Newby Questions About La Jolla
 

I recently sold my boat and now only have a kayak. I have fished quite a bit in Mission Bay, but I would like to target some fish that actually pull drag. Thus I am thinking about giving La Jolla a try.

How long of a paddle is it from the launch to the fishing areas? And are all areas closed to fishing currently marked with buoys? If not, how do you make sure you are not fishing in a closed area?

Thanks,

Paul

Download FishAlerts app on your phone. It gives you alot of info including your exact gps location including marine sanctuaries

Paul,
to get out of the reserve, it's 3/4-1 mile, just a guess. Go out on a calm
day, join some people, and know it's gonna take a little time for you to get into paddling shape. Meaning, being able to put in 10 miles a day. Everyone goes
thru the beginning stages, and if you ask me, those are the most memorable, along with your first yellowtail! Yanni

Get paralell to the LJ Bridge and Shuffleboard building, Your on top of the mlpa. Or be one of the 9 guys I saw fishing paralell to the flag last week (thats inside the mlpa still)

Haha
 

Depends the line is in between the flag and condo, so they could have been past. That's the best bait spot that's why! :D

If you can't see the shufleboard club building ....
https://www.google.com/maps/place/La...4d-117.2738197

... it's at the point of the point of La Jolla Cove
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...68&inline=true


I was over the canyon coming back from Blacks Beach along the western boundary of both protected areas toward the point. I was using Fish Alerts App to get a dead reckoning visual on the boundaries, and it seemed like I was heading straight for the next point east of the shuffleboard club, called Goldfish Point. That was the visual, but perspective can be deceiving until we get it nailed down.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/La...4d-117.2738197

I am assuming Fish Alerts gives me an accurate GPS position relative to the boundaries of the protected area, and that gives me the visual perspective from my kayak as I look around.

Without another landmark to the north it's a little difficult to know where we are when we are looking at La Jolla point.

If you are using a compass, remember to adjust for the difference between true north and magnetic north. Maps and latitude/longitude are based on true north. If you are using your iphone compass, it can be set for magnetic or true.
http://www.dummies.com/consumer-elec...ass-and-level/

There's a lot of water out there. I see buoys that have nothing to do with the boundaries of the Matlahuayl SMR. Frankly, I can't even pronounce that word. If we have not measured carefully, I think it's easy to not be where we think we are.

When people fish report that they "were off the condo" .... well, .... that landmark is easy to see from about 180 degrees. So I'm not sure what "off the condo" means without another vector.

The Fish Alerts App is free. I think that's a good start, if you have a phone that's protected from the water. Learning dead reckoning is fun too. It's a challenge.

OP here.

Thank you for all the very helpful information. The phone app sounds great. However, if I need to paddle 9-10 miles I probably will have to stick to the bays. I am, unfortunately, 59 yrs old.

Paul

9-10 miles throughout a day isnt hard. It's just a lot of paddling. LOL

Spend as much time as you need in the harbors, there is absolutely no shame in building your strength and stamina in a safe and controlled area (I've been out BTB once and I learned that as much as I love it, I still have much to learn inside the break walls.)

Also, play around with Google Maps measurement function. I'd bet that you've paddled a lot farther in a day than you think.... ;)

Just follow everybody else
 

:D

9-10 miles is a lot and seems that most guys that paddle are younger. Im sure there are a few older folks that can paddle but they probably have the right yak to do it. Narrow kayaks will cut through the water much easier then wider 30" plus. I know I am in great shape for a 50 year old, but even with carbon fiber paddle and my old Vibe fishing kayak it was fine paddling with little to no wind. Once the wind kicks up it can be down right torture. If I were you Paul, sell what you got and invest in Hobie Mirage drive and don't look back. Legs are super strong compared to upper body and you peddle for hours and not break a sweat. I love my Outback now and you can find good deals on used here and on CL.

Use what you got. Peddle, Paddle. For me (52 years old) it's paddle as my knees have no more meniscus in them so peddling is out of the question no matter how strong my legs are. But I have built up the stamina to paddle for up to 9 hours on the water. What helped me the most in the paddling was a good seat and lower lumbar support doubled my ability on the water.

I hate the wind though for sure. I can't wait for calmer waters too. The ocean has been so angry so far this year.

I have a Hobie Revo 13 and a Malibu X Factor. there are days I like the Revo and days I prefer the X Factor. I am not young, definitely wish I was younger, much easier to reach the tuna grounds. It's not if you paddle or peddle it's about being in shape by doing either at least once a week. If you don't your legs are not going to make it through a full day and neither would your arms. When the wind and current are pushing you (usually south) it's a bitch to fight it coming back north and fighting both. That's were you have to be smart a figure out which direction it's going and start out going against it so it's easier on the way back. A lot of days I cover more then 12 miles over all. It's about pacing the speed so you can last.

From the launch at La Jolla Shores to the western boundary of the protected area is less than a mile (.8 miles, to be exact.) Thats where you can find bait, and the fishing area starts from there too.

8-10 miles might be a total for those who want to move around alot, but it's not necessary. It's not necessary to go out so far, nor so far south, nor out to the rock piles. 8-10 miles for most of us means total distance covered according to our Navionics boating app, or whatever GPS charting device we use, .... not 8 miles out and 8 miles back.

You can start with 3 miles in San Diego bay, then build your endurance to 6 miles in a couple of trips. Soon you will be covering 10 miles without breaking a sweat.

That doesn't mean 10 miles of hard pumping against the wind and current, ... it means following your bait around or trying a handful of different places. If you choose a good weather day with minimal wind, waves and current, it's pretty easy. Watch the weather, wind, and water forecasts carefully, and choose the days that are easy.

Slow pedaling is not the same as a hard fast pump. Slow trolling accumulates distance without noticing much. It's more like fishing.

I'm 65 and I wouldn't give it a second thought. I consider it the kind of exercise that's important at our age. If it feels hard, than we are out of shape and that's all the more reason to go fishing more often. (Good excuse, right?)

It's like riding a bicycle. If we never do it, we might feel winded the first time, but our endurance quickly grows to the point where we can easily move around for a half a day without feeling much exertion.