LJ 4/6/07....still quiet - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

steamroll · 04-06-2007, 12:00 PM

I launched at 5am, bait at the pier was tough. Tons of little spanish and 1 usable greenie. Trolled across the canyon and along the kelp. No birds, no surface activity. Surf was small. I came in around 9 and some guy had his minivan buried in the sand. Works beating.

Holy Mackerel · 04-06-2007, 01:49 PM

Thanks for the report. Hope things pick up soon.

esdees · 04-06-2007, 09:56 PM

The PM was dead, too.

-Patrick

SDdude · 04-07-2007, 10:14 PM

I arrived at the launch around 7am yesterday, and saw a guy in a minivan stuck in the sand. He apparently got stuck on the way out. He had already offloaded his yak and geared up, and was about to go park. Ooops.

While I was unloading my yak and gear, the guy in the tractor that pushes sand around tried to help him out, but the strap they tried to use broke. Just before I launched around 7:30, a tow truck arrived. I launched, and didn't see the outcome. So if that was the same minivan guy still stuck in the sand at 9am, then he must have *really* been stuck.

Back to fishing...

I spent almost the entire day out there. Launched at 7:30, landed at 5:30. For nothing. I only scraped up a few spanish for bait. I could meter the mackerel, and at times I could see them swimming around my boat, but I couldn't get them to bite my sabiki. Should have brought squid to tip the sabiki hooks. The ones I caught didn't work anyway. No bites. No birds. No surface bait. Nothing. The wind picked up around 2pm, too.

The big hilight of my day occurred when I saw 3 dolphins coming directly at me, head on. They passed right by me, two on my left and one on my right...like I wasn't even there. And just as they passed by my FF went nuts...the screen showed a big bait ball passing beneath me at a depth of about 10-30 ft. It was as if they were herding the bait ball. That was pretty cool.

I hope things pick up soon. It's been really slow out there the last few times I've been out. Or perhaps I should change my strategy and do some bottom fishing for ling...nahhhh.

--Raleigh

Grego · 04-09-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steamroll

Tons of little spanish and 1 usable greenie...

Little Spanish are my preferred hot butt bait...send those down to the bottom.

steamroll · 04-09-2007, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grego

Little Spanish are my preferred hot butt bait...send those down to the bottom.

Right on, thanks for the tip

SDdude · 04-09-2007, 10:51 PM

Actually, I prefer Greenback Mackerel to Spanish Mackerel for the following reasons:

Greenbacks seem to be more "active" swimmers...the Spanish can be very lazy swimmers
Greenbacks seem to have sturdier noses. The nose of a Spanish Mackerel can get all mangled up in no time, it seems like, and will come off the hook sooner.
Those damn pectoral fins on a Spanish are sharp and can hurt when they poke you!
Yellowtail like the taste of Greenies more. OK, I really don't know this for a fact (haven't spoken to any yellows lately), but I believe it to be true...

madscientist · 04-10-2007, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grego

Little Spanish are my preferred hot butt bait...send those down to the bottom.

I think Grego was referring to halibut fishing, though even there I prefer a little cigar greenie if I can get one. Little spanish should work pretty well for ling too.

nmbrinkman · 04-10-2007, 07:55 AM

I've heard that dead bait it a little known secret for halibut. Before I started kayak fishing, I fished O'side harbor. I used to slay butts with frozen chovies from the rocks. All short, but I don't think there are too many legals in there anyway...

Grego · 04-11-2007, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madscientist

I think Grego was referring to halibut fishing.....

Yeah I was, I get the feeling butts, FOR THE MOST PART, are lazy fisherman...lying on the bottom half/fully covered in sand, eyes already fixed in a position to see above them, waiting for that not so active bait to cruise by to inhale without any sort of chase. Poor spanish, smelt, dead bait, and perch

Greenies work too though, as Brad and many here can confirm, including myself. But I've also fished two separate occasions next to boaters where we commented on how the spanish were the working bait, and the greenies/dines for some reason weren't being touched.

Just a little observation....something to chew on...

madscientist · 04-11-2007, 11:30 AM

I agree with you Grego. If my greenies are overactive I will sometimes clip their tails a little so the lazy butts can get em. They die faster though.

04-06-2007, 12:00 PM	#1
steamroll Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 385	LJ 4/6/07....still quiet I launched at 5am, bait at the pier was tough. Tons of little spanish and 1 usable greenie. Trolled across the canyon and along the kelp. No birds, no surface activity. Surf was small. I came in around 9 and some guy had his minivan buried in the sand. Works beating. __________________

04-09-2007, 10:51 PM	#7
SDdude Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mission Valley - San Diego, CA Posts: 10	Actually, I prefer Greenback Mackerel to Spanish Mackerel for the following reasons: Greenbacks seem to be more "active" swimmers...the Spanish can be very lazy swimmers Greenbacks seem to have sturdier noses. The nose of a Spanish Mackerel can get all mangled up in no time, it seems like, and will come off the hook sooner. Those damn pectoral fins on a Spanish are sharp and can hurt when they poke you! Yellowtail like the taste of Greenies more. OK, I really don't know this for a fact (haven't spoken to any yellows lately), but I believe it to be true... __________________

04-11-2007, 11:30 AM	#11
madscientist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,906	I agree with you Grego. If my greenies are overactive I will sometimes clip their tails a little so the lazy butts can get em. They die faster though. __________________

04-06-2007, 01:49 PM	#2
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Thanks for the report. Hope things pick up soon.

04-06-2007, 09:56 PM	#3
esdees The Good Clone Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Clairemont Posts: 520	The PM was dead, too. -Patrick

04-07-2007, 10:14 PM	#4
SDdude Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mission Valley - San Diego, CA Posts: 10	I arrived at the launch around 7am yesterday, and saw a guy in a minivan stuck in the sand. He apparently got stuck on the way out. He had already offloaded his yak and geared up, and was about to go park. Ooops. While I was unloading my yak and gear, the guy in the tractor that pushes sand around tried to help him out, but the strap they tried to use broke. Just before I launched around 7:30, a tow truck arrived. I launched, and didn't see the outcome. So if that was the same minivan guy still stuck in the sand at 9am, then he must have really been stuck. Back to fishing... I spent almost the entire day out there. Launched at 7:30, landed at 5:30. For nothing. I only scraped up a few spanish for bait. I could meter the mackerel, and at times I could see them swimming around my boat, but I couldn't get them to bite my sabiki. Should have brought squid to tip the sabiki hooks. The ones I caught didn't work anyway. No bites. No birds. No surface bait. Nothing. The wind picked up around 2pm, too. The big hilight of my day occurred when I saw 3 dolphins coming directly at me, head on. They passed right by me, two on my left and one on my right...like I wasn't even there. And just as they passed by my FF went nuts...the screen showed a big bait ball passing beneath me at a depth of about 10-30 ft. It was as if they were herding the bait ball. That was pretty cool. I hope things pick up soon. It's been really slow out there the last few times I've been out. Or perhaps I should change my strategy and do some bottom fishing for ling...nahhhh. --Raleigh

04-10-2007, 07:55 AM	#9
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	I've heard that dead bait it a little known secret for halibut. Before I started kayak fishing, I fished O'side harbor. I used to slay butts with frozen chovies from the rocks. All short, but I don't think there are too many legals in there anyway...