How rough is too rough. - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

JasonFish · 06-07-2017, 06:26 PM

I am heading down to San Diego this weekend from northern california. I was planning to bring my kayak and venture out of La Jolla to try my luck with yellowtail I see that the forecasts are calling for mixed swell 4-5 and wind from SW/SE building to 10-20 knts on the days I was planning to fish. It sounds a bit rough to me, but not having any experience with the area I didn't know if perhaps there is local relief from wind/swell off La Jolla. I also don't know about accuracy of forecasts. I know up here they are subject to drastic changes. The big question is do I leave the kayak at home? It would be a big bummer to go through the hassle of hauling it if I wasn't able to get out, but I have been really looking forward to giving this a go. Any advise is much appreciated.

Buddhaa64 · 06-07-2017, 07:09 PM

I would definitely bring it. Magicseaweed predicts 2.5 to 3 ft swells which is manageable. The wind shouldn't pickup until the afternoon, so assuming you hit the water early you should be good to go. The intervals between sets will be tricky, but La Jolla usually fairs as an easy launch.

jorluivil · 06-07-2017, 07:17 PM

If you have any doubts fish some other day.

Mr. NiceGuy · 06-07-2017, 07:39 PM

It looks OK to me from now through Saturday, at least. We have had a "June Gloom" marine layer lately. It was a little too chilly for just a t-shirt when I went out a few days ago. Water temp was 64, which is pretty close to butt temperature. A hoodie would have been nice. I'm wearing my kayak pants and hoodie with my vest tomorrow at sunrise. That should be fine. The overcast marine layer has been along the coast. It's not wet or foggy --- just a low overcast. Bring your sunblock anyway.

Which forecast are you using? I am curious to check it myself for comparison to what I use.

Try this one, specific to La Jolla Shores launch area:

http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/...latest/six_day

If you like fishing, I would say to bring your kayak. If the weather is good, it's hard to kayak fish without one.

You can also check a live cam view of the launch area from the homepage of this site.

From now through Saturday morning, the forecast for waves is 1.5', which is easy. Wind is 5-10mph, which is also easy. Waves are forecast to start picking up from Saturday afternoon. I don't feel uncomfortable coming back in 3.5' waves. I like going out in nice weather, so if waves look like they'll be 3.5' or more, I think I would rather stay home and work on my cars, or garden, or drink beer or do something else.

This is where I go:

If you don't want to launch through the waves in La Jolla, you can also launch inside of Mission Bay at Dana Landing on any day. Play it by ear and paddle out according to your comfort level. Fishing in San Diego Bay is fun for kayak fishing too. Lots of variety there. Different tackle. No yellowtail in SD bay but you might get a nice halibut.

Welcome to San Diego

TheBentRod · 06-07-2017, 07:57 PM

Most days I am out the wind changes direction during my trip. I usually go where the wind takes me. If in the morning the wind direction is from the south, then I go north. About mid morning the wind changes and blows from the north and I float south back to the launch. Also, this does go vice versa on some days.

If the wind direction does not change during the day, I stay close to the launch on windy days. If you are going out and there are 15+ knot winds expected against the direction you are going, then definitely stay away. This means if you are going South, don't go into 15+ South winds.

On days where the wind is < 5 knots, it does not matter, it should be manageable either direction.

(Disclaimer: This is not La Jolla)

JasonFish · 06-07-2017, 08:06 PM

I was hoping "bring the kayak" was the answer I would get. I just looked at the NOAA forecast. Up here it is pretty accurate for where I fish, and when it says it is going to blow it picks up pretty early and mixed swells are packed in tight.

Thanks for the link to La Jolla Shores, and the back up plan ideas. I usually cherry pick the best days, but this trip is already booked so I am at the mercy of the conditions.

Tight lines

DanaPT · 06-07-2017, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorluivil

If you have any doubts fish some other day.

I think you have to go when you can even on less than ideal situations. It will allow you to appreciate the "perfect" conditions IF you ever find them.

Bruntoj · 06-07-2017, 08:55 PM

http://stormsurf.com/page2/forecast/shortcast/scal.html

I think the forecast for La Jolla, from a swell perspective, looks awesome for this weekend. On a south swell then the shores are in a swell shadow, and on a NW Or W swell I expect the canyon to "suck in" (defract or refract/warp) the longer period swell towards the pier area and away from the launch.

Of course I was schooled 2 Saturdays in a row in May when returning to the launch after fishing and made "wet landings".

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

FullFlavorPike · 06-08-2017, 07:22 AM

There's such a thing as "too rough"?

dos ballenas · 06-08-2017, 11:06 AM

La Jolla is often miserable given the conditions forecasted below. It's important to check what the wind is doing on the day and night before the day you plan to fish. Looking at Friday night tells me Saturday morning will be pretty mixed up...

It should be still fish-able this weekend and the moon phase is right for it to bite, but the swells are going to be lumpy and bumpy and when the wind gets on it it will be

Inshore and offshore waters look lame this weekend.... not trying to say don't go as it should be safe enough to attempt fishing. But if you do go don't expect it to be nice out there.

http://forecast.weather.gov/shmrn.ph...750&syn=pzz700

FRI
Wind SE to 10 kt...becoming W with gusts to 20 kt in the
afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to 4 ft at
10 seconds and S 2 ft at 14 seconds.

FRI NIGHT
Wind W 10 to 15 kt. Gusts to 20 kt in the evening.
Wind waves 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to 5 ft at 10 seconds
and S 2 ft at 13 seconds.

SAT
Wind W 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or
less. Mixed swell W 3 to 4 ft at 10 seconds and S 2 ft at
13 seconds.

SAT NIGHT
Wind W 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves
3 ft in the evening...becoming 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to
5 ft and S 1 to 2 ft.

SUN
Wind W 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves 3 ft.
Mixed swell W 4 to 5 ft and SW 1 to 2 ft.

If you see gusts to 20 then you know it's gonna be blowing!

Bruntoj · 06-08-2017, 02:49 PM

I guess I'm too focused on the surf zone launch and landing and not how bad the fishing will be. My bad.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

GregAndrew · 06-08-2017, 05:01 PM

The real answer is that it depends not only on the wind speed and swell size, but which direction they are coming from and for how long. Very large swell sizes can have little impact on beaches that are protected or more parallel to their direction. On the other hand, a couple of smaller swells from different directions can create some nasty breakers at times. The swell interval can also be a big issue. The first swell swamps you and takes away your momentum, and the second wave takes you backwards.

Higher wind speeds (10mph - 20mph) can be fished, but you will probably want to pick a location that is protected from at least the wind swell building (not too much distance between you and the nearest wind break up wind). The longer time and distance the wind stays coming from a particular direction (even at lower speeds) the more the wind swell is going to build. While off-shore winds are better for keeping the wind swell down, they are worse for safety when it gets above 20mph. On-shore winds are not much worth fishing when they are over 15mph. Especially when the regular swell is in much of a different direction (washing machine conditions).

All of this being said, predicting the wind is every bit as difficult as predicting the weather. It seems to me that the forecasters err towards the higher speeds, the further out the prediction. And tomorrows forecast will look very much like today's results (short of new weather moving in).

So, for your original question, the swells are mixed and building at LJ. The wind appears to be up and consistently out of the West for the weekend (day and night). Not good conditions if the forecast remains the same (sloppy at least). The good news is that the forecast will change between now an then (often). So make your decision when you have to, or have a backup plan for one of the bays.

06-07-2017, 06:26 PM	#1
JasonFish Junior Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 2	How rough is too rough. I am heading down to San Diego this weekend from northern california. I was planning to bring my kayak and venture out of La Jolla to try my luck with yellowtail I see that the forecasts are calling for mixed swell 4-5 and wind from SW/SE building to 10-20 knts on the days I was planning to fish. It sounds a bit rough to me, but not having any experience with the area I didn't know if perhaps there is local relief from wind/swell off La Jolla. I also don't know about accuracy of forecasts. I know up here they are subject to drastic changes. The big question is do I leave the kayak at home? It would be a big bummer to go through the hassle of hauling it if I wasn't able to get out, but I have been really looking forward to giving this a go. Any advise is much appreciated.

06-07-2017, 07:17 PM	#3
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	If you have any doubts fish some other day. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

06-07-2017, 07:39 PM	#4
Mr. NiceGuy Manic for Life Join Date: May 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 839	It looks OK to me from now through Saturday, at least. We have had a "June Gloom" marine layer lately. It was a little too chilly for just a t-shirt when I went out a few days ago. Water temp was 64, which is pretty close to butt temperature. A hoodie would have been nice. I'm wearing my kayak pants and hoodie with my vest tomorrow at sunrise. That should be fine. The overcast marine layer has been along the coast. It's not wet or foggy --- just a low overcast. Bring your sunblock anyway. Which forecast are you using? I am curious to check it myself for comparison to what I use. Try this one, specific to La Jolla Shores launch area: http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/...latest/six_day If you like fishing, I would say to bring your kayak. If the weather is good, it's hard to kayak fish without one. You can also check a live cam view of the launch area from the homepage of this site. From now through Saturday morning, the forecast for waves is 1.5', which is easy. Wind is 5-10mph, which is also easy. Waves are forecast to start picking up from Saturday afternoon. I don't feel uncomfortable coming back in 3.5' waves. I like going out in nice weather, so if waves look like they'll be 3.5' or more, I think I would rather stay home and work on my cars, or garden, or drink beer or do something else. This is where I go: If you don't want to launch through the waves in La Jolla, you can also launch inside of Mission Bay at Dana Landing on any day. Play it by ear and paddle out according to your comfort level. Fishing in San Diego Bay is fun for kayak fishing too. Lots of variety there. Different tackle. No yellowtail in SD bay but you might get a nice halibut. Welcome to San Diego __________________ Another ho-hum day in Paradise Last edited by Mr. NiceGuy; 06-07-2017 at 07:57 PM.

06-07-2017, 07:57 PM	#5
TheBentRod Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Murrieta, CA and Bonney Lake, WA Posts: 425	It's relative Most days I am out the wind changes direction during my trip. I usually go where the wind takes me. If in the morning the wind direction is from the south, then I go north. About mid morning the wind changes and blows from the north and I float south back to the launch. Also, this does go vice versa on some days. If the wind direction does not change during the day, I stay close to the launch on windy days. If you are going out and there are 15+ knot winds expected against the direction you are going, then definitely stay away. This means if you are going South, don't go into 15+ South winds. On days where the wind is < 5 knots, it does not matter, it should be manageable either direction. (Disclaimer: This is not La Jolla)

06-08-2017, 11:06 AM	#10
dos ballenas Vampyroteuthis infernalis Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 585	La Jolla is often miserable given the conditions forecasted below. It's important to check what the wind is doing on the day and night before the day you plan to fish. Looking at Friday night tells me Saturday morning will be pretty mixed up... It should be still fish-able this weekend and the moon phase is right for it to bite, but the swells are going to be lumpy and bumpy and when the wind gets on it it will be Inshore and offshore waters look lame this weekend.... not trying to say don't go as it should be safe enough to attempt fishing. But if you do go don't expect it to be nice out there. http://forecast.weather.gov/shmrn.ph...750&syn=pzz700 FRI Wind SE to 10 kt...becoming W with gusts to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to 4 ft at 10 seconds and S 2 ft at 14 seconds. FRI NIGHT Wind W 10 to 15 kt. Gusts to 20 kt in the evening. Wind waves 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to 5 ft at 10 seconds and S 2 ft at 13 seconds. SAT Wind W 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to 4 ft at 10 seconds and S 2 ft at 13 seconds. SAT NIGHT Wind W 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves 3 ft in the evening...becoming 2 ft or less. Mixed swell W 3 to 5 ft and S 1 to 2 ft. SUN Wind W 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves 3 ft. Mixed swell W 4 to 5 ft and SW 1 to 2 ft. If you see gusts to 20 then you know it's gonna be blowing! __________________ ____________________________________________

06-07-2017, 08:06 PM	#6
JasonFish Junior Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 2	I was hoping "bring the kayak" was the answer I would get. I just looked at the NOAA forecast. Up here it is pretty accurate for where I fish, and when it says it is going to blow it picks up pretty early and mixed swells are packed in tight. Thanks for the link to La Jolla Shores, and the back up plan ideas. I usually cherry pick the best days, but this trip is already booked so I am at the mercy of the conditions. Tight lines

06-07-2017, 08:55 PM	#8
Bruntoj Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: San Diego County Posts: 168	http://stormsurf.com/page2/forecast/shortcast/scal.html I think the forecast for La Jolla, from a swell perspective, looks awesome for this weekend. On a south swell then the shores are in a swell shadow, and on a NW Or W swell I expect the canyon to "suck in" (defract or refract/warp) the longer period swell towards the pier area and away from the launch. Of course I was schooled 2 Saturdays in a row in May when returning to the launch after fishing and made "wet landings". Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

06-08-2017, 07:22 AM	#9
FullFlavorPike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 809	There's such a thing as "too rough"?

06-08-2017, 02:49 PM	#11
Bruntoj Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: San Diego County Posts: 168	I guess I'm too focused on the surf zone launch and landing and not how bad the fishing will be. My bad. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06-08-2017, 05:01 PM	#12
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	The real answer is that it depends not only on the wind speed and swell size, but which direction they are coming from and for how long. Very large swell sizes can have little impact on beaches that are protected or more parallel to their direction. On the other hand, a couple of smaller swells from different directions can create some nasty breakers at times. The swell interval can also be a big issue. The first swell swamps you and takes away your momentum, and the second wave takes you backwards. Higher wind speeds (10mph - 20mph) can be fished, but you will probably want to pick a location that is protected from at least the wind swell building (not too much distance between you and the nearest wind break up wind). The longer time and distance the wind stays coming from a particular direction (even at lower speeds) the more the wind swell is going to build. While off-shore winds are better for keeping the wind swell down, they are worse for safety when it gets above 20mph. On-shore winds are not much worth fishing when they are over 15mph. Especially when the regular swell is in much of a different direction (washing machine conditions). All of this being said, predicting the wind is every bit as difficult as predicting the weather. It seems to me that the forecasters err towards the higher speeds, the further out the prediction. And tomorrows forecast will look very much like today's results (short of new weather moving in). So, for your original question, the swells are mixed and building at LJ. The wind appears to be up and consistently out of the West for the weekend (day and night). Not good conditions if the forecast remains the same (sloppy at least). The good news is that the forecast will change between now an then (often). So make your decision when you have to, or have a backup plan for one of the bays.