Last day of fishing the now closed Scripps area - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Aaron&Julie · 01-01-2012, 10:36 AM

Yesterday was the last day to fish the now closed areas brought about by the MLPA.
We arrived in the dark, about 5:45AM, and landed at the launch in the dark, about 5:45PM.
Gorgeous day out, flat ocean, little or no wind, and tiny surf for launching and landing, although upon landing we did time (in the dark) it wrong, like we are so good at, at finding the biggest wave. Only about a 2 footer, Julie rode it in, I decided to back up and wait, which rewarded me with a big splash of seawater to the back.
Made plenty of macks just past the south buoy markers, then started to fish.
Lots of PBers and yaks out today mostly concentrated outside of the kelp and in front of the condo, the area I was told, where the yellows went off a week and a half ago (12/21 & 12/22). We can’t imagine what it will be like, when this area is the only place you’re allowed to fish this summer.
We made a pass through the area, then went outside of the group and a little north. Still nothing, so we went back to the kelp line to try for taco meat on cut squid. We managed 1 calico bass, and 1 brown rockfish.
Our plan for the day was to drift for halibut by Scripps pier, and maybe locate the spot in the Scripps canyon, where MattRabasco nailed some goats a couple of days ago. Both of these areas are now closed, thanks to the MLPA. The year Julie caught her world record halibut, sorry to say, we lost 3 halibut, in a 3 week span, on gaff, in the area we drifted yesterday. I did not hit the sweet spot and they went mental, but I’ve learned. A conservative estimate on their weights 25lbs, 40lbs, 60lbs, +/- 5lbs on the first 2, +/- 10lbs on the last one, which would easily have broken Julie’s Women’s world record. I should know I put the gaff in both, and we both saw it.
No love from the halibut. We don’t have a fish finder, but knew about where the Scripps canyon was located. After bouncing the 10oz halibut rig, we finally located the canyon. With less than an hour ‘til dark, we located, where we think the goats were caught, but only managed 3 more small Reds.

Here’s our taco meat photo for the day:

>

With daylight fading, we started the paddle back, both of us talking about how we would never be likely to ever fish these spots again. We were saddened and angry.
I’ve been fishing for 45+ years, ocean fishing for 40+, and Julie about the same, maybe not always to the same degree until she met me. Fishing on the kayaks off of La Jolla has easily become our #1 passion(a good tuna bite is next), not just because of excellent fishing, but the beauty, too. It is our hope that every person responsible, for the MLPA, also lose their greatest passion. If it’s good food, gone should be your sense of taste. Watching good movies partial blindness (not total, we don’t want to seem mean). Sex, may your pecker fall off, or your womb close. Etc, etc, etc. You get the idea.
MLPA and the people behind it, have not only taken away much of the pleasures of a million ocean fishermen or more, but also countless thousands who rely on it as a livelihood. Sport boats, Charters, Bait boats and receivers, Commercial fishermen(lobsters, urchins, etc), Tackle Store owners/Manufacturers, etc, all will feel a major financial blow. I feel sorry for guys like Andy (Iceman), who started their own kayak store. If Julie and I knew this was going to happen 8 years ago when we started this sport of kayak fishing, we very likely wouldn’t have bought our ‘yaks. Don’t get us wrong, they have been worth the investment over those 8 years, but as of today, a huge portion has been ripped out.
Gone, is the location I started fishing off South Laguna from shore, 35 years ago, where I caught sheephead, calicos, halibut and up to 13 species in 1 day. Gone are the tremendous locations off of Palos Verdes, where I learned to fish from the half day trips out of Redondo (the City and Special), 40 years ago. Now gone too, are many wonderful spots in our dear La Jolla. Plus, the dozens and dozens of locations up and down the coast.
Thank you America, too, for allowing this to happen. Helmet laws, checking your shoes at airports, and now depriving fishermen the right to fish in local waters, which is completely unnecessary due to proper DFG limits, What is next, the right to breath, to be?
We hate the MLPA, and despise those involved in it’s passing.

lowprofile · 01-01-2012, 12:04 PM

were you the two drifting mackerel off the point earlier that day right after i released my seal?

nice taco meat.

Aaron&Julie · 01-01-2012, 12:39 PM

Probably the only male/female couple kayaking yesterday, and if they were fishing in white kayaks (Cobra Fish 'n' Dives), then yes, that's us.
Julie hooked a seal, too. A great way to wear you out, if being on the water 12 hours, loading and unloading gear twice, wasn't enough.

Mr. Adventure · 01-01-2012, 12:55 PM

Think I talked to you guys when you came in, nice chat. Big bummer about the closures and everyone seeming to get skunked.

dorado50 · 01-01-2012, 01:25 PM

So when are you selling the yaks?. I may be interested.

lbsurf2ca · 01-01-2012, 01:28 PM

I feel your pain right now. Staring off at Swamis and Cardiff. It really sinking in. A chunk of my favorite fishing grounds is off limits only accessible fishing is by shore or spearing....this sucks

Billy V · 01-01-2012, 01:49 PM

-What the heck are you talking about - last day ???

The fish were biting just fine today !
-I caught my personal best Green Spot. Look at the size of this sob.
He is almost as big as this 5 lb. 4 oz. Red

MLPA
Mighty-Large-Poaching-Area.

yaky yak · 01-01-2012, 02:25 PM

I'm thinking about painting my yak black and changing my handle to,"Outlaw Ninja, night stocker''. I can't be expected to respect whats not right.

blitzburgh · 01-02-2012, 07:11 AM

Nice feeesh!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy V

-What the heck are you talking about - last day ???

The fish were biting just fine today !
-I caught my personal best Green Spot. Look at the size of this sob.
He is almost as big as this 5 lb. 4 oz. Red

MLPA
Mighty-Large-Poaching-Area.

LMAO

lowprofile · 01-01-2012, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron&Julie

Probably the only male/female couple kayaking yesterday, and if they were fishing in white kayaks (Cobra Fish 'n' Dives), then yes, that's us.
Julie hooked a seal, too. A great way to wear you out, if being on the water 12 hours, loading and unloading gear twice, wasn't enough.

ya i was in the blue x Factor and we talked for a minute or two.

taggermike · 01-01-2012, 05:38 PM

Arron, the second part of your post was one of the best I have heard or read about what the mlpa really means to the people of California and to you personally. Thank you. I have seen this whole "process" as a barely conceled theft of our public resoures. Things should get extremely interesting now that the "good ideas" are over and the real enforcment and monitoring begin. Our state is laying off teachers and firefighters, who the hell is going to patrol these massive areas? Mike

GHOSTHUNTR · 01-01-2012, 06:15 PM

Uh, Dave, try not to be such an asshole all the time

maui jim · 01-03-2012, 07:16 AM

[>

Thank you America, too, for allowing this to happen. Helmet laws, checking your shoes at airports, and now depriving fishermen the right to fish in local waters, which is completely unnecessary due to proper DFG limits, What is next, the right to breath, to be?
We hate the MLPA, and despise those involved in it’s passing.[/QUOTE]

A real Sad day indeed.... and by the way we are exhaling "Greenhouse Gases", so dont count that out..

I think the next one will be wearing helmets in cars...

I sure glad the fishing licence fees are going up.. it was suppose to to help us..

What the helll wrong with California... and yet we keep voting the same idiots in.

01-01-2012, 12:39 PM	#3
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Probably the only male/female couple kayaking yesterday, and if they were fishing in white kayaks (Cobra Fish 'n' Dives), then yes, that's us. Julie hooked a seal, too. A great way to wear you out, if being on the water 12 hours, loading and unloading gear twice, wasn't enough. __________________ "Never say die"

01-01-2012, 01:28 PM	#6
lbsurf2ca Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Encinitas Posts: 395	I feel your pain right now. Staring off at Swamis and Cardiff. It really sinking in. A chunk of my favorite fishing grounds is off limits only accessible fishing is by shore or spearing....this sucks __________________

01-01-2012, 01:49 PM	#7
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	-What the heck are you talking about - last day ??? The fish were biting just fine today ! -I caught my personal best Green Spot. Look at the size of this sob. He is almost as big as this 5 lb. 4 oz. Red MLPA Mighty-Large-Poaching-Area. __________________ Last edited by Billy V; 01-01-2012 at 06:54 PM.

01-03-2012, 07:16 AM	#13
maui jim Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cypress, CA Posts: 789	[> Thank you America, too, for allowing this to happen. Helmet laws, checking your shoes at airports, and now depriving fishermen the right to fish in local waters, which is completely unnecessary due to proper DFG limits, What is next, the right to breath, to be? We hate the MLPA, and despise those involved in it’s passing.[/QUOTE] A real Sad day indeed.... and by the way we are exhaling "Greenhouse Gases", so dont count that out.. I think the next one will be wearing helmets in cars... I sure glad the fishing licence fees are going up.. it was suppose to to help us.. What the helll wrong with California... and yet we keep voting the same idiots in. __________________

01-01-2012, 10:36 AM	#1
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Last day of fishing the now closed Scripps area Yesterday was the last day to fish the now closed areas brought about by the MLPA. We arrived in the dark, about 5:45AM, and landed at the launch in the dark, about 5:45PM. Gorgeous day out, flat ocean, little or no wind, and tiny surf for launching and landing, although upon landing we did time (in the dark) it wrong, like we are so good at, at finding the biggest wave. Only about a 2 footer, Julie rode it in, I decided to back up and wait, which rewarded me with a big splash of seawater to the back. Made plenty of macks just past the south buoy markers, then started to fish. Lots of PBers and yaks out today mostly concentrated outside of the kelp and in front of the condo, the area I was told, where the yellows went off a week and a half ago (12/21 & 12/22). We can’t imagine what it will be like, when this area is the only place you’re allowed to fish this summer. We made a pass through the area, then went outside of the group and a little north. Still nothing, so we went back to the kelp line to try for taco meat on cut squid. We managed 1 calico bass, and 1 brown rockfish. Our plan for the day was to drift for halibut by Scripps pier, and maybe locate the spot in the Scripps canyon, where MattRabasco nailed some goats a couple of days ago. Both of these areas are now closed, thanks to the MLPA. The year Julie caught her world record halibut, sorry to say, we lost 3 halibut, in a 3 week span, on gaff, in the area we drifted yesterday. I did not hit the sweet spot and they went mental, but I’ve learned. A conservative estimate on their weights 25lbs, 40lbs, 60lbs, +/- 5lbs on the first 2, +/- 10lbs on the last one, which would easily have broken Julie’s Women’s world record. I should know I put the gaff in both, and we both saw it. No love from the halibut. We don’t have a fish finder, but knew about where the Scripps canyon was located. After bouncing the 10oz halibut rig, we finally located the canyon. With less than an hour ‘til dark, we located, where we think the goats were caught, but only managed 3 more small Reds. Here’s our taco meat photo for the day: > With daylight fading, we started the paddle back, both of us talking about how we would never be likely to ever fish these spots again. We were saddened and angry. I’ve been fishing for 45+ years, ocean fishing for 40+, and Julie about the same, maybe not always to the same degree until she met me. Fishing on the kayaks off of La Jolla has easily become our #1 passion(a good tuna bite is next), not just because of excellent fishing, but the beauty, too. It is our hope that every person responsible, for the MLPA, also lose their greatest passion. If it’s good food, gone should be your sense of taste. Watching good movies partial blindness (not total, we don’t want to seem mean). Sex, may your pecker fall off, or your womb close. Etc, etc, etc. You get the idea. MLPA and the people behind it, have not only taken away much of the pleasures of a million ocean fishermen or more, but also countless thousands who rely on it as a livelihood. Sport boats, Charters, Bait boats and receivers, Commercial fishermen(lobsters, urchins, etc), Tackle Store owners/Manufacturers, etc, all will feel a major financial blow. I feel sorry for guys like Andy (Iceman), who started their own kayak store. If Julie and I knew this was going to happen 8 years ago when we started this sport of kayak fishing, we very likely wouldn’t have bought our ‘yaks. Don’t get us wrong, they have been worth the investment over those 8 years, but as of today, a huge portion has been ripped out. Gone, is the location I started fishing off South Laguna from shore, 35 years ago, where I caught sheephead, calicos, halibut and up to 13 species in 1 day. Gone are the tremendous locations off of Palos Verdes, where I learned to fish from the half day trips out of Redondo (the City and Special), 40 years ago. Now gone too, are many wonderful spots in our dear La Jolla. Plus, the dozens and dozens of locations up and down the coast. Thank you America, too, for allowing this to happen. Helmet laws, checking your shoes at airports, and now depriving fishermen the right to fish in local waters, which is completely unnecessary due to proper DFG limits, What is next, the right to breath, to be? We hate the MLPA, and despise those involved in it’s passing. __________________ "Never say die"

01-01-2012, 12:04 PM	#2
lowprofile #1 on fishstick's hitlist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sea level Posts: 1,477	were you the two drifting mackerel off the point earlier that day right after i released my seal? nice taco meat.

01-01-2012, 12:55 PM	#4
Mr. Adventure Damn Hippy Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Riverside Posts: 311	Think I talked to you guys when you came in, nice chat. Big bummer about the closures and everyone seeming to get skunked.

01-01-2012, 01:25 PM	#5
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	So when are you selling the yaks?. I may be interested.

01-01-2012, 02:25 PM	#8
yaky yak Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Riverside, calif Posts: 130	I'm thinking about painting my yak black and changing my handle to,"Outlaw Ninja, night stocker''. I can't be expected to respect whats not right.

01-01-2012, 05:38 PM	#11
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Arron, the second part of your post was one of the best I have heard or read about what the mlpa really means to the people of California and to you personally. Thank you. I have seen this whole "process" as a barely conceled theft of our public resoures. Things should get extremely interesting now that the "good ideas" are over and the real enforcment and monitoring begin. Our state is laying off teachers and firefighters, who the hell is going to patrol these massive areas? Mike

01-01-2012, 06:15 PM	#12
GHOSTHUNTR Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Poway Posts: 160	Uh, Dave, try not to be such an asshole all the time