Best Catches of 2021

[KamWalsh14]

I've noticed it isn't very popular to post recent reports on here for fear of blowing up the bite and being greeted by dozens of cars at the beach on the next trip. I get that and am guilty of withholding on posting on kayak forums too, but I'd like to see what everyone has been quietly catching this past year. Here are my top 5 days on the water in 2021. Light tackle halibut in the South Bay, a couple of shallow water homeguards, and one of those relatively rare days on the water where everyone in the group got to catch something decent. I personally found the Yellowtail fishing to not be as good as last year, but I felt as if I was better able to capitalize on the times in which good numbers of fish were around. Now show me what you guys have caught!

[Gflann]

Two PB’s in ‘21. Spring home guard YT (weighed 38.6# at Dana)followed up with several limits of ground fish and a PB Vermillion (5#).

As for putting recent reports...I never understood that logic. Sure leave out a few details but the reader still has to put in a bunch of work leading up to just putting their kayak on the beach let alone getting out there fishing. Early wake up, negotiating time off from home/work, loading unloading x2, preparing gear etc. It’s not like the general public is going to read it and pounce on your future fish. And if you’re following someone elses report to the T, you’re probably too late anyway. Just nice to share general info But it’s your work, your fish so your choice.

Happy New Year!

[f'nsabiki]

Nice fish for both of you. How did you cook the Vermillion? That fish has grilled whole written all over it.

[AlwaysFishing]

It looked like you have a fantastic year, Kam. Thanks for sharing.

[AlwaysFishing]

Originally Posted by Gflann

Two PB’s in ‘21. Spring home guard YT (weighed 38.6# at Dana)followed up with several limits of ground fish and a PB Vermillion (5#).

As for putting recent reports...I never understood that logic. Sure leave out a few details but the reader still has to put in a bunch of work leading up to just putting their kayak on the beach let alone getting out there fishing. Early wake up, negotiating time off from home/work, loading unloading x2, preparing gear etc. It’s not like the general public is going to read it and pounce on your future fish. And if you’re following someone elses report to the T, you’re probably too late anyway. Just nice to share general info But it’s your work, your fish so your choice.

Happy New Year!

Very nice PBs.
I agreed regarding reports here. I think it's a shamed that we can't share our outings without being ridicule around here. I am not taking about sharing GPS numbers, here. Just the mentioning of the name of a place, like Redondo and some would get all worked up. Some people just think they owned the ocean, I guessed.

[BenCantrell]

Happy New Year everyone! Here's a tour through my 2021 kayak catches. As I'm sure all of you have seen by now, I've been focused on catching different species.

Sablefish from La Jolla - Jan


Pacific sanddab from Dana Point - Feb


Mexican rockfish from La Jolla - Mar


Greenblotched rockfish from La Jolla - Mar


Guaguanche from Sebastian - May


Mangrove snapper from Sebastian - May


Ladyfish from Sebastian - May


Little tunny from Sebastian - May


Blue runner from Sebastian - May


Atlantic bumper from Sebastian - May


Blackear wrasse from Sebastian - May


Porkfish from Fort Pierce - July


Pinfish from Fort Pierce - July


Smooth puffer from Fort Pierce - July


Sand perch from Fort Pierce - July


Mutton snapper from Sebastian - July


Spinner shark from Sebastian - Aug


Mayan cichlid from Sebastian - Aug


Striped bass from New Hampshire - Aug


Masquerader hairy blenny from Sebastian - Sep


Red drum from Sebastian - Oct

[h2ofishfo]

[QUOTE=BenCantrell;316360]Happy New Year everyone! Here's a tour through my 2021 kayak catches. As I'm sure all of you have seen by now, I've been focused on catching different species.

Sablefish from La Jolla - Jan
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50839817797_66837d29f2_c.jpg[/img[/. QUOTE] Sable fish ? Interesting never seen one.

[AlwaysFishing]

Congrats Ben. A nice list of different species.

[Salty]

Some great fish you got there! Here are some of my faves from 2021:
1) Sheephead in La Jolla. This one stands out because of the bait I caught it on- a 7" Spanish Mackerel on a heavy Carolina rig. Was not the target I was hoping for, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless! Released after the pic

2) Black Sea Bass in Dana Point. Catch these fairly frequently further south in LJ and off the boat around San Mateo Point, but this one was a surprise because of where I caught it- at the edge of the canyon NW of Dana Point. happened to hook a few energetic greenbacks on a jig and pinned them to my flyline and Carolina rig. This guy bit off the bottom after a pod of dolphins cruised by. Also released after the pic

3) Bluefin Tuna from the 277. Do a lot of tuna fishing when they come within range of our boat. This one was special because after trying to get my cousin on the boat all year, we finally got him on board and found the tuna foaming only a handful of miles from the harbor. This is the first one we landed together. They liked the 60g Colt Sniper. Made into vacuum-sealed fillets after the pic

Hope this year brings you all lots of tight lines! My Resolution this year is to land my first WSB from the kayak....

[JohnMckroidJr]

Nice Halibuts and Yellowtails Kam! Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your totals. Perhaps 2022 will be the year you get the WSB to round out the slam?


GFlann - That 38lb mossback was awesome! Congrats again. Some day I would like to upgrade my PB to that! I agree with you regarding the fishing reports -- logistically kayak angling is 5x the preparation of going on a headboat, so why not share more reports?


Ben - well done on the life list! Your photos look great! As a kid we would catch big sablefish on the rockcod grounds off Redondo.

Salty, thanks for sharing your catches. That BSB was a monster! I never took a BSB when I lived in SoCal, Glad to see them coming back.

[JohnMckroidJr]

2021 logged 51 trips which are the most/yr since I started kayak fishing in 2014. Lacking any new species, personal bests, African Pompano, Cobia, Grouper, and generally less big fish of all species, 2021 was less satisfying. Florida is blessed with a huge variety of species, below is a sample of some taken on the kayak last year.


2021 was the first year that I took a Jumbo(12-32lb) Blackfin Tuna on a Yozuri minnow. Prior years harvest was 6-10 months of the year, 2021 had Blackfin every month, though most were small footballs.


2021 was the first full year investing significant time with slow pitch jigs. They are deadly – easier to hook fish and incapacitating when multiple hooks sink in creating a tractor beam effect. They produced my first double on Blackfin tuna.


Many SE kayak anglers have not taken an Atlantic Bonita, they are taken during the colder months, usually down deep with a vertical jig.


Little Tunny AKA False Albacore is one of the most abundant species in SE Florida. Most Floridians call them Bonito as the Atlantic Bonito are less common. They are considered excellent bait and poor table fare. Sometimes during the summer, they get so thick that one can get hit every other drop for hours on end using a vertical jig. Thanks to Fisherman’s Belly, I tried Little Tunny Poke. Since then I started harvesting them periodically for Poke – Delicious!


In 2021 I missed the April spawn but landed a few big Amberjacks throughout the year. Having swallowed the hook, one was harvested, a half dozen released.


Unlike the monster Almaco Jacks mistakenly called Amberjacks off Panama, The Almacos taken off SE Florida are mostly 3-8lbs with a big one being 15+lbs. Almacos are distinguished from Amberjacks by the larger hooked second dorsal fin.


Yellow Jacks are the most colorful of the Jacks taken off Florida. They are typically 1-6lbs with a big one being over 15lbs. They are good eating.


Bar Jacks can be good eating if they are harvested away from sewage outfalls where they are known to feed on the particulate. They rarely get over a pound and are my go-to backup bait when Goggle Eyes, Speedos, Small Little Tunnies, and Blue Runners are scarce.


Rainbow Runners are one of the most colorful fish taken off Florida. Most are only a few pounds and a big one is over 10lbs.


Barracudas are a sure-fire catch on a deep trolled bait off anywhere that has wrecks in 100ft. They are frequently a spoiler catch and a means of preventing a skunk trip.


Barracudas mauled more catches than sharks did in 2021.


2021 was another slow year for Dolphin fish, so much so that FWC is planning to drop the limit from 10 fish per person to 5 fish per person and from 60 fish per vessel to 30 fish limit per vessel. The Gulf steam where 60 fish limits are sometimes taken is out of kayak range. Any day a kayaker gets one is a nice day, and Last year was only a few.


Typically catch four sails over the course of the year on stinger rigs while targeting other species. In 2021, I had half that but took my first sail on a fresh squid.


Spanish Macks are a nuisance fish while targeting bait before sunrise. They will destroy a sabiki in minutes and re-rigging in the dark consumes precious bait fishing time.


In 2021 I started making my own wire leader assist hooks for vertical jigs and it paid off. The top right bit off spectra assist is what can happen when only one of the two assists is made with wire.


In 2021 I invest more time using tuna tubes – fishing Little Tunny to target trophy fish. I did not connect with any big monsters like in 2020 but did find some nicer-grade King Mackerel.


Wahoo is the Holy Grail for most SE Florida offshore Kayak anglers. Although 2021Â’s hoo was my smallest to date, I was still stoked to land one.

[BenCantrell]

Originally Posted by Salty

2) Black Sea Bass in Dana Point. Catch these fairly frequently further south in LJ and off the boat around San Mateo Point, but this one was a surprise because of where I caught it- at the edge of the canyon NW of Dana Point. happened to hook a few energetic greenbacks on a jig and pinned them to my flyline and Carolina rig. This guy bit off the bottom after a pod of dolphins cruised by. Also released after the pic

That is a REALLY cool catch!

Originally Posted by JohnMckroidJr

2021 logged 51 trips which are the most/yr since I started kayak fishing in 2014.

Very impressive getting out that many times! That Atlantic bonita is an interesting catch. Didn't really know they were down here. And of course the rainbow runner, mahi, sailfish, and wahoo all have me drooling.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by BenCantrell

That is a REALLY cool catch!



Very impressive getting out that many times! That Atlantic bonita is an interesting catch. Didn't really know they were down here. And of course the rainbow runner, mahi, sailfish, and wahoo all have me drooling.

I fished hardcore last year. Due to the warmth of the water, I did not think Atlantic Bonito would be down this south either. I had never seen them reported on any sport boats, and it was several years before I stumbled upon taking one. Since then, I have noted the Pacific version is sometimes taken off Hawaii. During cooler water periods or if the species stays deep, it can inhabit warmer latitudes. Same goes for the greenback mackerel. Identical looking to the Pacific Mackerel, I will sometimes catch an Atlantic Mackerl down deep. Locally they are called Tinker Mackerels.

[KamWalsh14]

That's some incredible fishing! Makes me jealous that great fish like Barracuda and False Albacore are considered consolation fishes over there! The cudas there definitely beat the ones we have here. I have to do some kayak fishing down there one of these days.

[BenCantrell]

Originally Posted by KamWalsh14

That's some incredible fishing! Makes me jealous that great fish like Barracuda and False Albacore are considered consolation fishes over there! The cudas there definitely beat the ones we have here. I have to do some kayak fishing down there one of these days.

Anything John catches could eat anything I catch.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by KamWalsh14

That's some incredible fishing! Makes me jealous that great fish like Barracuda and False Albacore are considered consolation fishes over there! The cudas there definitely beat the ones we have here. I have to do some kayak fishing down there one of these days.

Thanks, Kam, Cudas, and False Albacore are definitely two of the most undervalued fish off SE Florida. The Cuda's big teeth and generally bigger stockier size does make them more impressive than their Pacific cousins. Due to the fact that they often eat coral-dwelling fish, They do carry a risk of ciguatera. One test is to put a piece out for the ants, and if they eat it, it's safe to eat. I generally don't harvest them as there are many better-eating fishes to take instead. Barracuda ciguatera incidents are rare in Florida. If you ever make it down to SE Florida, Pm me.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by BenCantrell

Anything John catches could eat anything I catch.

LOL... Sometimes true, but probably because Ben is frequently using a Sabiki.
Sabiki's are an awesome tool for expanding one's fish catch life-list.
Speaking of which last time out, I hit the wrecks looking for bait and took both a Yellowjack and a Rainbow Runner on the Sabiki. The Yellowjack was too big for bait, but the Rainbow Runner caught a Barracuda later that day. If those are still on your list? Take a trip South Ben.

[Caseym]

Originally Posted by Gflann

Two PB’s in ‘21. Spring home guard YT (weighed 38.6# at Dana)followed up with several limits of ground fish and a PB Vermillion (5#).

As for putting recent reports...I never understood that logic. Sure leave out a few details but the reader still has to put in a bunch of work leading up to just putting their kayak on the beach let alone getting out there fishing. Early wake up, negotiating time off from home/work, loading unloading x2, preparing gear etc. It’s not like the general public is going to read it and pounce on your future fish. And if you’re following someone elses report to the T, you’re probably too late anyway. Just nice to share general info But it’s your work, your fish so your choice.

Happy New Year!

You’d be surprised to see how fast word travels. This site is not an isolated group of dedicated kayakers who can sometimes break free…we are social beings who read other sites, boat fish and share info. Plus there are non kayak guys who read the sites for dope. Case in point…4 years ago two kayakers scored on yt’s and posted epic pics in here. Guys in bdecks licked it up and within 24 hours there were 136 boats…plus a slew of kayakers off the point in LJ. It’s insidious.
We’re all hungry for the score, we’re competitive by nature (just drive anywhere in SoCal these days) and everyone of us loves the idea of going out in search and coming home with a trophy. With dwindling stocks….I get why people
Don’t post.

[katchfish]

Impressive and inspirational catches gentlemen!👨🏻X🍳

[icelogger]

Nice catches guys!