La Jolla kelp line - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

ImGonnaYak · 05-06-2015, 05:15 PM

Hey guys,

First post here. I'm new to fishing LJ. I fished it yesterday, what I believe is the NW corner. What are the known basic spots? Any advice on good areas to work? Looks like we are going to fish it again tomorrow. Make bait then slow troll macs. Do you guys mostly work the kelp line? Or is there good structure out in 100+ft that produces game fish?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

TJones · 05-06-2015, 06:02 PM

You might be better off putting in some hours in the bay . Get a feel for the yak . Practice recovery skills . That Type of thing . No fish in Lj .

ImGonnaYak · 05-06-2015, 06:24 PM

There's fish there. Just looking for some advice on how you LJ pros like to work that area.

MrPatrick · 05-06-2015, 06:34 PM

Search the forums, there's a ton of information here. The fish can be anywhere at any given time. Surface, deep or cruising two feet deep in the kelp under your kayak, teasing you.

Be sure to know the MLPA boundaries and fish the legal area.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

ImGonnaYak · 05-06-2015, 06:50 PM

Thanks for the replies.

Yes I know fish can be anywhere. Use your FF, bait schools = bigger fish, structure, hard bottom, water color, etc. I'm not new to fishing. I'm asking about strategies and how you like to fish the area on a kayak. For example, when targeting yt and wsb in the kelp.

Maybe I'm not making sense?

FARRIER · 05-06-2015, 07:17 PM

Most people are pretty tight lipped with how they attack the fish unless you are out on the water. A lot of us put in a lot of hard hours to learn just the basics of our fishery. I would suggest shaking a few hands and bringing an extra beer or two on your next outing. As far as info a lot of guys like to slow troll mackerel this time of the year. kayaks offer a perfect pace. As far as distance of the kelp. Conditions change by the minute. Use your spidey senses and the marine life to point you in the right direction. I usually drop a yoyo anytime i see a school that is puddling or boiling but doesn't take at my flylined bait or my surface iron. To be honest I let my meter and the conditions dictate the depth and presentation. If your looking for some different info or more details there are a ton of old posts to filter through. I know its a lame answer but to be honest I don't know how to triage your skill set or what you may find interesting. Tight lines..

Widgeon · 05-06-2015, 07:39 PM

Yeah, what farrier said.
I was hitting it pretty hard last summer and did ok. Just starting to dust off the gear and plan some new adventures out there.
I would always start by making bait, then set up and slow troll, while occasionally throwing an iron. As far as the kelp line, i would generally stay at least 50 yrds or more out when trolling. Sometimes quite a bit more.

Cadillyak · 05-06-2015, 08:12 PM

LJ sucks. I stick to the bays. No fish in LJ except an occasional rockfish

Nic D · 05-07-2015, 06:07 AM

if fisting near the kelp line, hopefully you're using a kelp cutter rig. I'm sure you are but thought I'd mention it.

tight lines

Deamon · 05-07-2015, 06:33 AM

Hey IGY,

Next time you're in LJ, look for a lime green Malibu (I'd rather call it puke green but...) with an angry looking mofo fishing by himself. Get close to him...when all is calm and quiet, kind of look in the opposite direction and yell out "Mike!". If he responds, that's Cbad. Just follow the a-hole around all day long. He's a fish magnet. If he screams and yells at you to "MOVE THE F@@K AWAY FROM ME"...ignore him, you want to catch tails, right? Bring along some ear plugs and get them put in. Just copy everything that guy does. On his good days, he looks like this. Angry but harmless. Word. Jim

5-20 · 05-07-2015, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImGonnaYak

Hey guys,

Or is there good structure out in 100+ft that produces game fish?

Thanks!

What type of game fish are you talking about? Like yellowtail tunas?

Zed · 05-07-2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nic D

if fisting near the kelp line, hopefully you're using a kelp cutter rig. I'm sure you are but thought I'd mention it.

tight lines

Autocorrect FTW!

This is why I dont like paddling up to otheryakers on the water. Leave people be, doing whatever they want. Some things you cant unsee.

svendawg · 05-07-2015, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nic D

if fisting near the kelp line, hopefully you're using a kelp cutter rig. I'm sure you are but thought I'd mention it.

tight lines

If he is fisting near the kelp line, hopefully he is using a terd cutter rig

ImGonnaYak · 05-08-2015, 08:54 AM

You guys are a great bunch of random characters. A few a-holes, a few elitists, and a few guys that actually want to talk about fishing on a fishing forum.

I guess I'll just start posting all my jackoff, oops I mean showoff, look at my big fish pics like the rest of you. haha

To those who want to talk about fishing: when making bait, are the spanish macs good for nothing? Do they get bit? We normally just use the greenback macs.

BTW, when we were there Tuesday, right next to us the kelp lit up with a boil, baits jumping and big yt swiping baits at the surface. It was the size of a baseball infield (what's baseball?), sick!

MrPatrick · 05-08-2015, 10:21 AM

A-holes and elitists, way to score some points 💔

MrPatrick · 05-08-2015, 11:04 AM

Spanish can work but the greenbacks are the bait of choice.

ImGonnaYak · 05-08-2015, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrPatrick

A-holes and elitists, way to score some points 💔

There's sense of humor in this thread. Just adding to it. I appreciate all the comments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrPatrick

Spanish can work but the greenbacks are the bait of choice.

Cool, good to know. Thanks!

Deamon · 05-08-2015, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImGonnaYak

There's sense of humor in this thread. Just adding to it.

I have a feeling you're gonna fit right in, welcome. Jim

Nic D · 05-08-2015, 01:31 PM

yup, welcome Jim.

use the search function as much as possible… it will save you a ton of time. There's so much information already written.

YakDout · 05-08-2015, 05:45 PM

The reasons I prefer the greenbacks are because they last much longer flylining with a hook in their nose. Like literally hours and hours. Spanish, I can't say the same for. Reason number two is because they have that fin that always makes me bleed. My guess is that the local fish have keened in on the greenbacks because the Spanish keep fricken poking the roof of their mouth with that damn fin!!!

05-06-2015, 05:15 PM	#1
ImGonnaYak Junior Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 15	La Jolla kelp line Hey guys, First post here. I'm new to fishing LJ. I fished it yesterday, what I believe is the NW corner. What are the known basic spots? Any advice on good areas to work? Looks like we are going to fish it again tomorrow. Make bait then slow troll macs. Do you guys mostly work the kelp line? Or is there good structure out in 100+ft that produces game fish? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

05-06-2015, 06:02 PM	#2
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,523	It's slow right now You might be better off putting in some hours in the bay . Get a feel for the yak . Practice recovery skills . That Type of thing . No fish in Lj .

05-06-2015, 06:34 PM	#4
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	La Jolla kelp line Search the forums, there's a ton of information here. The fish can be anywhere at any given time. Surface, deep or cruising two feet deep in the kelp under your kayak, teasing you. Be sure to know the MLPA boundaries and fish the legal area. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

05-06-2015, 07:17 PM	#6
FARRIER Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Cmont [] Posts: 314	Most people are pretty tight lipped with how they attack the fish unless you are out on the water. A lot of us put in a lot of hard hours to learn just the basics of our fishery. I would suggest shaking a few hands and bringing an extra beer or two on your next outing. As far as info a lot of guys like to slow troll mackerel this time of the year. kayaks offer a perfect pace. As far as distance of the kelp. Conditions change by the minute. Use your spidey senses and the marine life to point you in the right direction. I usually drop a yoyo anytime i see a school that is puddling or boiling but doesn't take at my flylined bait or my surface iron. To be honest I let my meter and the conditions dictate the depth and presentation. If your looking for some different info or more details there are a ton of old posts to filter through. I know its a lame answer but to be honest I don't know how to triage your skill set or what you may find interesting. Tight lines.. __________________ "It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is." –Bill Clinton

05-06-2015, 08:12 PM	#8
Cadillyak Team Get $$ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 841	LJ sucks. I stick to the bays. No fish in LJ except an occasional rockfish __________________ The "Y" is silent 2012 Olive PA 12 2011 Papaya Outback

05-06-2015, 06:24 PM	#3
ImGonnaYak Junior Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 15	There's fish there. Just looking for some advice on how you LJ pros like to work that area.

05-06-2015, 06:50 PM	#5
ImGonnaYak Junior Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 15	Thanks for the replies. Yes I know fish can be anywhere. Use your FF, bait schools = bigger fish, structure, hard bottom, water color, etc. I'm not new to fishing. I'm asking about strategies and how you like to fish the area on a kayak. For example, when targeting yt and wsb in the kelp. Maybe I'm not making sense?

05-06-2015, 07:39 PM	#7
Widgeon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Clairemont Posts: 175	Yeah, what farrier said. I was hitting it pretty hard last summer and did ok. Just starting to dust off the gear and plan some new adventures out there. I would always start by making bait, then set up and slow troll, while occasionally throwing an iron. As far as the kelp line, i would generally stay at least 50 yrds or more out when trolling. Sometimes quite a bit more.

05-07-2015, 06:07 AM	#9
Nic D Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Clairemont Posts: 813	if fisting near the kelp line, hopefully you're using a kelp cutter rig. I'm sure you are but thought I'd mention it. tight lines __________________ instagram - @DRAGO619

05-08-2015, 08:54 AM	#14
ImGonnaYak Junior Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 15	You guys are a great bunch of random characters. A few a-holes, a few elitists, and a few guys that actually want to talk about fishing on a fishing forum. I guess I'll just start posting all my jackoff, oops I mean showoff, look at my big fish pics like the rest of you. haha To those who want to talk about fishing: when making bait, are the spanish macs good for nothing? Do they get bit? We normally just use the greenback macs. BTW, when we were there Tuesday, right next to us the kelp lit up with a boil, baits jumping and big yt swiping baits at the surface. It was the size of a baseball infield (what's baseball?), sick! Last edited by ImGonnaYak; 05-08-2015 at 09:04 AM.

05-08-2015, 10:21 AM	#15
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	A-holes and elitists, way to score some points 💔

05-08-2015, 11:04 AM	#16
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	Spanish can work but the greenbacks are the bait of choice.

05-08-2015, 01:31 PM	#19
Nic D Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Clairemont Posts: 813	yup, welcome Jim. use the search function as much as possible… it will save you a ton of time. There's so much information already written. __________________ instagram - @DRAGO619

05-08-2015, 05:45 PM	#20
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	The reasons I prefer the greenbacks are because they last much longer flylining with a hook in their nose. Like literally hours and hours. Spanish, I can't say the same for. Reason number two is because they have that fin that always makes me bleed. My guess is that the local fish have keened in on the greenbacks because the Spanish keep fricken poking the roof of their mouth with that damn fin!!!