Double Trifecta, Newport 3-30-17
 

Landwhale and I launched about 6:45 at the USCG/Harbor Patrol beach. A few scattered clouds and a light south wind greeted us. Good tide, incoming the whole morning. Water was stained and 62.5º at launch and 59 when we came in.

We hit the buoy line first as always and worked down along the main channel on the island side. By 8:00 we had hit the end of the boats (northern end) and the end of the fish. In that first hour and change I had a legal and 2 short sandies, a spotty, and a calico. This completed the first Trifecta. In this time I also had an almost legal barracuda (bastard stole my bait and head too) and a short butt. The 3 B's completed the other Trifecta. From about 8:00 to 10:00 when we left I had no more fish and only the occasional bite. Definitely another morning bite.

Hot baits were a 5" sexy mullet Paddlerz on a 3/8oz orange Warbait Slayer head. The other a 3/8oz Coolbaits underspin with a 4" redbone Paddlerz. Hot Sauce for flavor of course.

On a side note, I won't be fishing next week due to a concert I'm going to on Thursday. If you're into bluegrass and jamgrass it's a smoking hot show. Lil Smokies opening for Yonder Mountain String Band. Doors open at 7pm at the Belly Up in Solana Beach.
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3/8oz seems like a light setup for the salt. Are the fish biting higher in the water column or are you waiting a while for it to sink?

It was too light once the wind really kicked up about 8:30. But, we were in less than 15' almost the whole time. And, once the wind did kick up I was casting across the current to give it time to reach the bottom. Shoulda just tied on 1/2oz though.

Good to hear your thoughts on the 1/2. That's the lightest swimbait heads I've purchased recently.

And thanks for sharing the color patterns in your reports. Being a newbie it helps put the pieces together a little easier. ;)

I tend to fish as light as possible in the bays. Part of it comes from the fact that the 4" Paddlerz fit a 3/8oz Slayer head perfectly and the 5" will fit fine too. The other part is because I want to hit the eel grass, but no bury the head in it (very important when you don't have a weedless head too). When the wind kicks up though, the 1/2oz is better.

Thanks for the report AE. I plan on being out there Monday morning. I know you seem to fish that area almost exclusively with artificials; do you ever go with the live bait? One trip out last year the bait barge had squid and it was C&R almost all day long on the spotties and a couple short butts. I hear the barge is back up and running?

Haven't fished meat in a long, long time. But, I'm sure it works great in the harbor. And yes, the bait barge is open again.

Thanks for the report. Nice job on the trifecta's! Haven't been able to get that bass trifecta yet.

I fish almost exclusively 1/4 oz jig heads in a lot of the same areas you fish and seem to have done ok. I think you're right though, when the wind picks up towards the afternoon I'm usually gone already and you would need a heavier jig head at that time.

Thanks again!

Do you fish spinning gear? I could probably barely cast a 1/4oz on my baitcasters. But, I haven't tried in a long time. A decent Spinning outfit is my next major fishing purchase,

Just gotta have the right baitcaster/rod setup. What weight line are you using?

10lb and 17lb CXX. Depends on the bait.

Then you can throw them like a traditional bass rig. 200 sized reel (I love Daiwa Tatulas and Lexas) and a MH/F rod of your choice.

10lbs test on the right casting rig can toss even weightless plastics a decent distance. It's all about the line+reel+rod setup.

I can toss weightless senkos, so that's all I need :)