Newport Harbor 9-23-17
 

Hit Newport Harbor for my first time ever this morning. I live right in Dana so it's hard to branch out, but I'm glad I did.

Got in the water a little after 6. Wind was calm, but the current hadn't really started moving yet. Launched at the coast guard station...man I need to make some wheels for my kayak, carrying that beast wasn't fun.

Paddled just to the right after launch and started drifting toward the moored boats with a drop shot zoom fluke on the spinner in the rod holder and making some casts with the bait caster. Not long after the rod in the holder goes bent, felt pretty good but with the time it took to get the rod in my hands it had me on bottom pretty good. Just started get it up a bit and feel some shakes and it pulled and bit me off. Never got to see it, oh well, at least I got bit.

Drifted through the moored boats a bit for nada. Current wasn't really that great. Saw a big red buoy toward the middle of the channel headed that way. Set up a drift past it and got bumped good but blew the hookset. Set it up again and hooked up to a solid legal and it pulled hard, these spotted are way meaner than the ones in Dana.

Set up another drift and got another slightly smaller one on the back to back casts.

Went for a 3rd drift and got bit hard but didn't hook up, turns out it bit the tail and pulled the swimbait down the lead head.

Just after I saw a forum member, sorry if I forgot your name, believe he said it was Bruce? Nice guy, we chatted for a bit and parted ways.

Headed across the channel for two more barely sub legal spotted and a dinner sand bass.

All on a 3" big hammer Xmas tree on 3/8 oz head.

Wind started to pick up and the drift got too fast, couldn't keep the bait on bottom, or feel it very well.

Farted around throwing a spinner bait and fluke on a sled head for nada. Called it quits off the water by 11:30.

Didn't venture too far but can't wait to explore the area more. Good times.

Here are the two back to back fish.

Too funny, I was just looking at your post on FB. Sounds like you had a fun morning. Thanks for the report.

Hah. Yeah, I guess the community is small enough, multiple posts are just kinda redundant.

It was a good time for sure. I rarely get to fish during the day due to work and family stuff. So it was a welcomed change of pace to not have to bring my light and headlamp hah

Thanks for the report, glad you got a few!I was thinking about going out but had some family stuff to take care. Once the wind starts up around 11-12 the bite really shuts off in NPH at least in my experience.