Looking for someone to show me the ropes on saltwater

I don't mean to open a can of worms (this has been covered in previous threads) but I personally would recommend a farmer john wetsuit for ocean paddling. The Derby in Santa Cruz this Saturday would be a great beginner place to get your yak salty.

I have to second some sort of thermal protection. If you get separated from the yak and can't get to shore quickly, you will die from hypothermia. You have about an hour in our waters.

Given you are a big young guy, you should last a bit longer than a small skinny older guy, but a little neoprene can be a lifesaver.

John

Hi Nubies:

   A quick tip, if you go East toward Cap, you'll have a West wind to deal with on the return trip back.
   I will be at the West Harbor  down from Aldos' around 4-5 Am. There
is no Fee to use the Ramp and, there is fresh Water to wash with.
                                                                           Sea-ya
                                                                           Ernie Ch69
                                                                           
                                                                         
   

I'm not sure what to fish with.
I do have everything for fresh water fishing but very limited salt tackle.
Any sugestions anyone?

Can't really go wrong with leadhead jigs with 5" swimbaits, for a start.

eric offers the best option for santa cruz there. use 3/4 to 3oz shad leadheads. 4"-5" fishtraps or big hammer swimbaits in both a light anchovy (blue silver)and dark anchovy (black purple). you can cast them out in 30-60 feet on 10-15lb bass gear and bounce them back to the yak. if there are any rockfish along the path they will hit it, so will lings and the odd halibut.

there's not a ton of structure in santa cruz so hangups are not all that frequent. you don't have to fish totally vertical like you do somewhere with a ton of structure. and personally I feel the more lateral fishing works better there.

for bait, frozen small herring or anchovies with 2 hook rigs is good. use 3-6oz of weight with a slider.

squid strips seems like it just catches kingfish for me in santa cruz. whole squid can be good but I've had better luck with frozen baitfish. of course, small kingfish will get eaten by lings and halibut.

you can use a 3-6" floating minnow crank with a 6 oz sinker ahead of it.

if you can, bring a sabiki (smallest hooks and lightest line you can find). put a 2oz torpedo at the bottom of it. might be some bait around still.

John

Only one comment, plan for the worst, and hope for the best, especially if you're unfamilair with the ocean, Please get yourself at least a farmer john before you go. If things go really bad it will  offer some protection from rocks as well as cold water.  Rent if you have to.

dale