Sunset Beach July 9 - 12

All right.  I missed the boat at Capitola so I was wondering what would be the best bait/lures for the area between Sunset Beach and Moss Landing.

Right now, I just want to catch a fish or two.  I will get picky later when I get bored of just catching fish (not anytime soon......).  I have a GPS and a depth finder (EAGLE 240 DS) for my Iowa Class (OC Malibu Two XL) kayak. 

Thanks and I will make a report with photo's (if I catch something worthy of a picture).

rob
jrsyboy

I think that area is sandy. so not too many rockfish.  your options are:

1. drift/bottom-bounce something along the bottom for halibut or wayward lingcod.
2. drift/bottom-bounce for kingfish (squidstrips or 1.5" grub on a baitholder hook).
3. drift/bottom-bounce or cast for perch (shallower is better)
4. jig a sabiki for baitfish like anchovies (if you see them on your finder)
5. cast or troll a spoon, plug or hairraiser for striper (high risk, but big payoff).

if it was me and I wanted simple fun, I would fish for kingfish and keep the
smallest ones (use a small hook, like size 8 or 10 for the smallest ones)
and send him back down on a second rig for halibut.

have fun.

jrsyboy,
I wouldn't recommend launching from Sunset beach. Even in the summer it will be difficult (although probably a perfect beach for kayak surfing!). Sounds like you're probably camping there at Sunset. Honestly, I would recommend you drive 20 minutes to the north (Santa Cruz) or south (Monterey) and fish for rockfish/halibut.

And the structure around Moss is limited. It IS there but you will likely need a GPS and FF (which you already have) to find it. Of course, there is the possibility that you'll catch something good in front of Sunset, like a halibut or shark. I caught a 7 foot thresher shark from a boat about 300 yards off Sunset beach 8 years ago!

However, if you do want to launch from Sunset or Moss, you should definitely check out this website to get some coordinates for the pipelines. The pipes are burried beneath piles of big rocks and the rockfish live inside those rocks. There's one in front of Pajaro and one near the Salinas river, south of Moss. They are marked "Sewer" on the maps. As you scroll over the map with the cursor, it will display the GPS coords in the left.
http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm?lat=36.7952152202&lon=-121.793039938&scale=210668&zoom=50&type=0&icon=0&searchscope=dom&CFID=3610187&CFTOKEN=91992238&scriptfile=http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm&latlontype=DMS

And last but not least, Good Luck!
PK

Jmairey and Sin Coast,

Thanks for the input.  Yes, I am camping w/ da' family there for four days.  Fishing time is very limited to when I get up and out till about 10 or 11 (11 is really pushing it as we have a 3-year old) so I wanted to stay close to the park.  I will bring some small stuff for the kingfish and try to jig bait (never did it).  I have those pipe rockpiles in my GPS already.  I read somewhere someone caught a giant halibut off of one of them so thought it would be prudent. 

I saw there is a big dropoff in front of Moss Landing on my charts.  Does it hold rockfish and ling?  It looks like an easy paddle from the inlet.

thanks again for all the help!

rob
jrsyboy

What J and Sin said.. oh and be safe on your launch and landings!
Z

I saw there is a big dropoff in front of Moss Landing on my charts.  Does it hold rockfish and ling?  It looks like an easy paddle from the inlet.

The drop you're looking at is probably the tip of the monterey canyon and the surrounding areas are predominantly sand.  RF and Lings are only open at depths<240'.

On a side note.  On a slow salmon day out of Moss, Chef paddled up near the buoy marker tide rip just outside the jaws and nailed a couple black rf casting swimbaits into the boil. 

 

If you are really intent on paddling out of moss, and want to just catch anything, sand dabs aren't a bad way to go.  You can fill up a pillow case full of them in almost no time.

you might try just surf perch fishing from shore with a 1.5 oz egg sinker and a 1.5" motor oil red fleck grub.

that is a lot of fun. no boat to launch land or clean. no bait.

J

you might try just surf perch fishing from shore with a 1.5 oz egg sinker and a 1.5" motor oil red fleck grub.
that is a lot of fun. no boat to launch land or clean. no bait.
J

I second that! They're a blast to catch, fun in the surf, good place to Perch, and tasty critters too.
Z

Everyone,

Thanks again for the suggestions.  I have perched before and enjoyed it.  I use a 6wt fly rod w/ a T-8 shooting head and Cortland flat mono as a running line.  The fight pretty good on that setup.  We get together with friends every Thanksgiving and stay at the Best Western near Sand something and do Asilomar Turkey (great food!).  I fish out in front of the hotel with the dog.  We do pretty well there and catch some nice-sized perch.

I was just hoping to get out in the yak and jig up some rockfish and I really want to catch a ling.  They just look cool.

If I did get a pass (highly unlikely but still possible), where would anyone suggest going?  Someone said 20 minutes south towards Monterey.  Is there a place to launch there and park the car?  Also, how early can you get there?  I routinely get up around 4am to go to the gym (married rule - dad's free time is from the time he gets up to when the rest of the house gets up) so I have no problem being somewhere before 5.

Thanks again for all the help!!

rob
jrsyboy

In distance from Moss Landing (going south), I would reccommend Del Monte Beach, then Lovers Point, then Otter Cove, then Coral St.
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/bb/index.php?topic=2599.0

Might want to post a msg on the Hookups when the time draws nearer and maybe somebody will be kind enough to meet up at one of the launches.

Good luck,
PK

Sin,

I would, but passes aren't good until the day they are issued and can be revoked at any time.........

At some point during this vacation I will be in my kayak with a fishing pole.  I just don't know exactly when or where.  I may beg (I'm not above begging) for a whole morning pass and launch out of MB.  I fully understand that I will be donating a kidney, but it sounds worth it.

Thanks for all the help!

rob
jrsyboy