Redondo Red Tide - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Saba Slayer · 04-28-2020, 09:14 PM

UGLY...it was like someone mixed Chocolate Milk with Red Wine...the Mirage drive fins would make a small black area each time you peddled and out in the deeper water it seemed like it was down about three feet below the surface...yuck...!
Fishing sucked...tons of marks on the meter and no real biting fish...
I found two small spots of fish that wanted to eat...one held some small rockfish and sand dabs...the other had a few nice Reds for dinner...
There was a previous thread on releasing rockfish...I use this basket and about 75' of rope...just drop the fish in the water and then the basket over the top and let it go...as it's dropping I'll usually be sending my baited rig or jig down...once all the rope is out I'll pull it back up and stow it for the next little guys...

I'm on a Pro Angler so there's plenty of room for this rig...The upside down hook and a weight is the simplest way to go for releasing the undersize rockfish but it requires a dedicated rod and reel...as does the Shelton or the Rocklease...

I had a milk crate that we used on my skiff with 80' of rope...it worked great for releasing multiple fish for a few anglers if needed...

greenscales · 04-28-2020, 09:53 PM

I thought no kayak launching in Redondo - or anywhere in LA

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SoCalEDC · 04-29-2020, 07:59 AM

Also curious as to how to access water up in redondo. Thanks for the report, hopefully the red tide passes soon.

blitzburgh · 04-29-2020, 09:33 AM

Nice release rig Jim! That red tide is OOOOOGLY

Saba Slayer · 04-29-2020, 12:11 PM

The only Redondo access is through the yacht clubs...

or being a boat slip owner...
The slips at KH Marina are about $375 a month for a 27' slip with a four month minimum.

The red tide is soooo Bad... you aren't missing anything

Salty · 04-29-2020, 01:28 PM

That's a weird looking football you're about to throw in that pic...

greenscales · 04-29-2020, 01:36 PM

Thanks Jim. I had been telling peeps on FB that LA was closed. Probably need to peddle pretty far out to escape the sludge.

Are there tankers line up in SMB? Or they all around the corner? What’s the answer to the Red Tide? Cold weather, wind, clouds, a combo? Gets any worse it’s going start suffocating bait fish, etc.

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Saba Slayer · 04-29-2020, 07:15 PM

"Are there tankers line up in SMB? Or they all around the corner? What’s the answer to the Red Tide? Cold weather, wind, clouds, a combo? Gets any worse it’s going start suffocating bait fish, etc."

HEY RICHARD...No Die-offs yet that I've heard of....do you remember all the sardines that died in the harbor a number of years ago...?

I think time is the only answer to the Red Tide...

Only tankers I've heard of lately of have been speared off the kelp at PV..

greenscales · 04-29-2020, 08:03 PM

Looks like all the metal ones are off SPD/LB - 30+ & 1/2 Dan cruise ships w/no place to go. Appears only in SMB when they offload.

Was hoping for a photo op of a tanker in the midst of all the tankers. I’ll be harassing you for updates b4 5/15. Don’t even have a 20 CA license. Need to see when my Mex expires.
This would be the year to again push for a 12 month from point of purchase CA lic.

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GregB · 05-02-2020, 11:58 AM

Just guessing but the record April rains may have washed enough nutrient rich runoff from our lawns, sewer and septic systems to cause the algae bloom. Not a scientist but the timing seems about right.

greenscales · 05-02-2020, 03:13 PM

Greg - scroll to end for my more whimsical response.

Rain definitely an issue, but April wasn’t by any means a record (1 day was). But that steady gradual 1 week moderate temp & rain, followed by sun, heat wave, low wind and traditionally cooler water had a bigger impact. My theory, based on anecdotal observations: intense storms and heavy rains seems to blow out the runoff contaminants and usually create an ocean temp drop or increase deeper in water column. Not as conducive to the algae growth.
The conditions we just had created the “perfect storm” for the algae/plankton bloom. We had even worse red tides (I hope, hearing its breaking up now) when there was a lot more farming in So CA. More frequent in Baja. I have seen it in Colonet, where there’s a ton of agricultural runoff, cooler waters w/moderate currents, & a ton of sun (hence all the farming above). Lasts for months most years and the taints the flavor of residential inshore species.

But my alternate theory (google it or refer to South Park): It caused by an increase in all the bad Thetans and the red is from the tears of blood from Xenu.

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GregB · 05-05-2020, 04:44 PM

I didn't want to bring up Xenu because some people get a little weirded out when I explain it to them. So thanks for breaking the ice on that. I biked up to Santa Monica and the surf was getting green again. In MDR/Ballona Creek, it's still the red wine Ovaltine cocktail. Hope it clears out ... heading out tomorrow a.m. Figure I'll dig out one of my old Rat-L-Traps and see if I can annoy anything into biting.

Anyway, here's a good interview with a Scripps scientist on the current red tide. Really informative: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/everyt...bout-red-tides

04-28-2020, 09:14 PM	#1
Saba Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Palos Verdes Posts: 1,857	Redondo Red Tide UGLY...it was like someone mixed Chocolate Milk with Red Wine...the Mirage drive fins would make a small black area each time you peddled and out in the deeper water it seemed like it was down about three feet below the surface...yuck...! Fishing sucked...tons of marks on the meter and no real biting fish... I found two small spots of fish that wanted to eat...one held some small rockfish and sand dabs...the other had a few nice Reds for dinner... There was a previous thread on releasing rockfish...I use this basket and about 75' of rope...just drop the fish in the water and then the basket over the top and let it go...as it's dropping I'll usually be sending my baited rig or jig down...once all the rope is out I'll pull it back up and stow it for the next little guys... I'm on a Pro Angler so there's plenty of room for this rig...The upside down hook and a weight is the simplest way to go for releasing the undersize rockfish but it requires a dedicated rod and reel...as does the Shelton or the Rocklease... I had a milk crate that we used on my skiff with 80' of rope...it worked great for releasing multiple fish for a few anglers if needed... Attached Images __________________ Jim / Saba Slayer

04-29-2020, 07:59 AM	#3
SoCalEDC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Rancho Cucamonga Posts: 609	Also curious as to how to access water up in redondo. Thanks for the report, hopefully the red tide passes soon. __________________ IG: @blackflag_fishing Youtube: Blackflag Fishing 2014 Ocean Kayak T13 SOLD 2020 Hobie Outback SOLD 2021 Stealth Fisha 500 #StealthTribe

04-29-2020, 09:33 AM	#4
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Nice release rig Jim! That red tide is OOOOOGLY __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

04-29-2020, 12:11 PM	#5
Saba Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Palos Verdes Posts: 1,857	access The only Redondo access is through the yacht clubs... or being a boat slip owner... The slips at KH Marina are about $375 a month for a 27' slip with a four month minimum. The red tide is soooo Bad... you aren't missing anything __________________ Jim / Saba Slayer

04-29-2020, 07:15 PM	#8
Saba Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Palos Verdes Posts: 1,857	"Are there tankers line up in SMB? Or they all around the corner? What’s the answer to the Red Tide? Cold weather, wind, clouds, a combo? Gets any worse it’s going start suffocating bait fish, etc." HEY RICHARD...No Die-offs yet that I've heard of....do you remember all the sardines that died in the harbor a number of years ago...? I think time is the only answer to the Red Tide... Only tankers I've heard of lately of have been speared off the kelp at PV.. __________________ Jim / Saba Slayer

04-28-2020, 09:53 PM	#2
greenscales greenscales Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Monrovia Posts: 116	I thought no kayak launching in Redondo - or anywhere in LA Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

04-29-2020, 01:28 PM	#6
Salty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 434	That's a weird looking football you're about to throw in that pic...

04-29-2020, 01:36 PM	#7
greenscales greenscales Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Monrovia Posts: 116	Thanks Jim. I had been telling peeps on FB that LA was closed. Probably need to peddle pretty far out to escape the sludge. Are there tankers line up in SMB? Or they all around the corner? What’s the answer to the Red Tide? Cold weather, wind, clouds, a combo? Gets any worse it’s going start suffocating bait fish, etc. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

04-29-2020, 08:03 PM	#9
greenscales greenscales Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Monrovia Posts: 116	Looks like all the metal ones are off SPD/LB - 30+ & 1/2 Dan cruise ships w/no place to go. Appears only in SMB when they offload. Was hoping for a photo op of a tanker in the midst of all the tankers. I’ll be harassing you for updates b4 5/15. Don’t even have a 20 CA license. Need to see when my Mex expires. This would be the year to again push for a 12 month from point of purchase CA lic. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05-02-2020, 11:58 AM	#10
GregB Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Santa Monica Bay Posts: 40	Just guessing but the record April rains may have washed enough nutrient rich runoff from our lawns, sewer and septic systems to cause the algae bloom. Not a scientist but the timing seems about right.

05-02-2020, 03:13 PM	#11
greenscales greenscales Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Monrovia Posts: 116	Greg - scroll to end for my more whimsical response. Rain definitely an issue, but April wasn’t by any means a record (1 day was). But that steady gradual 1 week moderate temp & rain, followed by sun, heat wave, low wind and traditionally cooler water had a bigger impact. My theory, based on anecdotal observations: intense storms and heavy rains seems to blow out the runoff contaminants and usually create an ocean temp drop or increase deeper in water column. Not as conducive to the algae growth. The conditions we just had created the “perfect storm” for the algae/plankton bloom. We had even worse red tides (I hope, hearing its breaking up now) when there was a lot more farming in So CA. More frequent in Baja. I have seen it in Colonet, where there’s a ton of agricultural runoff, cooler waters w/moderate currents, & a ton of sun (hence all the farming above). Lasts for months most years and the taints the flavor of residential inshore species. But my alternate theory (google it or refer to South Park): It caused by an increase in all the bad Thetans and the red is from the tears of blood from Xenu. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05-05-2020, 04:44 PM	#12
GregB Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Santa Monica Bay Posts: 40	I didn't want to bring up Xenu because some people get a little weirded out when I explain it to them. So thanks for breaking the ice on that. I biked up to Santa Monica and the surf was getting green again. In MDR/Ballona Creek, it's still the red wine Ovaltine cocktail. Hope it clears out ... heading out tomorrow a.m. Figure I'll dig out one of my old Rat-L-Traps and see if I can annoy anything into biting. Anyway, here's a good interview with a Scripps scientist on the current red tide. Really informative: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/everyt...bout-red-tides Last edited by GregB; 05-05-2020 at 04:58 PM.