Support Your Local Businesses
 

It is good for them, the local economy and us :D.

I picked up some local made San Diego War Baits a month back although have not really had a chance to use them, when purchasing them I thought they looked like a great bait for fishing out at the Island and have been looking forward to our valentines day weekend trip to really test them out. Before leaving I went to my local kayak/tackle shop OEX Kearny Mesa to pick up a few extra things I needed including verious swimbaits to match the warheads, also since I was there and they had them I purchased more heads in the 1oz and 1.5oz sizes, had to make sure I was fully stocked for the weeked. Also picked up some materials to make my portable fish finder for the trip. I'm amazed every-time I go into this shop, it has been good from the start but gets better and better every-time I go in there as Rik continues to builds his inventory. OEX has saved me headaches from having to go to multiple stores on several occasions by becoming more of a one stop shop for the kayak angler. :cheers1: to OEX and their great shops!

Results of the weekend. Big Grumpy Calico Bass, plentiful and many in the 5-10 lb. range. A blast on the light rod, matched with a lo-profile baitcaster, 20lb spectra, 12lb leader, Warhead and bait.

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The release
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The dolphins were insane 100's of them out there feeding. It was a trip, they swam with us, went under our kayaks, jumped along side of us, chilled while we fished. Never seen anything like it.

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No white seabass or YT seen on this trip but wide open on big calico bass. Great times!
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Looks like a great trip. Nice report.

Joe:

You always post great reports!

Darn good fishing in Feb!

You clobbered the bass......On Valentines Day....with your lady.....

Now thats Rad!

Killer Water....Great Fishing....and A Beautiful Smile.....Stoked for you!

Dem some nice checkerboards!

That is so awesome that your lady friend accompanies you on these trips. Now if I could get mine hooked I'd be OTW all the time.

Those War Baits are sick, I'm going to Rik's this weekend!

Beautiful smiles! (You too, Joe). Thanks for sharing.

Where are those jig heads available in SD?

Bob

those are some pigs, where did you guys launch?

Man, you 2 picked the right weekend to be at Cat! Awesome calicos!

I need to get Afran's baits in my store!

Great Jig heads
 

Love the Photos, looks like you two had a blast. I bought some of those warbaits directly at http://warbaits.com/index.html. The service was great! Spotties love them!

Love those big Calicos, great job and great shots

Nice, thanks for the report. I like the fish finder mounted on the battery box. Can you share the details on that? I need one.

Bob: you can get warbaits at the OEX shops, not sure if they all carry them or not, Rik's shop in Kearny Mesa does or you can get them directly from warbaits.com.

Oolie: Launched from Isthmus Cove Catalina

TCS: You got the idea. I mounted a Ram Ball on a battery box, a deck connector outlet on the box and then put a deck connector plug on the fishfinder power cable. This is the same battery box I use inside my kayak, it just now has a Ram Ball on it for portable use. I then mounted the fishfinder to a Ram mount. I picked up the Humminbird scupper transducer so it works pretty simple. i just put the transducer through one of the scupper holes and secure the box to the front hatch. If you don't use a Humminbird I'm sure there are other ways to get the transducer to be portable. I have read people using suction cups, they have that transducer deployment arm available to purchase, or you can easily make a transducer similar to the humminbird product by mounting a regular transducer on a large bolt or something else that allows you to put it through the scupper and tighten it snug to the yak.

Talk about fishing a lovely spot.

I love fishing the east side of that rock and the drop off to the left of you. Tons of Big Calico's in there and often Yellows breeze through. I hear they are going to put that area in a MLPA reserve. Seems unnecessary when you consider the locals have been releasing those larger fish for years.

I don't know how many times you've fished there but that looks like outstanding fishing. Usually you get one or two big fish and are swarmed by smaller ones, your trip looks like Catalina Hog Calico fishing at it's best.

Jim

Spectacular post Joe! Afran sent me a few of those and I have been wanting to give them a shot....Looks like we know they work now! ;)

What a cool report! Thats just awesome Joe! Glad you had a great time. That spot looks real fishy.

So awesome you take your lady out there and she clearly knows the drill. My lady + baitcaster = Bird nest !!!!!!!!!

Great report, you two sure have fun together! :cool:

Great trip there Joe!!!!! And warbaits rule!

I have been using a home made portable and love it. I was giving my shoulder a break and set it up on the Outback then Revo, now i just mounted a RAM ball on my Extreme and use it. The trans arm is made of Starboard. A 5 amp battery takes up 1/2 the box and the rest of the excess cable and fuse are in the box as well.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...0/IMG_2169.JPG

More coming tomorrow too. I am dropping off a batch of Spinnerbaits along with some jig heads and stuff tomorrow to him.


OEX Mission Bay also has expanded and has all sorts of tackle and now is stocking some of the more popular Rods and reels from Shimano and Daiwa.

I think that Rik is the only OEX Shop right now with Warbaits.