Heading to Santa Barbara any ideas?

  I am meeting Lisa in Santa Barbara for a family funeral (no fun) but I am bringing the two yaks down.  We are staying in a great place on Thursday and Friday nights in SB and then wherever we feel like going on Saturday night.  I have never kayaked or fished in the south, any must see/must launch sites would be much appreciated!  Not hard core fishing, but if we are going to be on the yaks I am going to be dragging something on a leash with me! 

I fished from shore at SB a lot during my UCSB years.  Where exactly are you going to be in SB?  The area around Goleta Pier is real good as well as Campus Point which is about 3 miles north of the pier.  Drag around 3-5" swim baits for halibut and some calico bass.  Stearns Wharf (the harbor around Castillo St.) has halibut and WSB as well.  A lot of guys float tube around there and it's good prospects there as well.  I like to check this site http://www.surfline.com/surfline/forecasts4/forecast.cfm?alias=socal&county=sb&f=1 before I head out.  Looks like some real flat and calm surf.  Should hook into a lot of pancakes.  Let me know if you need more help.

  Thanks, we are staying at the Simpson House, off of Mission st?  Does anybody have any ideas of a must kayak spot on the way back up the coast, i.e. Pismo, Big Sur etc?  Thanks for the help.  J and L

  Thanks, we are staying at the Simpson House, off of Mission st?  Does anybody have any ideas of a must kayak spot on the way back up the coast, i.e. Pismo, Big Sur etc?  Thanks for the help.  J and L

There are some great spots on the drive back home just north of Goleta to try. Refugio State Beach has some nice kelp off it, so does El Capitan. The Isla Vista kelp beds right off that beautiful student beach slum where I spent 5 glorious years are very rich in sea life. I would maybe hit that up because it's on the list of likely new MPAs under the MLPA. This is possibly the last chance to fish it! I had a lot of good days out there in college fishing off my longboard in the kelp and free diving. I've seen some monster wsb schools in there, the biggest bat ray I've ever seen, lots and lots of barred sand bass, calicos, rockfish, etc. Have fun!

The Isla Vista kelp beds right off that beautiful student beach slum where I spent 5 glorious years are very rich in sea life. I would maybe hit that up because it's on the list of likely new MPAs under the MLPA. This is possibly the last chance to fish it! I had a lot of good days out there in college fishing off my longboard in the kelp and free diving. I've seen some monster wsb schools in there, the biggest bat ray I've ever seen, lots and lots of barred sand bass, calicos, rockfish, etc. Have fun!

X2. This was where I grew up. Seriously, IV boy here, born & raised.  My dad still lives there in a house my grandfather built in 1959. I had a lot of great water days between campus point and coal oil point before I moved here to santa cruz.

You probably don't have the time but I've always wanted to camp with the kayaks at the Channel Islands. There is a ferry to take you across and some supposedly decent fishing once you get there. Calicos, Bonita, Barracuda and the possible WSB or Yellowtail would be the reasons to go.

Otherwise Montana de Oro in Morro Bay or San Simeon would be decent fishing and easy launch spots for on the way home. As would Mill creek or Willow creek further up in Big Sur.

-Eliot

 Thanks for the help guys, we did go out of the Harbor here yesterday and did a nice 3 or 4 mile loop along the beach in town.  Not much fishing happending around here these days but was a lovely kayak ride!  Will post some pics when I can.  Heading back towards home today not sure if we are going to stick in Monterey for one night on the way up or head to the boat in Sausalito.  I appreciate the advice, and maybe we will hit the student slum beach quickly before we leave!