South Coast shore fishing 4-5

Recently I've been exploring the South Coast for potential kayak launches. Consumed by dreams of pocket beaches, protected from swell, and offering safe passage to a kayak fishing paradise of giant lings, fat reds, elusive halibut, and mysterious seabass. I know they're out there....feeding...waiting...taunting. Hahaha!

I originally had plans to charge the coast and spend more time searching for mecca. But I changed those plans in favor of a family day at the beach. It was time for a change of pace. So I drove down 1 to a secret little beach I discovered while completing operation find-the-ultimate-kayak-launch. It's a sunny protected little beach that is surrounded by rocky headlands on both ends. There is also a beautiful little creek that trickles into the ocean. In other words, the perfect place to bring my wife and son so they can enjoy this beautiful weather with me. They had a great time--we're going to do this more often!
 
And my son Duke got to see his first fish caught too!
He LOVES fish (or feeesh) and that makes me super proud haha. I take him to the aquarium, read fish books to him, and we play with the fish in the backyard pond a lot. Heck we even watch fishing on TV together. So it was really cool to catch a fish and let him see + touch it. Then he helped me release it. Very cool. Can't wait to help him catch his own fish in a few years (he's almost 2 now).

Fished off the sandy beach, casting out towards offshore rocks and the kelp around them.


Caught this grass rockfish on my only bite of the day. It was a fatty about 17" and 3lbs. But I've taken fish from this reef before so I released it. That, and it's only 3 weeks until rockfish season opens.



After that, I felt like mission accomplished so I broke down the rod and played with Duke (aka gave my wife a break). There was a small creek trickling into the ocean so we played with boats in there until it was time to go home. Not the most productive outing (been catching a lot of nice rockies lately if you want pics) but that didn't matter. This time it was all about the experience.
Now daddy is sunburned and needs a Pacifico haha!
PK

Nice Grassy!  Do you think that this area is fit for kayak launching/ landing?  How would the portage be?

Nice family outing, PK!  Great job on that fat grassie too!  I spent the weekend doing house repairs while my wife was away in LA, trying to build up the WAF account before May 1st.    I did get away for 2-3 hours Saturday afternoon for some perch fishing near the cement boat...not one bite, but the weather was awesome.  I'm glad you had better luck! 

Way to go, Daddio!  That's the best kind of trip, and the devotion to family time now should make near future yak trips that much more rewarding.  Nice one.   

Beautiful looking spot Sin!  I need to do the same, explore the southern area's in more detail too.  Haven't really spent any time down there since I was a kid.  I hope to benefit from your searching as well

you know how all the old people (that would be me) tell you to enjoy them when they are young?  Damn right.  Cuz somewhere along the line they eat something and become buttheads.  Fortunately if they live long enough, they come out of it or so I hear (from my Dad!)

Oh and Nathan if you are reading this, this is not about you, its your brother!

I envy your backyard PK  Must be nice to be near water that clear...if I was you, I'd be freediving that spot 

Mooch you blew my cover haha. I was trying to keep these infrequent non-kayak reports separated from the actual Fishing Reports section (leading by example). But it's all good.

The vis was at least 30ft. And the varying terrain (sand to rocks to kelp) created distinct colors...it looked like Hawaii (or what I imagine Hawaii looks like). The whole time I was thinking to myself "I should've brought my new dive suit to try it out!" 
Yes, I finally got a new suit that fits my mature physique haha. Haven't been able to fit into my old one for about 6 years.   

And the varying terrain (sand to rocks to kelp) created distinct colors...it looked like Hawaii (or what I imagine Hawaii looks like).

Had the very same thought.  nice outing pk

Nice fat grassie! I too share your dream and have been putting together a team of south coast commandos. We've been doing recon and rigging our boats accordingly (simple and bombproof) too.Hope we finally get to hookup this rf season PK.

Sounds like a great family outing. That's a sweet looking fish from the shore.

I know exactly what you mean by "feeeesh", as that's what James called them last summer.  By the way, are there no cooperative bluegill nearby?

Can't wait to help him catch his own fish in a few years (he's almost 2 now).

If Duke is that interested in fish now, I'm sure he'll figure out how to reel, or just use a pole and line in no time flat. From personal experience though, I recommend that do not hand your (even accomplished) two year old angler a fishing rod with a 3 pound largemouth bass on it.

Unless you want to practically die laughing over the ensuing tug of war, release of rod, and a retrieval swim.

Lastly, there's probably not much in this world more adorable than a two year old dropping a 3" long sunfish back in the lake and saying "bye bye feeeesh".

Scott

Yeah, a bluegill pond w/b ideal. Although, I'm looking into ordering some bluegill and bass (for my backyard pond) from a distributor near Chico....the koi are too hard to catch haha. And all of my bullfrogs are wise to the game of "try to eat the dangling plastic grub" (hookless, of course). But those frogs used to be ruthlessly aggressive.
[I have been told about a pond up near you, Scott. And it is apparently kid-friendly and full of willing bluegills. But I haven't been there myself. I'll let you know if it's worthwhile.]

I really wish I'd video-taped the release so I could replay it for him over and over--that's the right type of impression to give the kid. "See the feeesh? And see how daddy is putting the feeesh back into the ocean? That was fun! Wanna see it again?"


And yes Aaron, we definitely need to get some fish together this year. Hopefully this May. And June, and July, and August, and .... 

 

PK, I used to work at that fish farm near Vhico. If you have any ?'s let me know. If I am in the area and heading to the Bay I'll give you a holler. It's a long trip to bag them up w/ O2 and drive them down but doable if someone takes care. I would look for someone closer if possible. Keep Duke on the right path and get a pole in his hand soon.
 Randall

Such a beautiful coast down there, I miss the Bean.

Nice little gem you found there. Even better if you can drag a yak down to it. Way to nurture the next generation...