Newbie transplant from FL, Need some gear advice!

Howdy fellas, Just moved over to San Francisco by way of Florida. Been fishing back home for a while from a Tarpon 12 and Pamilico.

Mainly fish the flats, inshore, and nearshore waters for redfish, snook, and sea trout.

I have been reading up on your forum and it seems quite different out here, especially the COLD weather!

Anyway, I sold off most of my gear to lighten the load to travel out here, all I have left is my tackle box and 1 2500 series spinning reel w/ a 7ft MH rod

I wont have the funds to get a kayak for a while but would like to start fishing ASAP.

Is there anyone in the bay area willing to help guide me on what/where/how to get fishing done out here? I was a member of the  www.orlandokayakfishingclub.com back home and seems like you guys are just as friendly/helpful on here.

Heres some of my catches from FL.

I hope someone here will invite you fishing that has an extra yak.  I live to far or I would.  I'll be in Cambria May 1st and 2nd  and will have an extra yak and plenty of gear and a few friends.  It's a little far but if you want to make it let me know.  If you plan on rockfishing you could do really well with some swimbaits and a few mega-bait butterfly jigs.  Most people use between two and four ounces.  Good luck and thanks for the pics.  Andy

Cold weather....don't worry, it heats up in the summer.  Heard the city had a couple heat waves that sent em into the low 70's for almost a week last year.    

Yeah, if you're in SF now, wait till July, it gets colder,,,,,,,but then you can just drive a few miles and get into the 100s.

Defrag:
just sent you a PM.  I live in San Ramon, which is only 35 miles from SF, and I have a Malibu II tandem, plus all gear needed that you're welcome to use.

Jonathan

Defrag:
just sent you a PM.  I live in San Ramon, which is only 35 miles from SF, and I have a Malibu II tandem, plus all gear needed that you're welcome to use.

Jonathan

This is what Im talking about! Kayak anglers just seem to be different class of people all together! I knew it would be a great crowd over here.

John, Anytime you want to go fishing I am ready! Actually going back out to FL for a friends wedding next week/weekend but will be around to catch em up after that. Thanks alot for the offer

Welcome to "Left Coast" Yak fishing Defrag!
You will find the NCKA has a great brotherhood of members and a valuable resource for information.
Hope you can score a yak soon!
Tight lines!
Tad
 
 

Your rod and reel should work fine for most of the stuff we fish for except for white sea bass and sturgeon where heavier tackle is sometimes used. Some differences between Florida and NCAL...

1. Water/Air temperature - most guys wear wet suits on the ocean/bay and carry a VHF
2. Surf - consider taking a safety/surf class like the one at MBK
3. Sharks - we have great whites - some use shark shields - don't buy a red kayak 

Striper fishing in the delta is probably the closest thing to redfish fishing in FLA so you may want to start out there. The bay, delta, rivers and ocean are more technical so it is good to hookup with an experienced local for the first trips. Like Johnathan, many of us have extra yaks and tackle so don't feel bad about asking. Welcome to NCKA. 

Scott

You might wanna post a little more about your experience and how much water time you got under your belt.  It would help us a ton in making a proper (ie..safe) recommendation on where to go or what to target. The CA coast is pretty different from the Atlantic.     

  Welcome to the Bay Area Defrag, you are going to like the people here and the you will be blow away by the natural beauty that surrounds us!  I have two hobie kayaks and quite often my other half doesn't go out with me so will try to get an invite out to you for some striper fishing this week if the weather improves.  You could take the Baylink Ferry to Vallejo and we can launch from very near to there.   

Welcome to California

give me a pm////

Allen

Welcome to California

give me a pm////

Allen

defrag....PM Allen right friggin' now. The salt guru just reached out and touched your head. Happy to loan you a wet suit, boat and tackle. Feel free to PM (personal message) me as well. But seriously Allen is all you need.

-Eric

haha

Thanks guys, I have a jeep grand cherokee so getting around and moving kayaks is not a problem for me.

Experience, well I have been yak fishing for about 2 years, not much on the oceanside though, primarily in the Indian River Lagoon, Mosquito lagoon, and various other bays and flats around the east coast of central FL. I would consider myself an intermediate kayak angler AKA the fish still somehow outsmart me quite often 

I was having the itch last night and headed down to Fort Point pier here in SF, saw about 6 fellas fishing in the stormy weather, they were catching some decent sized stripers though, looked around 25-30 inches on average. Using fairly light tackle, I think my setup would be fine.

They were fishing using something called a "hair raiser"? It looked like a bucktail jig with a grub tail on it to me.

I am going to go down tonight and give it a shot

Hair Raisers are bucktails with a grub. Traditional colors to toss are white, white w/red head and chartruese in stained water.  You might also try tossing a swimbait or lipless crankbait. Work the tides and make note of eddy's or irregularly flushing water, stripers dig those kind of ambush points. That whole area down to chrissy field can produce.  The local shorecasters are pretty hard core and a tight lipped bunch....be mindful of what you post.