Chula Vista Bonefish on Sunday
 

The weather and wind held up fine in Chula Vista on Sunday.

I launched at about 8AM and stayed until about 1:30.

Many times it gets really windy at about 11 or so here so I was surprised that the winds stayed down.

There was a big high tide at about 10:30 and I got them at just about the ebb tide.

I pumped shrimp the day before and carolina rigged it with a 1/2 oz. weight.

I anchored the kayak and tried my usual spots but nothing going for a few hours.

Decided to head north and try right next to the channel markers.

This was the ticket.

I hooked up into one and he really ran and took off!! ZZZZZZZZing!

I have an anchor trolley setup where I have a float on the end of it.

When I hook into a fish I release the anchor line so that my fish can't get tangled in the line.

Well this fish had other ideas!!

He ran right into the line even after I released it and it was about 20-30 yards from my kayak.

I stopped and let the bail run free and luckily he changed course and then ran toward the kayak.

He ran to the kayak and then straight down hard.

I had to submerge my rod and let the drag really loose or it would have broken my 6 lb. line.

Finally landed him and it was a nice one.

The second one fought even harder and he ran toward the boat and then straight also! These guys fight amazingly hard.

I ended up with 3 bonefish which is a pretty good day.

I think my record is 8. A friend once got 10 and when he was reeling one in an osprey dove down and tried to grab the bonefish with his claws! Luckily he missed but it was an awesome sight!

Taggermike met me and he had some live smelt.

He caught a few halibut one was just short of legal.

He also hooked up something really big that ran but it broke off when it wrapped around the channel marker.

I also caught three black croakers in a row.

I have hardly ever caught any of those it was unusual.

I was hoping to see if Mike had a bonefish on those smelt to see if those are good baits.

The ghost shrimp seemed to do a lot better on the bonefish but the smelt was good for the halibut.

A pretty good day anytime you get a bonefish.

3 is better than average.

I have heard of fly fisherman getting 20 in a day toward the Coronado Cays.

The bonefish in the South Bay are thriving here I hope it stays that way.

Nice day of fishing, those bonefish really are amazing how hard they can fight, especially on 6lb

Thats awesome - saw a few being caught on ghost shrimp last time I was down there, but I'm stubborn.

I'll get one on the fly rod some day...

Those bonefish are a blast to catch..... we've landed keeper halibut and toad spotties while we were fishing for them too.

Stubborn to use ghost shrimp?

Ghost shrimp are like crack cocaine to bonefish!

Hook?
 

What size hook were you using?

Yea, same deal at La Jolla too - guys catching yellows on mackerel around me, but I'm still stubborn using iron and plastics. I'll break down one of these days and fish live bait. Guess I like the challenge...

I got the hooks from Squidco alreaded snelled.

These hooks are very light line at 6 lbs. and a long shank hook. My friend uses #4 hooks and does well.

The problem with using ghost shrimp is that many times the bonefish completely engulf and swallow it.

Most definitely want to use long shank hooks when targeting bonefish. Especially using ghost shrimp. Good point for those thinking about trying their hand at baiting bonefish.

Bonefish are moving norht in the bay. Caught this one off teh Spanish landing beach, one of three in an hour.
sry for the spelling, in a hurry at work

I liked using the light wire Gamakatsu circle hooks with the ghosties. Light drag, crank into the fish.

Seemed to work pretty well, we were having 20 fish days like this.

Do you usually fish the south bay for bonefish?