Newbie Kayak Fisherman Needs Advice - Winter Saltwater Fishing: What and Where..

The vast majority of my saltwater fishing was back in Guam, as such, different environment, fish, and almost zero regulation and the one's in place were RARELY enforced as they were contradicting "local traditions"...my focus back there was shore and reef fishing...occassional slide baiting off the clifflines for big jacks as well...

Now that I'm back in the SF Bay Area...aside from Striper and Salmon season's that I was aware of, it now dawns on me that the Lingcod and Rock Cod have a season as well...

So can anyone get me up to speed on what species are fishable/non fishable over the next few months?  If you have the inclination to advise of tackle and general info., its greatly appreciated...was planning on focusing on fishing out of Lindamar, Half Moon Bay, and Ocean Cove up north while its still open for the season...if you can recommend other areas, that would be great...

I gotta get a game plan together and make sure I don't get in trouble...hopefully catching some fish at the same time!

Regards,

Tony

HMB, Linda Mar and ocean Cove= no take for rockfish/lingcod from boat or kayak begining October 1st.  Still open from shore or diving.  Know the regs for cabbies, lings and greenling, probably the only rockfish regs you'll need to know fishing from shore.  Max of 2 hooks. 


Rockfish from boat/kayak still open from Pigeon point south in non MLPA restricted areas.  Here's the map http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/images/ccmpas041907north.jpg

Going from zero regs to our mess here is gonna be a big adjustment. I'd wait for someone to post a hook up and join up with them before venturing out alone. 

There's also alot of new threads about gear, you should check those out then ask specific questions if you cant find the answers there.

HMB, Linda Mar and ocean Cove= no take for rockfish/lingcod from boat or kayak begining October 1st.  Still open from shore or diving.  Know the regs for cabbies, lings and greenling, probably the only rockfish regs you'll need to know fishing from shore.  Max of 2 hooks. 


Rockfish from boat/kayak still open from Pigeon point south in non MLPA restricted areas.  Here's the map http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/images/ccmpas041907north.jpg

Going from zero regs to our mess here is gonna be a big adjustment. I'd wait for someone to post a hook up and join up with them before venturing out alone. 

There's also alot of new threads about gear, you should check those out then ask specific questions if you cant find the answers there.

Thanks, I appreciate the info.!  Any idea as to the logic as to why its ok to shorefish and dive for rockfish but single out the kayak fishing for them?!?!  Yeah, its a big adjustment coming from where you can drive your 4x4 onto the beach in a tourist area, unload bbq grills, jet skis and all the alcohol you could want to drink and spend the next 24 hours hanging out with friends and family with no worries...

Gonna glance over the 2007 Sport Fishing Regs and try to get familiar with the fish and regs...

Regards,

Tony

The Oct 1st closures are based on the bycatch of "No Take" species believed to be in trouble, yelloweye and canary rockfish.  The Pacific Fisheries Management Council  sets quotas for bycatch each season then makes in season adjustments as necessary to preserve the fish.  From what I've seen on another site it looks like a majority of the "no take" species were taken in way nor cal but the management zones are big and they gotta close the whole zone which included us. 

The exemption for shore fishermen is based on the shore anglers inability to reach the depths where yelloweye and canaries commonly live so they have an extremely limited impact on them.  Spearfishermen are able to ID the fish before they take it so they also have very limited impact.  Kayaks weren't singled out, they just get lumped into the same category as all other floating vessels that fish with hook and line.   


The map I posted is a reference to the Marine Life Protected Areas (MLPA) and is completely different from the other closures but will overlap each other in regulation. 

The Oct 1st closures are based on the bycatch of "No Take" species believed to be in trouble, yelloweye and canary rockfish.  The Pacific Fisheries Management Council  sets quotas for bycatch each season then makes in season adjustments as necessary to preserve the fish.  From what I've seen on another site it looks like a majority of the "no take" species were taken in way nor cal but the management zones are big and they gotta close the whole zone which included us. 

The exemption for shore fishermen is based on the shore anglers inability to reach the depths where yelloweye and canaries commonly live so they have an extremely limited impact on them.  Spearfishermen are able to ID the fish before they take it so they also have very limited impact.  Kayaks weren't singled out, they just get lumped into the same category as all other floating vessels that fish with hook and line.   


The map I posted is a reference to the Marine Life Protected Areas (MLPA) and is completely different from the other closures but will overlap each other in regulation. 

Thanks!

Regards,

Tony