Dana Pt, 3-18-16

[Harry Hill]

Originally Posted by Amish Ed

Somehow managed to sleep through 2 alarms Launched from the ramp at 8am and headed right for the Pipe. Water was green, pretty clear, and 61.5º. Slight uphill current. Wind was offshore on the Pipe and pretty cool. Overcast skies. The wind was the perfect speed and direction for drifting along the Pipe and that lasted until about 9am, when as usual it died off. About 10am it picked up out of the NW, as usual. Conditions were very typical of fishing the Pipe, except that the wind speed was down to reasonable levels.

Started off with a 6" Swimmerz in Calico Candy on a 3/4oz gold Warbait head. Lots of short bites for a while, but no real hits. Switched to a 4" Flurry in Redfish on a 1/2oz silver Warbait head and pretty quickly nailed a nicer grade checker (maybe 3lbs). A few casts later that one got bit off. Switched to a 1/2oz Firecracker Warbait head and 4" FLurry in Smokefish. Worked it for a bit for no love. As it turns out, it was the only bait I threw today that didn't get bit. Switched it out for 5" Paddlerz in Redfish Toad and got another nicer grade fish, but the tail was bit off (that doesn't happen very often). It still worked for a short and a bunch of missed strikes. Switched it out for a 4" Flurry in Baitball, which got bit, but no takers. Tried Minnow Magic and broke off a nicer one that swam into a hole. Tied on a 5" Paddlerz in Sexy Mullet which didn't get bit so I went to a 1/2oz gold Warbait with Mr T skirt and 5" Houdini Paddlerz. Got a few bites on it and then got corn holed by yet another nicer bass. Just couldn't turn it's head fast enough. Moved on to the 3/4oz gold Warbait with a 6" Swimmerz in Golden Boy. Got a couple of nicer ones and then got taken to the woods and broken off. Retied the same setup, but didn't get anymore on it. Switched back to the Sexy Mullet Paddlerz and got a dink and a few more missed fish. Called it quits at 11am as I had to get home, but by that point the bite was much slower and the wind was picking up.

Over all I had 8 bass, 5 of them legal, 3 in the 3lb range. Lost a total of 5 Warbait heads, and for those that have never fished the Pipe, that's how you know I was fishing it right. I've had days where I literally had to hit Hogan's on the way home to re-stock my lead head supply because I went through so many heads in one day. The Warbait Slayer Head does cut down the loss though. Hot Sauce was used off and on, but wasn't necessary.

Lots of life around to see today also. Had a big flock of Cormorants work through the area. A couple of Inshore Bottlenose Dolphin were feeding around me off and on. Lots of bait on the meter, though I don't remember ever seeing a bass marked. Boat traffic wasn't bad either (I haven't fished the Pipe since last summer). Over all I'm my only complaint was that I overslept and missed out on some biting fish. Weather permitting I'll be back there next week and then maybe Shelter Island the week after that.

I woke up at 2AM and could not go back to sleep, if I didn't have this job to do today I would have gotten to Dana before the traffic got going. As it was we got done about 10AM. Maybe I can make the next trip. Glad you got some fish. We are hitting Mission in the morning, I hope the bite is on.

[King Saba]

Good job on the calicos. My buddy and I are going to try the pipe tomorrow as well.

Originally Posted by alanw

Don't take this the wrong way Ed but I don't ever feel good leaving our junk stuck in a fishes head. I can't remember the last time I broke off on the Pipe, maybe you could try heavier line and a stiffer rod to turn fish faster, or use different heads for that problem area? I always fish weedless and keep my lures bouncing up off the bottom there. You definitely are more productive there than me though.

I was thinking the same thing when I was reading Amish Ed's report. I've left my fair share of weedless baits in the mouths of bass, but leadheads are few and far in between.

[newportdogs]

Thanks for the report. I need to try the Pipe. Given I release everything I catch I too feel bad about breaking off and leaving a hook in a fish. Whether I’m fishing in Newport Harbor, outside the harbor or at Catalina I pinch down/break off the barb on the hook. Gives the fish a better chance of shaking the hook if I break off and I don’t lose many on the retrieve because of that. If I do lose them it’s at the boat. If I snag the bottom there’s a chance I can release the bait as well without the barb.