Newport, 9-8-14
 

Launched at 6:30 to cloudy skies, a very light breeze, and lots of humidity. It was so muggy my glasses kept fogging up for the first hour or two. Water was an evil 66.6º and clear. The current was smoking right off the launch, so I started there.

Turned out the fish didn't want to bite there. So, I kept working my way to the moored boats and down toward the Pavilion, staying in the channel. Eventually I hit a spot with a few fish and worked it for a while. Then I moved over to the peninsula sides moored boats. Over on that side there was almost no current and what little I found was moving out. No big deal, except there was no fish biting.

So, I moved back across to where I had found a few biters and immediately started catching fish again. I stayed in that area and also went into the boats and found fish biting through out. Except, I tried one area farther up Balboa, but no fish there. As the current slowed I started working back towards the launch still finding a fish here and there. Caught my one legal by the yellow buoy off the Harbor Patrol docks. Fished the buoy line near the launch for nada. Of course by that time there was zero current. I finished the morning at 10:15 with an almost legal right off the launch area. Final total was 1 sandie and 17 spotties.

I kept it pretty simple on baits this morning. 5" Houdini and Red Bone Paddlerz on the 3/8oz Ultrahead. New Penny didn't get bit. Also, fished the Flurry on a Firecracker 3/8oz Slayer head. 4" Greenback got bit and white didn't. 3" Minnow Magic was right up there with the Paddlerz.

You could definitely tell that summer is over, boat traffic was 1/4 of what it has been the last couple of months. Hopefully next week my fishing buddy will be back in business. BTW, he's doing well and anxious to get back on the water.

Thanks for the report and Greenies update. Good to hear. Sounds like you did pretty good picking away at them Ed.
Guess it was muggy everywhere. Sweating like a dog and glasses fogging up at 5 am sucks. At least you were on the water.

Thanks. Definitely better than work.

Liquid therapy recommended!:D

Ed
It sounds to me like you fish primarily "swim"baits, are you doing a straight retrieve, popping off the bottom,pause retrieve?Are you fishing more "open" water or tight to the docks any tricks/tips you're willing to share would be appreciated Newps has been a little tough for me

I always fish plastics, and yes mostly Flurry swimbaits or Paddlerz (pretty much a jerk shad with a paddle tail). For retrieve I usually just wind slow enough to keep the bait on the bottom. If I loose contact, then I pause long enough for it to settle back down. Sometimes I'll do a 4 crank, pause, 4 crank, pause pattern. When I do the pause I watch the line. Lots of times you'll see the line jump, but won't feel the bite. I rarely pop it though.

thanks Ed!

Good stuff Ed, thanks! :cheers1: