Dana Pt, 7-5-11 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Amish Ed · 07-06-2011, 10:39 AM

Launched at 5:20am to a slight breeze out of the NW and headed straight for the Pipe. Water was a balmy 69º and kinda dirty. Spent almost the whole morning fishing in around 50-45'. The bite was just a pick all morning until about 9am when it shut off like a light. Maybe 3 bites from 9-10:30 and I worked a much bigger section of pipe too. Finished the morning with about 25 bass, about 50/50 sand to plaid. No one bait ever produced much with 5.5" Big Hammer, 3" Flurry, and MC drop shot bait doing the grunt work. At one point I saw a BIG bass chasing bait, but I couldn't get turned around in time to fire a cast. I did manage 3 fish out of the same spot in 3 casts though. Nothing big for the morning, biggest was maybe 3.5lbs. Most were running in the 2lb range though.

High lights were watching a thresher and a pod (maybe 100) of Common Dolphin working over all the bait in the area. Sun came out of the tropical clouds off and on and the wind picked up around 9, but wasn't too strong. Finally called it a day around 10:30 and headed in.

I should also mention that I was covered in flies. Picked up about a 100 of the bastards off the end of the jetty and spent the whole morning killing them. It was supremely annoying. I'd set the hook and flies would take off in all directions, only to return with in seconds. It was probably 9:30 before I had killed enough of them to not be annoyed.

T Bone · 07-06-2011, 12:36 PM

Sounds like fun.Where is the pipe in relation to the harbor mouth?

joshg · 07-06-2011, 12:50 PM

Sounds fun!

DanaPT · 07-06-2011, 01:27 PM

I launched south of the jetty and made my way towards the "pipe" around 2:30. The wind peaked around 5 and then began to glass-off. I was off the water by 7 ish it looked really nice.

wind was tough at the peak and way too many jet-skiers. Between them and the wind, it was war at sea. It was fishy. I managed bait, bigger macks killing my hammer and a single calico. It was impossible to stay put and fish an area.

I made my way into the harbor by the bait barge for a couple of raked bait and one 12 in halibut safely released.

I too would like to know where the pipe is. I drifted well south of the creek outlet looking for "structure" on the FF.

COordinates please?

Didn't mean to hijack the original report, his is better than mine.

Deamon · 07-06-2011, 01:27 PM

25 bass in a few hours? Yeah baby...

Amish Ed · 07-06-2011, 09:43 PM

The Pipe is pretty easy to find, if you know where to look. Head out of the harbor and paddle to the red buoy that's straight ahead. Then hang a right at it and head out. There is 2 barber poles about a mile out. Line up the one on the left with the red buoy and you'll find the Pipe. Problem is it's hard to see the barber poles from the red buoy. Pre-GPS I'd paddle out at an angle to the buoy to about 45' then bear left until I came up on the Pipe. It comes up about 10' so it's easy to see on the meter. Once you find it it's easy to work out land marks for yourself. Just remember, Red Buoy and left hand Barber Pole and you'll find it.

StinkyMatt · 07-06-2011, 10:24 PM

Ed, thanks for the detailed report as always. Lots of folks on here learning a lot from you.

07-06-2011, 10:39 AM	#1
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	Dana Pt, 7-5-11 Launched at 5:20am to a slight breeze out of the NW and headed straight for the Pipe. Water was a balmy 69º and kinda dirty. Spent almost the whole morning fishing in around 50-45'. The bite was just a pick all morning until about 9am when it shut off like a light. Maybe 3 bites from 9-10:30 and I worked a much bigger section of pipe too. Finished the morning with about 25 bass, about 50/50 sand to plaid. No one bait ever produced much with 5.5" Big Hammer, 3" Flurry, and MC drop shot bait doing the grunt work. At one point I saw a BIG bass chasing bait, but I couldn't get turned around in time to fire a cast. I did manage 3 fish out of the same spot in 3 casts though. Nothing big for the morning, biggest was maybe 3.5lbs. Most were running in the 2lb range though. High lights were watching a thresher and a pod (maybe 100) of Common Dolphin working over all the bait in the area. Sun came out of the tropical clouds off and on and the wind picked up around 9, but wasn't too strong. Finally called it a day around 10:30 and headed in. I should also mention that I was covered in flies. Picked up about a 100 of the bastards off the end of the jetty and spent the whole morning killing them. It was supremely annoying. I'd set the hook and flies would take off in all directions, only to return with in seconds. It was probably 9:30 before I had killed enough of them to not be annoyed. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

07-06-2011, 12:36 PM	#2
T Bone Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Redlands CA Posts: 871	Sounds like fun.Where is the pipe in relation to the harbor mouth? __________________ Barachit Baralah,Elohim-In the beginning,God-Genesis 1:1 "Who among you,if your son asked for a fish would give them a serpent " Jesus Matt. 7:10

07-06-2011, 01:27 PM	#4
DanaPT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: South OC Posts: 1,605	my 2 cents on 7/5 the pm shift in Dana Point. . . I launched south of the jetty and made my way towards the "pipe" around 2:30. The wind peaked around 5 and then began to glass-off. I was off the water by 7 ish it looked really nice. wind was tough at the peak and way too many jet-skiers. Between them and the wind, it was war at sea. It was fishy. I managed bait, bigger macks killing my hammer and a single calico. It was impossible to stay put and fish an area. I made my way into the harbor by the bait barge for a couple of raked bait and one 12 in halibut safely released. I too would like to know where the pipe is. I drifted well south of the creek outlet looking for "structure" on the FF. COordinates please? Didn't mean to hijack the original report, his is better than mine.

07-06-2011, 09:43 PM	#6
Amish Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 1,903	The Pipe is pretty easy to find, if you know where to look. Head out of the harbor and paddle to the red buoy that's straight ahead. Then hang a right at it and head out. There is 2 barber poles about a mile out. Line up the one on the left with the red buoy and you'll find the Pipe. Problem is it's hard to see the barber poles from the red buoy. Pre-GPS I'd paddle out at an angle to the buoy to about 45' then bear left until I came up on the Pipe. It comes up about 10' so it's easy to see on the meter. Once you find it it's easy to work out land marks for yourself. Just remember, Red Buoy and left hand Barber Pole and you'll find it. __________________ Amish Ed You can't catch it again if it's dead!

07-06-2011, 12:50 PM	#3
joshg Junior Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 18	Sounds fun!

07-06-2011, 01:27 PM	#5
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	25 bass in a few hours? Yeah baby...

07-06-2011, 10:24 PM	#7
StinkyMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Under a bridge Posts: 2,169	Ed, thanks for the detailed report as always. Lots of folks on here learning a lot from you.