Hi Im new, just bought a kayak and look for good fishing spots in Bay Area

Just bought an Ocean Kayak Frenzy and have never gone kayaking before.  Any good recommendations in the Bay Area to practice fishing?  I drove down the 1 last week and saw a nice beach where someone was kayaking at Big Basin Redwoods State Park Beach.  Im considering going there and practice re-entry while droppingf a few crab traps.

I also goto Half Moon Bay jetties from time to time to fish, can I just launch my kayak anywhere on the Harbor side or does it have to be from a specific part of the harbor?  Also, are there any rules or regulations on where to launch and if I need to have anything on me other than a license if I plan to fish?  Basically a newbie thats going in blind into the kayaking game

also, i did buy safety gear which includes a 7mm wetsuit, a life vest, 3lb anchor, and a whole bunch of leashes and straps for my fishing gear.  am working on building a kayak krate to store my fishing goods.

still looking for a radio and flag pole for visibility.

Welcome! Check out the safety section on the forum. You won't be needing that anchor if you're fishing in the ocean. If you want to use it fishing for sturgeon, search for the topic QRAS or Quick Release Anchor System. There's lots of good fishing in the bay of course. Other close places will depend on what part of the Bay Area you live in.

Welcome! Glad to hear you are gearing up and thinking about safety. Here are a few tips:

You may know this, but rockfish and lingcod are not open for boats at this time of year. Aside from your license, DFW rules require that you have a landing net at least 18" diameter on board (silly law, that one).

Leashes can tangle you up. I use a leash on my radio (attached to my PFD) and on my mirage drive, but other than that I use floats.

At HMB, most people launch from near HMB kayak or the old pier.

I would advise you to avoid the open coast (like near Big Basin) until you practice reentry and are sure you can handle a surf launch.

Remember that skills and good judgment are every bit as important as having the right gear. I'm glad to hear you are planning to practice re-entry.

Have fun out there!

Welcome to NCKA.  I would recommend starting at a lake first. Learn to paddle efficiently, because a lot of time in the ocean you'll have to paddle against the current and the wind, and practice re-entry before going out to the ocean. Only after you feel confident, go out to the ocean with a buddy.

Welcome to NCKA!

It's good you have wetsuit but a 7mm may be a little thick and can constrict paddling. Practice at a local lake first or inside the HMB harbor but don't go out on your first time, specially if you're alone.

Join a hookup. Welcome to the madness.

Welcome to the Madness!  Besides catching fish and meeting up with other kayakers, gearing up your ride is one of the most fun part of thie sport. 
I also think the 7 mil wetsuit is too thick. I would suggest getting a 3/2 instead.

Welcome.. I also just purchased a kayak and I am taking a different route before going in the ocean for the first time. I have been taking sea kayak classes at CCK in Oakland. So far I have completed Sea kayaking I and II. At this point I am pretty confident that I could enter the ocean safely but I will spend some time getting used to the kayak paddling around on a lake first. I might also take a surf entry class.

The classes teach you a lot of various stokes that are used for different situations. We also learned and practiced assisted, and self rescues. They provide all of the gear and kayak at a reasonable cost.

One interesting thing that happened was that one of my class mates in the first class could not get back in his kayak after a few successful attempts. He went back to the dock and could not stand up. It turned out that during a bathroom break he left his relief zipper open on his dry suit about an 1/8 of an inch. With all of the exertion he didn't notice his suit had filled with water. It was funny but could of been life threatening if the instructor or others had not been there to get him out of the suit and warmed up.   

Good luck with this, and I will post when I am going to paddle around on a lake(San Pablo Dam) if you or other newbis want to join and maybe catch a trout too.

A good wetsuit is the one that stays on all the time.  If you are not too hot on a 7mm, then you are OK.  However, I personally agree with others, 7mm maybe too thick.  Also, get one that easy to get on (zipper upfront).    I recommend something like this https://www.austinkayak.com/outlet/products/22133/Stohlquist-Storm-John-3mm-Wetsuit-Men-Closeout.html

Also, Mark L's suggestion is very good.  Remember, the point is to get back safely to fish another day.  Any catch is very nice, but safely back is a lot nicer.

Welcome to NCKA!

It's good you have wetsuit but a 7mm may be a little thick and can constrict paddling. Practice at a local lake first or inside the HMB harbor but don't go out on your first time, specially if you're alone.

Join a hookup. Welcome to the madness.

Mist use 3mm farmerjohn

welcome to the maddness! don't forget the radio!:-)

A frenzy is a pretty small boat.  Start slow and be safe.

Welcome aboard!!!

I'm also a Farmer John fan. I have a dry suit that I may use more this year, but the Farmer John has worked well for me so far.

Another tip that I haven't seen yet is learning to watch the weather. Both on the water, and prior to any trip you may make. Wind, swell, and tide are all things that can be somewhat predictable with a little research, and can make a HUGE difference for time on open water.

Welcome to NCKA Taimysho0