Need San Diego Bay Lobster advice... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Caseym · 02-24-2015, 10:22 AM

This is a boating queation...but I kayak fish too so what the hell...
Never hooped the "Big" bay. Going to try this Friday night with my 2 boys, 6&9. Plan to launch at shelter island (first time) then head out to ???? to drop nets. I know how to hoop, just never SD. If anybody is cool and doesnt mind giving up a spot or two, or a general idea Id really appreciate it. Boys have never been so Id rather have a little success to hopefully get them stoked! Any advice or "be aware of's" are always welcome too.
Thanks!

Dannowar · 02-24-2015, 10:44 AM

A. The bay is most likely picked dry

B. You can't just ask people for their lobster spots

C. If the bay were NOT picked dry, I would look for any sort of structure that a lobster might be able to hide in. Eelgrass, rocks etc.

D. Be careful of getting too close to the military base(s). Getting approached by a gunboat at 2 am while rockin a piss isn't too fun.

Caseym · 02-24-2015, 12:38 PM

All good heads up, maybe i should just hoopnet at Albertsons,😜thanks

Pinhead · 02-24-2015, 01:02 PM

I don't have any 1st hand lobster fishing experience with SD Bay, but I found a DFG Study online with some info that may help. Hope you get a few nice one's. Good luck.

Here's the link to the entire article, https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?documentversionid=79884Interesting reading.

And here's a snip of some of the findings..........

Researchers found 75 percent of the lobsters reside at the mouth of the Bay and alongside Zuniga Jetty. The rest of the population is spread inside the Bay. They also found researchers were able to catch lobsters in waters near the Coronado Bridge just a few feet from the busy streets of San Diego.

They found no evidence that lobsters traveled from the protected Bay to populate the fishing grounds off Point Loma. In fact, researchers documented the opposite trend. More than one lobster moved from the kelp forests of the fishing grounds into San Diego Bay. Curiously, researchers say they never saw one exiting the bay.

What the research team found was that lobsters are by no means sedentary. Following signals from tagged lobsters, researchers found they frequently crossed the mouth of the Bay and moved along Zuniga Jetty. Some lobsters took months to move several miles from the center of the Bay to the mouth. Researchers considered the journey a significant accomplishment for such a small spiny sea creature.

tacmik · 02-24-2015, 02:14 PM

Had most of my luck along zuniga jetty from close up to the rocks on out toward the channel. Suggest you drop nets strung out and at different depths until you find them.

Dail14 · 02-24-2015, 07:02 PM

During the first week I hoop the poles just west of shelter island. I highly doubt there is anything legal left there. Your best bet is some sort of reef or structure that you know of that is not common knowledge to most people.

captnblood34 · 02-24-2015, 08:48 PM

Drop the south side of the kelp just out past the point. This way if it gets sketch you aren't far from the launch. You're looking at dropping in the 40-60' range. Make sure your hoops lay properly on structure too. I can't tell you how many keepers I've seen munching away on bait from the bottom of lobster traps of all types... Hope your boys have fun

02-24-2015, 10:22 AM	#1
Caseym Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Temecula Posts: 194	Need San Diego Bay Lobster advice... This is a boating queation...but I kayak fish too so what the hell... Never hooped the "Big" bay. Going to try this Friday night with my 2 boys, 6&9. Plan to launch at shelter island (first time) then head out to ???? to drop nets. I know how to hoop, just never SD. If anybody is cool and doesnt mind giving up a spot or two, or a general idea Id really appreciate it. Boys have never been so Id rather have a little success to hopefully get them stoked! Any advice or "be aware of's" are always welcome too. Thanks!

02-24-2015, 10:44 AM	#2
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	A. The bay is most likely picked dry B. You can't just ask people for their lobster spots C. If the bay were NOT picked dry, I would look for any sort of structure that a lobster might be able to hide in. Eelgrass, rocks etc. D. Be careful of getting too close to the military base(s). Getting approached by a gunboat at 2 am while rockin a piss isn't too fun. __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

02-24-2015, 02:14 PM	#5
tacmik Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: East County Posts: 914	Had most of my luck along zuniga jetty from close up to the rocks on out toward the channel. Suggest you drop nets strung out and at different depths until you find them. __________________

02-24-2015, 12:38 PM	#3
Caseym Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Temecula Posts: 194	All good heads up, maybe i should just hoopnet at Albertsons,😜thanks

02-24-2015, 01:02 PM	#4
Pinhead We all Stink Sometimes! Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 158	I don't have any 1st hand lobster fishing experience with SD Bay, but I found a DFG Study online with some info that may help. Hope you get a few nice one's. Good luck. Here's the link to the entire article, https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?documentversionid=79884Interesting reading. And here's a snip of some of the findings.......... Researchers found 75 percent of the lobsters reside at the mouth of the Bay and alongside Zuniga Jetty. The rest of the population is spread inside the Bay. They also found researchers were able to catch lobsters in waters near the Coronado Bridge just a few feet from the busy streets of San Diego. They found no evidence that lobsters traveled from the protected Bay to populate the fishing grounds off Point Loma. In fact, researchers documented the opposite trend. More than one lobster moved from the kelp forests of the fishing grounds into San Diego Bay. Curiously, researchers say they never saw one exiting the bay. What the research team found was that lobsters are by no means sedentary. Following signals from tagged lobsters, researchers found they frequently crossed the mouth of the Bay and moved along Zuniga Jetty. Some lobsters took months to move several miles from the center of the Bay to the mouth. Researchers considered the journey a significant accomplishment for such a small spiny sea creature.

02-24-2015, 07:02 PM	#6
Dail14 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 123	During the first week I hoop the poles just west of shelter island. I highly doubt there is anything legal left there. Your best bet is some sort of reef or structure that you know of that is not common knowledge to most people.

02-24-2015, 08:48 PM	#7
captnblood34 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Otay Posts: 704	Drop the south side of the kelp just out past the point. This way if it gets sketch you aren't far from the launch. You're looking at dropping in the 40-60' range. Make sure your hoops lay properly on structure too. I can't tell you how many keepers I've seen munching away on bait from the bottom of lobster traps of all types... Hope your boys have fun