not nearly as bad here, but I do get some digs sometimes.

[taggermike]

Aaron, I hear you. LJ hasn't been good to me this year. I haven't been able to fish quite often enough to get a feel or see many patterns. The almost continuous influx of squid may have changed the feeding habits of the local fish. It's August, we should be throwing surface irons not fishing 6 oz on the bottom. Mike

[beef78]

Originally Posted by taggermike

Aaron, I hear you. LJ hasn't been good to me this year. I haven't been able to fish quite often enough to get a feel or see many patterns. The almost continuous influx of squid may have changed the feeding habits of the local fish. It's August, we should be throwing surface irons not fishing 6 oz on the bottom. Mike

I saw a few boats throwing irons on Sunday. Didn't see them catching. I heard that someone caught a YT, but I don't know the details only that I did not catch one on my fly lined mac or Iron.

[ratdog]

I was out saturday morning also, saw a guy in a skiff catch a real nice YT. Took him at least 1/2 hr to bring it in as he tried everyway to let a seal come get it or for it to get tangled in kelp!!! It just proves that it sure helps to be lucky no matter how much skill you have. He said he was flylining a spanish mack, for some reason I don't think he knew what he was doing but thats what he said. Old School rules and when a prize is caught its a treasure.

[Vikingj]

Sorry hear of your misfortune. Time to get out there and fill up that freezer again. Thanks for your report- I will be looking forward to hearing your future successes.
Wayne

[FISH11]

On Saturday I also saw the guy in the skiff and it was easy to see the yellowtail sticking up and out of the bow. Here is a picture of the guy landing the one on the kayak. It was a distance away and using the telephoto to get a closer look was hard with the movement of the swell. On some of the pictures all you can see is his head because the swell passing by would cover the line of sight. This is the only picture that came out as he gaffed the fish. It was taken from about 100 yards away. It got me excited to see the action. I'm going out every change I get because I want one like that myself. It looked like a great fish.