Dana Point 4/17 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

BrokeLoser · 04-18-2011, 12:49 PM

Was suppose to be sunny and 78 degrees with 5-10 mph wind and 1-2 foot swells. Instead it was foggy and gloomy, low 60's with 15-20 mph wind and outside the jetti was like being in a washing machine...or paddling out into the Bering Sea so we were confined to the harbor along with 15 or so other yackers. We caught zero fish and I didn't see anyone hook anything all day..I may have seen 10 fish on the meter in the 6 hours we were there..My second time being totally skunked in the ocean and both times at DP..hmmm...I guess I need to re-think fishing there.

flydigital · 04-18-2011, 02:35 PM

Yep, no fish in Dana...

Amish Ed · 04-18-2011, 03:05 PM

Dana holds lots of fish outside, inside not so much. In the summer there's some legal butts, but this time of year it's a dead zone. Where'd you fish last time?

BrokeLoser · 04-18-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amish Ed

Dana holds lots of fish outside, inside not so much. In the summer there's some legal butts, but this time of year it's a dead zone. Where'd you fish last time?

We fished north of the jetti...the kelp beds up by the rock and the headlands (I think they call it). We drifted the 'trap line' coming back and then drifted Doheny for awhile.

Amish Ed · 04-18-2011, 04:12 PM

Yeah I've been skunked fishing the headlands a few times myself. Try the pipe, Doheny in tight by the river mouth (for Butts) and south of Doheny starting where Capo reef is (sticks out at low tide). Lots of scattered rocks down there.

BrokeLoser · 04-18-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amish Ed

Yeah I've been skunked fishing the headlands a few times myself. Try the pipe, Doheny in tight by the river mouth (for Butts) and south of Doheny starting where Capo reef is (sticks out at low tide). Lots of scattered rocks down there.

Thanks for the tip Amish Ed
We did fish the Doheny river mouth but never made it down to the start of Capo as the wind was blowing a bit from the north and we were tired by then..haha

Amish Ed · 04-18-2011, 04:43 PM

Dana gets its wind, that's for sure. I try to start in by 11am to avoid the worst, but then I usually launch at sunrise or earlier.

fishsouthcounty · 04-18-2011, 07:55 PM

Looks like it was a good thing i wasnt able to make it Wayne. I had to go out to San Clemente before work at about 1030 to help a friend and saw the crappy conditions crossing the creek on PCH. Bummer on the 2nd skunk outta DP. Need some more consistent warm weather then it should pick up.

BrokeLoser · 04-18-2011, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishsouthcounty

Looks like it was a good thing i wasnt able to make it Wayne. I had to go out to San Clemente before work at about 1030 to help a friend and saw the crappy conditions crossing the creek on PCH. Bummer on the 2nd skunk outta DP. Need some more consistent warm weather then it should pick up.

Yeah for sure...the first thing I thought of was Tim isn't missing out on anything..haha
I'll keep an eye on the fish counts and weather reports and wait for consistent EPIC conditions..then I'll go...haha

flydigital · 04-19-2011, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokeLoser

Yeah for sure...the first thing I thought of was Tim isn't missing out on anything..haha
I'll keep an eye on the fish counts and weather reports and wait for consistent EPIC conditions..then I'll go...haha

Seriously, DP has some great fishing but like any place it can be finicky. Your chances any day are just as good as another. For consistent action, look for water temps in or near the 70s where you can get on just about anything at any depth (summer).

Right now we are in a transition phase, and if you do a little homework you can find an abundance of certain species doing their annual thing. Easy pickings.

DanaPT · 04-19-2011, 07:47 PM

Just drove by Salt Creek to check out the surf. Noticed a "little" bird activity. Actually is was a pretty awesome sight of the pelicans diving into a ball of bait over and over again for about 15-20 minutes (as I left it was still going on).

That was an exciting thing to see. Hopefully Dana Point will turn on as the water warms up a bit.

mtnbykr2 · 04-20-2011, 08:17 AM

Ahh, DP,
Finicky is right but hold on to your hats, it will go off here shortly, Tim keep at it, when the water temp comes up it will be good, I would like to fish with you guys when the bite is on, which will be soon...

As Gino always used to say "no fish in Dana"....b

sammysamsam · 04-22-2011, 04:19 PM

next week looks like its gonna bet hot.

fishsouthcounty · 04-23-2011, 12:10 PM

yaaaa....ill probably be heading out on my days off. thursday and saturday if anyone wants to meet up and get out of DP.

flydigital · 04-23-2011, 04:02 PM

The harbor is pretty fish right now for short and barely legal halibut. Was out today for a few hours with my son, we got on a few. Its warming up...

PapaDave · 04-26-2011, 09:09 PM

I should be out there on Saturday to try my luck. HopefullyI will see a couple of you there.

BrokeLoser · 04-26-2011, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapaDCh

I should be out there on Saturday to try my luck. HopefullyI will see a couple of you there.

What area(s) do you plan to fish?

04-18-2011, 12:49 PM	#1
BrokeLoser Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Corona, CA Posts: 472	Dana Point 4/17 Was suppose to be sunny and 78 degrees with 5-10 mph wind and 1-2 foot swells. Instead it was foggy and gloomy, low 60's with 15-20 mph wind and outside the jetti was like being in a washing machine...or paddling out into the Bering Sea so we were confined to the harbor along with 15 or so other yackers. We caught zero fish and I didn't see anyone hook anything all day..I may have seen 10 fish on the meter in the 6 hours we were there..My second time being totally skunked in the ocean and both times at DP..hmmm...I guess I need to re-think fishing there.

04-18-2011, 03:05 PM	#3
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Dana holds lots of fish outside, inside not so much. In the summer there's some legal butts, but this time of year it's a dead zone. Where'd you fish last time? __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

04-18-2011, 04:12 PM	#5
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Yeah I've been skunked fishing the headlands a few times myself. Try the pipe, Doheny in tight by the river mouth (for Butts) and south of Doheny starting where Capo reef is (sticks out at low tide). Lots of scattered rocks down there. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

04-18-2011, 04:43 PM	#7
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Dana gets its wind, that's for sure. I try to start in by 11am to avoid the worst, but then I usually launch at sunrise or earlier. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

04-19-2011, 07:47 PM	#11
DanaPT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South OC Posts: 1,605	Dana point 4/19 . . . Just drove by Salt Creek to check out the surf. Noticed a "little" bird activity. Actually is was a pretty awesome sight of the pelicans diving into a ball of bait over and over again for about 15-20 minutes (as I left it was still going on). That was an exciting thing to see. Hopefully Dana Point will turn on as the water warms up a bit.

04-18-2011, 02:35 PM	#2
flydigital Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 192	Yep, no fish in Dana...

04-18-2011, 07:55 PM	#8
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	Looks like it was a good thing i wasnt able to make it Wayne. I had to go out to San Clemente before work at about 1030 to help a friend and saw the crappy conditions crossing the creek on PCH. Bummer on the 2nd skunk outta DP. Need some more consistent warm weather then it should pick up.

04-20-2011, 08:17 AM	#12
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	Ahh, DP, Finicky is right but hold on to your hats, it will go off here shortly, Tim keep at it, when the water temp comes up it will be good, I would like to fish with you guys when the bite is on, which will be soon... As Gino always used to say "no fish in Dana"....b

04-22-2011, 04:19 PM	#13
sammysamsam Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: whittier Posts: 158	next week looks like its gonna bet hot.

04-23-2011, 12:10 PM	#14
fishsouthcounty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Juan Capistrano, Ca Posts: 518	yaaaa....ill probably be heading out on my days off. thursday and saturday if anyone wants to meet up and get out of DP.

04-23-2011, 04:02 PM	#15
flydigital Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 192	The harbor is pretty fish right now for short and barely legal halibut. Was out today for a few hours with my son, we got on a few. Its warming up...

04-26-2011, 09:09 PM	#16
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,463	I should be out there on Saturday to try my luck. HopefullyI will see a couple of you there.