so. Cal info?

[HFT]

I am going to be in L.A. 7,8,9 . probably just get to fish on the 8th. I was thinking of fishing the jetty at marina del ray unless somebody has a better suggestion? looking for salt water,no party boat.
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[releaseit]

Davy Jones rents little skiffs with live bait for some bay and jetti action. There down in Newport Beach/Balboa Island.

Pretty cool[cool]
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[JapanRon]

Hey there HFT,

MDR harbor has a number of rocks and jettys where fishing is posted as allowed but they are really tough now and the cops in a boat don't really care what the parks and recreation signs say.

Any special reason you considered MDR area? If I were you, I'd check with the local bait shops to see where the action is as good fishing can be here today and another place tomorrow during the winter.

A certain weekly fishing paper might be a good source of info besides us and bait shops and they are widely avaliable.

If you're down in the South Bay area be sure to hit the Big Fish Bait and Tackle shop! It's at 1780 Pacific Coast Highway telephone562)431-0723

Good luck and hope to hear from you when you get in town. Might have some hot info!!!

JapanRon
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[tubeN2]

Give us a holler when you get down here. I have a few tackle shops around here that have their guys giving regular reports for what's good and where. I'll PM you with my phone number so you can call me.
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[hookedchica]

Thanks for the info guys. davey jones? is that were the power plant dumps hot water out and the Bonita stay all year? I fished there 2 years ago on the jetty, just caught a bunch of little blue gill size fish in the rocks but it was still fun, should have rented a boat.

MDR I fished the same year and caught 3 Barracuda on crank baits,I think I like that place more for the Itialian resturant I eat at when done fishing. But it is a pain casting between boats.

I love salt water! you just never Know what will be on the end of your line.

Last time I fished there I bought a license just to find out after, I did not need one to fish the jetty is that still the case?
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[releaseit]

[size 2]That's San Onofre I believe your thinking about. Davy's Jones is in Orange County, Southern California in the Newport Beach area. Winter fish is usually pretty light but during summer you can hit alot of bass and halibut.[/size]
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[HFT]

Hookedchica was actually HFT I did not know she changed it.

This place was about half way between LA and Sandiago. it has been 10 yrs since I went to Newport beach maybe I should check it out.
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[releaseit]

[size 2]Sounds about right. Nuclear Power plant put out hot exhaust into ocean which keeps water warm.[][/size]

[size 2] I read a report years ago about some species that hang out there year round that normally would move farther south.[shocked][/size]

[size 2] I also saw an old pic of a fish with two tales! Of course all the activist were trying to say it was due to some radioactive waste being released over time resulting in mutation.[shocked][/size]

[size 2] But when the water is tested it is fine.[cool][/size]
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[HFT]

Fish with 2 Tails! How Cool is that.

like I said you just never know what you'll catch.

one more question what is the best bait? I use shrimp in florida and texas but it always seems to be Squid or anchovey in california.

is there more squid and anchovey food base and less shrimp?
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[JapanRon]

Hey there HFT,

For beach and shore fishing there's not much better bait than ghost shrimp, especially for those varied surf perch and corbina. Squid is the ticket if you can get it for the near shore. The sporties all have it but I'm not sure about anything but the receivers. There are receivers in Newport, Long Beach and San Pedro.

Blood worms (imported from Korea!) are pretty good for the surf fishies too.

Your freshwater bass gear ought to be fun for the small bay bass, etc. haunting the harbors of the south coast like Newport/Dana Point jettys, docks, and piers. Lots of options.

JapanRon
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[HFT]

Awsome !

I plan to use a 7' 6-15lb rod, 8lb line with a 17lb leader. Hope somthing beats up on me.
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[releaseit]

[size 2]JR covered it pretty well but I wouldn't forget mussels. Make sure to get string and/or nylons if using that though.[/size]

[size 2]Strips of squid seem to work year round for me but corbina love that shrimp! Sunset Beach and Huntington Beach State Parks have some good shore fishing[][/size]

[size 2]Seal Beach Pier and Huntington Beach Pier get off and on good halibut fishing near shore. Usually there using mussels but I have seen them hit on Shrimp and razor clams.[/size]

[size 2] Hope that helps[][/size]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]Hey, James, just for grins you should bring your fairy wand and some feathers for the surf fishies. There are many areas up and down the coast where surf conditions are ideal for fishing flies in the shallow troughs and holes.[/size]

[size 1]If you hit it right, you can catch some porky surf perch and the occasional corbina. I have also taken some decent halibut in pretty skinny water, on streamer flies.[/size]

[size 1]PM me and I can give you some specifics on lines, leaders and flies...and some of the better beaches over which to wave your magic wand.[/size]
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[HFT]

I love to fly fish but have never had fun with the fly rod in salt water.

Maddawg is going with me he does not own a spin rod I will tell him of the fly fishing. How about the name of a couple of the streamers so I can get an idea of the type of bugs to tie?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]It's not so much specific patterns as what colors and sizes. Much of what the surf fishes feed on is in shades of greens, greys, browns and some orange highlights. Big green nymphs, small green wooly buggers (with some sparkle) and some small streamers in gold, silver, white or even black.[/size]

[size 1]If you are trying to simulate the small green sand worms, they are a pale translucent green. Candy for perch and corbina. A lot of the fish are in hunting the little sand crabs...which are from a half inch to an inch and a half...light grey with some orange egg sacks in season. [/size]

[size 1]A six weight with a full sink line will get the job done. No fancy leaders...just six feet of level four or six pound test. No long casts either. If the fish are in, they will be within a few feet of the water's edge a lot of times. Sometimes you might have to roll out a thirty or forty footer, but usually a couple of rod lengths will do it.[/size]

[size 1]It is interesting to play with flies in the surf. Sometimes you just let the waves move the flies around and wait for a freight train to pick them up and run off. Other times, in slower moving water, you use a nymphing strip, and the hits will be anything from a tick to a smash.[/size]

[size 1]When imitating sand crabs, a good tactic is to just let the fly hang in the current, as a the surge goes out. Sand crabs hang there and try to dig back in when they have been dislodged. The fish are used to eating on the run, as they move in and out with the waves. They will grab the hanging fly going away and just about take the rod out of your hands.[/size]

[size 1]Don't be afraid to try some exotic colors...like bright whites, chartreuse or hot pink. Sometimes these colors are necessary in murky water...or in the cooler waters of winter. [/size]

[size 1]I used to throw a lot of spinners and small spoons in the surf too. Caught lots of nice barred surf perch on hardware...and bunches of halibuts. These days, some of the new plastic "swimbaits"...like Big Hammers...are very popular with the surf fishing crowd. It is amazing how many species you can rack up sometimes fishing an area that has both sand and rocks within casting distance from shore.[/size]

[size 1]I have lived and fished along the entire California coast...from San Diego to Crescent City. Let me know where you are going to be based, and I can make some specific recommendations on places to go. Of course, as always, the potential is going to be affected by the weather. You will have to get JapanRon to take care of ordering good weather for you.[/size]
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[HFT]

I think you just talked me into taking the fly rod along. I will be staying in Burbank.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]The local guys might have other opinions, but I think I would suggest going north, rather than south. Come down 10 to MDR area and then follow the coast line. Anytime after Malibu, start looking for clean water with minimum surf, and hip hop your way up the coast. Stop and fish wherever you can park and fish safely, and keep moving until you find action.[/size]

[size 1]There is a long stretch of sandy beach between Malibu and Oxnard that always produced for me, both with spinning tackle and fly rods. If you have the time and want some nice scenery, go on up to Santa Barbara and fish the protected waters either in Carpinteria, near the rocks, or off the beach near famous Stearn's Wharf.[/size]

[size 1]Once you Leave Oxnard and Ventura, the fishing improves and the traffic decreases. This time of year you will find long stretches of beach with nobody besides yourself using them.[/size]

[size 1]Oh yeah, there are several fishing piers along the coast that help the shorebound angler get out into deeper water. The action is not as fast in the winter, but you can usually count on some good perch, often some big jacksmelt and frequently some stray bass or halibut...depending on the bottom and the weather. Plenty of bait shops to help you with info and bait.[/size]

[size 1]If nothing else, go fishing for crabs off the piers. I used to get a big ball of monofilament and tie in a hook and sinker. Stick a piece of bait on it (anchovy or other cut bait) and sail it out away from where the pier fishermen can reach with their drop nets. When your rod tip starts throbbing with a crab working your bait over, just pick up the rod and reel steadily until you can swing the entangled crab up over the rail.[/size]

[size 1]Man...now I wish I was going with ya.[/size]
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[releaseit]

[size 2]Ventura Pier can be good for halibut just past break at high tide on mussels or shrimp[cool][/size]
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