A Tale of Trips South of the Border - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

greenscales · 11-28-2009, 12:08 PM

I had planned on heading down post Thanksgiving, but saw the forecast and threw my stuff together quick and left late Monday night. Too late to get to PST campground in time, so set up camp off the side of the road 2 miles before the road hits the beach. By the time I got someone to open the gate to the ramp in the morning it was after 10 PM before I launched. Within 1/3 of a mile of the launch I dropped down some jigs w/octopus on them and nailed two ling cod within 15 minutes - decent size, but not the jumbo one I was looking for so I released them. Tons of small rockfish. Landed only 1 more Ling, but found a rock holding some fat Cabazons. The only guy I could find to take my photo when I got in had never seen a digital camera before. First click he had the camera backwards. This is the best photo I could get.

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These fish were fat - the bellies were very heavy after cleaning, full of Octopus and whatever else they could suck up. I also found a few spots that looked like parasites at first, but when I packaged them in the light I figured out they were the tips (1/2") of sea urchin spines. Found then in cheek, belly and back meat. You can get a size comparison on this photo with the 6"Mogambo and the game clip in front of the fish.

Lost my kelp anchor late in the day and ended my ability to fish the spots correctly. The next day was tougher, I paddled out the rocks and tried finding the high points without a detailed gps. Finally found a spot that went from 170' to 30' in a 20' span - but current was ripping. In a few spots I would get bit instant, but couldn't stay on them. Had about a 18 lb ling fight me all the way up from 140', then spit the lure out next to the kayak, gave me the fin and then swim away. Ended the day with a few nice rockfish and a few mid-sized lings.

I went to LaBuf to fish early morning on Turkey day, but was hammered by Santa Ana winds all night, no sleep. Packed up to leave, but locals said the winds would stop mid-morning. Went out with a makeshift kelp anchor, but it blew until noon and couldn't get bit until then - so much for a quick paddle. Picked up 5 nice Vermillion then booked out of there. Was down there a month ago and picked up this nice Ling

Items of note if you go down - don't use the Tecate road, tried it for the first time and half of it is torn up, just hardpacked dirt for 25 miles. Also the owner of the camp/lodging at the PST ramp -Sammy Sanchez - is having some health problems and was in the hospital in Ensenada on both of my trips - keep him your prayers. Leaves the future of the spot in question. Here are two pics at sunrise from opposite directions from my camp at PST.

11-28-2009, 12:08 PM	#1
greenscales greenscales Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Monrovia Posts: 116	A Tale of Trips South of the Border I had planned on heading down post Thanksgiving, but saw the forecast and threw my stuff together quick and left late Monday night. Too late to get to PST campground in time, so set up camp off the side of the road 2 miles before the road hits the beach. By the time I got someone to open the gate to the ramp in the morning it was after 10 PM before I launched. Within 1/3 of a mile of the launch I dropped down some jigs w/octopus on them and nailed two ling cod within 15 minutes - decent size, but not the jumbo one I was looking for so I released them. Tons of small rockfish. Landed only 1 more Ling, but found a rock holding some fat Cabazons. The only guy I could find to take my photo when I got in had never seen a digital camera before. First click he had the camera backwards. This is the best photo I could get. [/PHP] These fish were fat - the bellies were very heavy after cleaning, full of Octopus and whatever else they could suck up. I also found a few spots that looked like parasites at first, but when I packaged them in the light I figured out they were the tips (1/2") of sea urchin spines. Found then in cheek, belly and back meat. You can get a size comparison on this photo with the 6"Mogambo and the game clip in front of the fish. Lost my kelp anchor late in the day and ended my ability to fish the spots correctly. The next day was tougher, I paddled out the rocks and tried finding the high points without a detailed gps. Finally found a spot that went from 170' to 30' in a 20' span - but current was ripping. In a few spots I would get bit instant, but couldn't stay on them. Had about a 18 lb ling fight me all the way up from 140', then spit the lure out next to the kayak, gave me the fin and then swim away. Ended the day with a few nice rockfish and a few mid-sized lings. I went to LaBuf to fish early morning on Turkey day, but was hammered by Santa Ana winds all night, no sleep. Packed up to leave, but locals said the winds would stop mid-morning. Went out with a makeshift kelp anchor, but it blew until noon and couldn't get bit until then - so much for a quick paddle. Picked up 5 nice Vermillion then booked out of there. Was down there a month ago and picked up this nice Ling Items of note if you go down - don't use the Tecate road, tried it for the first time and half of it is torn up, just hardpacked dirt for 25 miles. Also the owner of the camp/lodging at the PST ramp -Sammy Sanchez - is having some health problems and was in the hospital in Ensenada on both of my trips - keep him your prayers. Leaves the future of the spot in question. Here are two pics at sunrise from opposite directions from my camp at PST. Last edited by greenscales; 11-28-2009 at 11:47 PM.