LJ 4/22 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

jaws197 · 04-22-2013, 02:51 PM

Launched at 7am to tiny surf and grey conditions, got out past the point and found tons of macs but no squishies.

Had a pod of dolphins as well as a mother and calf whale do a drive by on me, tried fly lining macs as well as frozen squid all to no avail!

Long story short no love for the keeper kind for me but an absolutely amazing day on the water! I will add some pics later!

There were 8 other yaks on the water as well as three pb's but the few guys that I talked to were in the same boat I was (pun intended) with nothing to take home other than beautiful conditions!!!

Did catch a few small sand dabs (new species for me) anyone ever keep or eat them? If so what's a good size? The ones I was bringing up were about 8 to 12 inches long and seemed pretty meaty for the size......just wondering if they are worth keeping????

kaya_one · 04-22-2013, 03:14 PM

I've never eaten them so not much to offer. I caught a couple on Sunday in the 6-8" range. I send em back down as bait.
My day Sunday was basically the same report as yours.

StinkyMatt · 04-22-2013, 03:16 PM

Pan fry sand dabs.......super delicious. 12 inch sand dabs , that's a very nice size.

Dirty Curti · 04-22-2013, 03:38 PM

Oh man, when we caught them on the boat the captain would cook a few of them right on the spot and make sandwiches out of them..YUM!

Bigfishhunter96 · 04-22-2013, 03:38 PM

For sand dabs you descale them, dehead them, gut them and fry them. They do hade some bones but on the bigger ones like 10 or more inches they can be good.

HiLife619 · 04-22-2013, 04:19 PM

I thought sand dabs have the same regulations as halibut since its a flat fish...so i threw mine back

Deamon · 04-22-2013, 04:20 PM

Putting in your time Joe...

jaws197 · 04-22-2013, 04:27 PM

Trying Jim! LOL

To everyone else, thanks for the recommendations! Guess I will have to try and bring some of those home next time. They looked good , going to have to try them now!

Big Wave Dave · 04-23-2013, 07:20 AM

I had sand dabs at a restaurant in Monterrey. They were excellent eating. If you catch enough of them, they would make a great meal.

taggermike · 04-23-2013, 08:28 AM

Sand dabs are very good eating. If you have the patience you can fillet them but it is easier to fry or saute them whole. I've seen the fast n easy way to clean them by taking kitchen shears and cutting off the head, guts, and then around the body to remove fins and tail. After that you can eave the skin on rip it off. Mike

fish-on · 04-23-2013, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiLife619

I thought sand dabs have the same regulations as halibut since its a flat fish...so i threw mine back

Haha, if the minimum size for sand dabs is the same as halibut, that would be a monster fish....

Great eating fish no doubt.! The best size is about the width of your frying pan.

Tight lines

John

easyday · 04-23-2013, 01:32 PM

Fry em up in olive oil and garlic the meat falls right off the bones then make a tasty sandwich or mix it up with some rice.

"jjcawjj" · 04-23-2013, 06:32 PM

So all this talk about Sand dabs is making me Hungry!

Does anyone know what the legal size is?

vincentek9 · 04-23-2013, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by "jjcawjj"

So all this talk about Sand dabs is making me Hungry!

Does anyone know what the legal size is?

from what i know, no size limit, no qty limit. but i would only keep enough to eat for the day.

captnblood34 · 04-23-2013, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StinkyMatt

Pan fry sand dabs.......super delicious. 12 inch sand dabs , that's a very nice size.

X2

h2ofishfo · 04-28-2013, 05:59 AM

You know fishing is slow when you talk about the edibility of sand dabs ha

04-22-2013, 02:51 PM	#1
jaws197 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Poway, CA Posts: 148	LJ 4/22 Launched at 7am to tiny surf and grey conditions, got out past the point and found tons of macs but no squishies. Had a pod of dolphins as well as a mother and calf whale do a drive by on me, tried fly lining macs as well as frozen squid all to no avail! Long story short no love for the keeper kind for me but an absolutely amazing day on the water! I will add some pics later! There were 8 other yaks on the water as well as three pb's but the few guys that I talked to were in the same boat I was (pun intended) with nothing to take home other than beautiful conditions!!! Did catch a few small sand dabs (new species for me) anyone ever keep or eat them? If so what's a good size? The ones I was bringing up were about 8 to 12 inches long and seemed pretty meaty for the size......just wondering if they are worth keeping????

04-22-2013, 03:14 PM	#2
kaya_one Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Encinitas Posts: 257	Sand dabs I've never eaten them so not much to offer. I caught a couple on Sunday in the 6-8" range. I send em back down as bait. My day Sunday was basically the same report as yours.

04-22-2013, 03:38 PM	#4
Dirty Curti Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 419	Oh man, when we caught them on the boat the captain would cook a few of them right on the spot and make sandwiches out of them..YUM! __________________

04-22-2013, 04:20 PM	#7
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	Putting in your time Joe... __________________ Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S"

04-22-2013, 03:16 PM	#3
StinkyMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Under a bridge Posts: 2,168	Pan fry sand dabs.......super delicious. 12 inch sand dabs , that's a very nice size.

04-22-2013, 03:38 PM	#5
Bigfishhunter96 Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 30	For sand dabs you descale them, dehead them, gut them and fry them. They do hade some bones but on the bigger ones like 10 or more inches they can be good.

04-22-2013, 04:19 PM	#6
HiLife619 Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: San Diego, CA USA Posts: 47	I thought sand dabs have the same regulations as halibut since its a flat fish...so i threw mine back

04-22-2013, 04:27 PM	#8
jaws197 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Poway, CA Posts: 148	Trying Jim! LOL To everyone else, thanks for the recommendations! Guess I will have to try and bring some of those home next time. They looked good , going to have to try them now!

04-23-2013, 07:20 AM	#9
Big Wave Dave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 137	I had sand dabs at a restaurant in Monterrey. They were excellent eating. If you catch enough of them, they would make a great meal.

04-23-2013, 08:28 AM	#10
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Sand dabs are very good eating. If you have the patience you can fillet them but it is easier to fry or saute them whole. I've seen the fast n easy way to clean them by taking kitchen shears and cutting off the head, guts, and then around the body to remove fins and tail. After that you can eave the skin on rip it off. Mike

04-23-2013, 01:32 PM	#12
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,469	Fry em up in olive oil and garlic the meat falls right off the bones then make a tasty sandwich or mix it up with some rice.

04-23-2013, 06:32 PM	#13
"jjcawjj" Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Vista, California Posts: 174	So all this talk about Sand dabs is making me Hungry! Does anyone know what the legal size is?

04-28-2013, 05:59 AM	#16
h2ofishfo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santee Posts: 821	You know fishing is slow when you talk about the edibility of sand dabs ha