Coming from San Pedro

(hope this is the right place to post this request... please move if I not)

The family and I will be camping at New Brighton
from 6/19-6/26
Bringing the kayak and gear of course...
Looking for advice on launch spots, any tips or general info for the area

any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance guys,
Don

Don, ya came to the right place my brother! Since you and the family will be camping at New Brighton, there will be many areas nearby to choose from: Santa Cruz, Capitola, New Brighton, then down to Monterey, Carmel, Stillwater. Many of these areas are simple to launch from. It also depends on what you prefer to target as certain areas are more successful for certain species.

You can also look out for other hookups to join the company of this wonderful crew!!

Interestingly, Dave/dbradfield is also coming up to the Monterey area from San Pedro/So Cal area too! He and I are trying to make arrangements to fish together, if time allows him to squeeze some water time. If that doesn't fall through, there are others hookups for sure!

If ya have any other questions, many of brothers and sisters will help point you the way or even welcome your company, inculding me

Btw, awesome job on the wsb! I've yak fished La Jolla twice beginning of this year, and I have to admit it was breathtaking!! Hopefully, we'll hookup sometime

- Daniel

Thanks Dpshim
I think I will hunt for halibut at least one or two days
and pretty much anything else would be great

Getting some time on the water in a new area will be great in and of its self
catching a halibut dinner or some taco meat would be icing on the cake

of course if there a any wsb in the area... I would love to try in get one from a new launch

I see places I can launch from to fish in front of NB
(the public parking lot looks like a promising launch point?)
is that as good a place as any for a start?

Thanks again for any and all help!

Welcome to my neighborhood. You can launch right out of the beach below the parking lot at NB. Reports have good size halibut being caught just off the end of the cement ship/pier to the south and there is usually something good outside the kelp bed just to the west of the launch between the wharf and the pocket where you launch from where the sand meets the rocks. You will want a variety of swimbaits in the 4-6" range with 2-4oz. jig heads; when all else fails tip them with some squid to get the action going. The kelp has been known to produce lings, WSB, and a good variety of rockfish. Outside and along the edge of the kelp you can find good size halibut, live bait or fresh dead bait is the ticket for them. There are a lot of sardines in the water  right now and usually more concentrated over by the wharf, but good pockets exist along the beach by the launch spot and out from there, so bring a couple of sabiki rigs, a bait bucket and a fishfinder or keep an eye out for the diving birds. Occasionally this whole stretch of beach is known for good striper action 10-20#, including off the cement ship fishing pier. That should get you going, good luck and happy fishing in paradise.  PM me and maybe I can meet you on Tuesday 6/21.  Mike

RE: NB.  Sara said some kayakers (or maybe raptor-kayakers) were being hassled by the life guard for being too close to the beach last weekend.  Since it's a swim beach, I wasn't sure if you can actually launch there and return.  They do the same in Capitola if your landing on the left hand side of the pier (facing the water) from what I've heard.