Fishing around San Simeon

Hello No/ central Ca. brothers.

My name is Matt and I live and kayak fish in southern California.  Ocean and freshwater.


A few friends and I are coming up to San Simeon are July 7th for a few days of kayak fishing.


Could use a little help with a good place to launch, techniques.

Dont need to know your secret honey hole but some advice would be greatly appreciated.  We are all somewhat experienced guys just new to the area.

Maybe, someone wants to come out and fish with us.  We will be fishing saturday pm, Sunday all day and Monday till noon.


Thanks in advance for any info.   Matt

I can't help you out with a launch in San Simeon, but I've fished a few spots just south of there (cambria, Cayucos, etc) and had great luck. 5 or 6 inch swimbaits will do the trick for rockfish, cabezon, and lingcod. Fish the sandy areas between the rocks for a chance at a flatty.U

I'd usually fish the kelp beds in 15 to 45 feet of water with a swimbait rigged on a 1 or 2 oz head.

a agree with AlexB about the swimbaits.  I used to go to Cal Poly and fished San Simeon many times.  You can launch at the beach next to the pier, but its not the easiest to master.  If I remember, its a shore break and can get up to 4 or 5 feet.  There are kelp beds all around.  I caught a 34" ling in 12ft of water on time at San Simeon.  I would only use swimbaits and did pretty well most days. 

I definitely miss that part of Cali.... It was awesome knowing that hardly anyone fishes the Cent. Coast. 

Good Luck!!

a agree with AlexB about the swimbaits.  I used to go to Cal Poly and fished San Simeon many times.  You can launch at the beach next to the pier, but its not the easiest to master.  If I remember, its a shore break and can get up to 4 or 5 feet.  There are kelp beds all around.  I caught a 34" ling in 12ft of water on time at San Simeon.  I would only use swimbaits and did pretty well most days. 

I definitely miss that part of Cali.... It was awesome knowing that hardly anyone fishes the Cent. Coast. 

Good Luck!!

yeah, the only times I have seen yak fishers there they were launching from the south side of the pier. it was a low surf day so it was easy peasy for them. Last winter i talked to some pier fishermen, they said kayakers were getting fall halis along the rock wall north of the SS pier.
 I  have seen nice perch caught farther south @ Moonstone beach if you are into shore perchin. Otherwise the closest I have come to fishing that area is Cayucos.
Agreed though, it is a nice fishy chunk of coast.

The kelp beds along the San Simeon and Cayucos coast are loaded with rock fish, lingcods, and cabezons. There are also halibuts in Morro Bay, and along the Cayucos coast. There is a large elephant seal colony at San Simeon, so keep an eye out for the landlord patroling there. Here are a few launching spots listed from North to South.

1) Leffingwell Landing: http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/CalM/Leffingwell_Landing/index.htm

2) Commercials north of San Simeon: http://www.californiacoastline.org/cgi-bin/image.cgi?image=200806751&mode=sequential&flags=0&year=2008. Notice the yellow kayak on top of the silver SUV.

3) Windmill north of Cayucos: http://www.californiacoastline.org/cgi-bin/image.cgi?image=1995&mode=sequential&flags=0&year=2002. The beach is really far down the path.

4) Cayucos Pier: you can launch on the north side of the pier, next to the parking lot.


And make sure to get some shrimp or fish tacos at Duckie's Chowder House.

5) Morro Bay, you can launch from the public boat launch at the end of Embarcadero.


You can pick up frozen bait at Virg's Sportfishing, and maybe even live bait at the boat next to it.

For more information, check out Central Coast Kayak Fishing forums: http://www.centralcoastkayakfishing.com/

If its your first time just launch from leftingwell in Cambria. It's a pretty protected launch and the fishing is pretty good.  The fish in my avatar came from there. I like using a four oz head and dragging my swim baits with the current.  I would try and have 2-4oz jig heads.  Good luck. I'll be there the 8th and 9th message me I you want to hook up.  Pretty much any color swimbait works but i use halloween, anchovy, and my favorie a big dorado pattern always gets them. Andy

RAWYAK-- I went to Cal Poly, too. When were you there?

Thanks guys for all the info, greatly appreciate it. 


Possible change of plans, depending on how the WSB bite at county turns out.