NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => Fish Talk => Fish ID sub-forum => Topic started by: TFM on May 02, 2015, 11:55:38 AM

Title: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: TFM on May 02, 2015, 11:55:38 AM
Caught with a cast net in Newport Beach.

(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/3e0c8d6f3e4e9b43206a86ec68cf1770.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/93650179f01557c1058a1ac1838f8246.jpg)

More importantly can it be used as bait?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: Bulldog---Alex on May 02, 2015, 12:06:55 PM
I believe it is a juvenile smelt. Which is a great bait for halibut, lingcod. Not sure if a striper will take it.
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=JN.fgr%2fwwImWJZIYi3yCY8LFw&pid=15.1&P=0

Alex
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: SlackedTide on May 02, 2015, 12:07:47 PM
Striper would Definetly eat that.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: eiboh on May 02, 2015, 12:14:58 PM
looks like a sure smelt or a night smelt is it high tide ? tasty little fish and not oily. did you catch more than one ?
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: TFM on May 02, 2015, 12:55:29 PM
Yeah we caught about 25 or so.. Before stopping
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: eiboh on May 02, 2015, 01:07:47 PM
not sure anymore but limit used to be 25 pounds or about a five gallon bucket. swimmin on large waves to spawn in the sand and return with wave . usually got north of Fort Bragg with a frame nets but I've seen them caught as far south as Bodega Bay. preferred spawning beaches are coarse .black sand. usually spawn in later summer months but with this strange weather who knows.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: ex-kayaker on May 02, 2015, 01:20:26 PM
Grunion.......more common to find them on the shores of del monte beach :)

Not sure about legalities of using them for bait.....if you can't run down to a tackle shop and snag a couple lucky craft pointers and plug the area you found it.  Halibut will follow me in to feed.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: eiboh on May 02, 2015, 01:40:37 PM
to the best of my knowledge it is illegal to catch grunion with any type of net only by hand. correct me if I'm mistaken is that I have never went grunion fishing
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: Rock Hopper on May 02, 2015, 01:45:50 PM
Careful, I think it's also illegal to use castnets down south.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: eiboh on May 02, 2015, 02:04:33 PM
was under the impression that during a grunion run wave rowls in and back out leaving grunion stuck in the sand like a pencil. next wave rolls in and take them back out ?
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: SOMA on May 02, 2015, 03:42:41 PM
Sorry my tread got away from me.  Grunion season is closed April and May.  Sportfisherman by hand only, no nets, pits dug in sand.  Earlier comment was scheduled spawning hours.  Moon and tides right for sex on the beach.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: MontanaN8V on May 02, 2015, 05:03:25 PM
Delta smelt...the last 25 of the species! :smt044
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: SOMA on May 02, 2015, 06:41:31 PM
Delta smelt...the last 25 of the species! :smt044

Last time I boated on the Delta, late summer, backwater, it smelt.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: Empty Pockets on July 21, 2016, 10:42:17 PM
I've caught tons of those... Great bait


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Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: Sin Coast on July 21, 2016, 10:52:50 PM
Yeah, did you say Newport? No castnets south of Pt Conception...but I think they're considering changing that rule next year.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: TFM on July 22, 2016, 01:11:59 PM
Thanks fellas for the insight, I forgot to mention it wasn't me using a cast net. My gf was  running in a marathon and I figured I'd cruise around the beach until she was done. Saw a dude with a cast net figured I'd chat with him. Next run she has in SoCal the kayak will be coming with me!


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Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: Pacific on July 22, 2016, 02:27:34 PM
The ones in the Delta taste great but really hard to catch. I hear if you live in Los Angeles the water taste like ground up smelt. You shouldnt  worry about them becoming extinct because there are so few of them.
Title: Re: Anybody know what this is?
Post by: wormguy on July 22, 2016, 03:47:11 PM
That is funny! .....but sad too