New Kayak fisher from East Coast

Hello! My name is TJ and I am relatively new to the area and have been in Milpitas / San Jose / and now Fremont for about two years. I am just now in a living situation where I can even store kayaks! I came from Virginia and have been kayak fishing since Spring 2010.. or 2009, I forget . I started with a little Perception 11.5' sit inside sport and got my Hobie Revo 11 in January 2011. Started on lakes and as soon as I got my first taste of saltwater in the Chesapeake bay, it was hard to go back. I ended up fishing the wide tidal rivers and Bay most of the time. Stripers, croaker, flounder, all the usual East Coast suspects! This coast is a different game for me! I only recently have acquired temporary replacement kayaks as I left mine behind in the move and I am still working on getting them out here. I am actually planning on practicing launching on the beach this weekend.. Maybe Manresa state beach as I was told that was a nice mellow sandy beach. All my launches out east were sheltered with a very very minor shore break. The going didn't get rough until you were out in open water. I have had three kayak ventures out here so far, none involved fishing. They were escorting long distance swimmers outside the Golden Gate bridge, so I have an idea of cold water kayaking and have done a few rockfish / halibut / striper head boat trips. Anyway, looking forward to meeting everyone and here are some pics of me and some of my friend I took out to the Bay Bridge when we had a nice day landing some good stripers!

The fish that got me hooked on kayak fishing.. blue cat from Burke Lake. This was my first monster with a nice sleigh ride, 30 Lbs.



My sit inside outfitted and ready to fish the Annapolis Bay Bridge over the Chesapeake.


Result of that day's trip live lining spot



A good view of my friend Chuck in my spare sit inside with a nice line side!



First snake head on the Occoquan river, 4lb test while crappie fishing !



Another shot fishing the Bay Bridge but for croaker

Rest: http://s864.photobucket.com/user/tj06sti/library/?sort=3&page=1

So yeah! Stoked on starting fishing again out here.

Used to live in Springfield a long time ago. Burke lake was just down the street.

Welcome aboard TJ.

Used to live in Springfield a long time ago. Burke lake was just down the street.

Small world eh? Soak any lines during your time in Springfield? Blue cats had not been stocked in that lake since the 70's so this was an oldie.

TJ

Pretty sure we went once but it was early 70's before we moved out here. I was a youngster in kings park

Welcome aboard TJ.

Thanks!

Welcome. I noticed you have 06 Sti on your screen name. Does that mean you have an 06 Sti? I got a sgm one if that's the case

I got a sgm one if that's the case

Nice! I sure do. Had it since it was brand new. Takes me to the track, to my fishing spots, and to the mountains in the winter! So far I've hit up Sanoma and Thunderhill out here. Stock turbo, most of the work is suspension outside of the tune, big radiator, AOS and such. How about yours?

Welcome, east coaster. I lived in MD for several years, but only started kayak fishing after moving out here, so I can't help you with the transition. But, FWIW, I'd recommend the Santa Cruz harbor (the "A" dock near Aldo's) as a launch site. There are lots of good fishing sites within easy paddle from there, and no risk of crashing and burning on launch/landing. For beach launches, the Capitola Wharf is usually OK (but wait until the sharks are not so thick as now). Monterey Bay Kayaks (MBK) in Monterey is the easiest beach launch of all. An open beach like Manresa is not for the faint of heart (like me, for example).

Great intro - welcome to NCKA.   

Welcome! I just transplanted to San Jose from the Shenandoah Valley and I have my Kayak Strapped on the top of my outback sport. I like your style.

    Surf launch can be easy if you watch the wave sets. Coming in a bit more difficult. Park behind the break and watch for a while, you'll see the lull in the sets. When in doubt ask a surfer to explain wave sets I assume every one of them is counting.

    Capitola beach on the south side has a small jetty that is usually protected for a really easy launch. There is a $10 all day parking lot that is a $20 (usually full lot) on the weekends. New brighton is just down the road, long haul to the water but calm surf also. Nice kelp beads for rock cod.

   

Welcome, east coaster.

Thanks for the welcome! Where abouts in Maryland did you live? Kayak fishing seems like it took off more slowly out there as even when I got my kayak our site and forum had only been up a year or two if I recall correctly.

I definitely plan on hitting Santa Cruz soon (maybe tomorrow even..) after watching many videos prior to this and thanks for the tips on the launch. I am still debating on what I want to do.. I hadn't planned on fishing if I went to Manresa, it would be a dedicated "surf" day to practice launching, coming back in, bracing, and beginning to become more accustomed to surf conditions and water that isn't 75 degrees. I have a 3mm farmer john and a 2mm vest that someone loaned me and I have booties. But then.. I haven't kayak fished in two years so the prospect of wetting a line even if it means getting skunked and dealing with the crowds at SC harbor is enticing.. I also haven't been down to Monterey yet despite being here for so long.. I saw the posts on Capitola and the sharks and it sounds like the fishing has been a bit tough so I think I will heed your advice and save that launch for another day. Decisions decisions.. Hope to see you on the water sometime and again, thanks for the tips on the launches ! 

Welcome! I just transplanted to San Jose from the Shenandoah Valley and I have my Kayak Strapped on the top of my outback sport. I like your style.

Thank you for the welcome. I'd love to be rocking an Outback right now if I had the cash for another vehicle! I am a bit home sick for the Shenandoah Valley area, did many drives through there, fished the river a bit and further down south to the New River and Lake Moomaw. (Moomaw is gorgeous!)

I have read up a bunch on surf launching, watched many videos, and own a nice collection of DVDs of Kayak Kevin and Jim Solloman. I planned on doing more fishing on the Outerbanks of North Carolina in my kayak, but I only ended up launching once out of Oregon Inlet and I stayed on the beach surf fishing for all of my other trips. So I have the "book" knowledge of sets and different ways of going out and coming back in but not the confidence and muscle memory to do what needs to be done to prevent from getting dumped. I had not even thought to talk to a surfer, are they pretty friendly to kayakers? Thanks to you as well for the advice on launching and spots! I have been progressively searching prior posts and marking off spots on gmaps with the details of parking and the launch itself using yours and everyone else's advice above. Tight lines!

TJ

Great intro - welcome to NCKA.   

Thanks! 

Welcome to our community TJ