976-KayakJan 4/6/09

I headed out for my first kayak fishing of the year yesterday. I arrived at the DP Kayak Center at 6:10 a.m. to set up my gear. The temperature was predicted to be 78 degrees; however, it was only 49 degrees at this early hour. That meant bundling up in layers so they could “easily” be peeled off and stowed below deck as the day warmed.

I uncovered my kayak and took it off the rack for the first time since November. What a surprise to find that I had left a couple tackle boxes inside, one with Gulp Jerk Shads (http://www.berkley-fishing.com/cat.php?k=44157) inside. I rolled my kayak to my truck to load gear. I attached the fish finder, battery, rod holders, bait tank, seat, paddle, leashes, cutters then loaded tackle boxes, rods, fish holder, net and gaff. Whew! I forgot how much set-up is required and I was totally disorganized. I hope I get better as the season goes on.

Time to put on my fishing license, hat, glasses, jacket, booties, and personal floatation vest (packed with my SPOT satellite messenger, camera, marine radio, Kleenex & Chap Stick). Then I rolled my fully loaded kayak to the dock and slid it in the water, attached the peddles, put the rudder down, turned on the fish finder, SPOT and marine radio and hopped in. About half way through this process my fishing buddy, Tim, and his friend, Mark, arrived.

Tim was fishing the new Hobie Pro Angler because he said he liked fishing in comfort. Tim quickly dropped it in the water (fully loaded) and headed to the bait receiver. Of course he has the advantage of being able to set up his kayak the day before and just lock it up inside the shop the night before.

We were on the water at 7 a.m. and encountered light chop as we left the harbor. A 5.1 foot high tide was due at 7:43 a.m. The wind was off-shore at about 6 knots.

Within 45 minutes (right at high tide) the wind abated and the seas calmed. By 11 a.m. it was time to remove the jacket. The seas were glassy and Catalina was visible on the horizon in one direction and Saddleback Mountain the other. A school of dolphin lazily swam by me and shortly after a grey whale breached 50 feet from Tim and Mark. The sea lions, with a fresh batch of young, frolicked around the buoy and in every direction you looked (not that sea lions are good).

Buoy at Headlands with Catalina Island on Horizon

Saddleback Mountain over Hills above the Strand

I fished the Gulp Jerk Shad on a ½ ounce Sledhead weedless. Tim was fishing sardines. We fished along the outside of the breakwater on the way to the headlands and on towards the strand. I wish I could say the catching was good but it wasn’t, however, the fishing was fun. I got slammed twice along the breakwater when I cast my bait at the base of the wall. I’m sure they were calicos because they fought hard until they bit through the Gulp. Alas, they weren’t hooked – just holding on to the Gulp. I wonder if it was because I rigged it weedless? This is Jimmy Decker’s recommendation for fishing in-shore. Time will tell.

Gulp Jerk Shad on Sledhead

Breakwater

Tim in the Pro Angler

There was a 2 knot current screaming south at the headlands. The water was crystal clear so I could see the kelp strands down to about 30 feet. The thick canopy of kelp we had last year wasn’t visible. I don’t know if it was because of the current or some other reason. I did get a chance to use my new kayak tether that I bought at the Long Beach Tackle Show. It’s a six foot piece of plastic tubing around spectra rope with a clamp at one end and a clip and buoy at the other. I connected the tether to my kayak and the clamp to a small kelp strand. It worked like a charm and I didn’t have all the kelp and kelp bugs inside my kayak that I used to have when I tied the kelp around a rod holder.

I had many short bites during the day and loads of fish following my bait to the surface grabbing and letting go – mostly little guys. After I had two leadheads in a row cut off, I finally hooked what I suspected was cutting me off – a short barracuda. That was the only fish I landed all day.

Mark headed in early. Tim and I worked our way back beginning around 12:30 p.m. The wind had come up and the seas were choppy but still not bad.

Afternoon Waters

We were able to coast back with the 2 knot south flowing current until we got to the harbor at 1:30 where the tide was still going out towards its low of -0.3 feet at 2:07 p.m.; then we had to peddle back into the harbor.

We called it a good day on the water – good fishing with lousy catching. A nice cold beverage under cloudless skies in 80 degree weather made clean-up duties a breeze. Not a bad day!