Always crossing fingers for return of Bonito, especially since the 10-12 lb monsters that were biting offshore down south. So finally taking excursions to check coastal pier conditions. Wasn't sure since the 70 deg rolled 2 weeks ago and has been hovering around 65
7/29 3PM - 5PM - Exploratory visit with just my camera, calm wind, dirty water, only small clusters of bait circling piling mussel clusters, TONS of what seemed to be 2 different dolphin species. Nothing bur lizardfish being caught at end of pier. Left pier and drove down to wedge, surf was flat and the dolphin were coming all the way to to jetty 30 yds out. Note, a local said (plus a report here from Newport) that the prev Thurs many micros were being caught on mac/bonito size sabikis, but dead on Fri
7/31 9AM - 12PM - Seeing a post WED of a limit of 11-12 in bonito, I decided to go fishing on THU, Cool, overcast past noon, a lot of bait shimmering surrounding end of pier. Nothing attacking the bait and only lizard fish being caught. A few schools of giant sardines passed through with a few caught on sabikis. Also one guy kept catching herring. No dolphin spotted. I fished splasher and kroc, only caught a few lizardfish on the kroc. Saw one boil but the sabiki boys only caught 1 or 2 macs, the only I saw.
8/6 - 12PM - 3 PM - Had a morning SUP session in Sunset Beach so I decided come check out the pier. Sunny by 11AM, light wind, water was clear and a fair amount of bait surrounding end of pier and the bait was being chased so I grabbed my gear and started casting. Nothing on splasher at 1st then I saw a boil and casted to that area and just got one boil on the feather. More small boils then I got a strike, double but one came off, final proof that it was Bonito, a 9" rat. Unfortunately that was it after a few more passes on the feathers. Alternating with kroc to work from bottom to top, got a lot of short barracuda chasers. No lizard fish YAY. NOBODY on end was catching anything other than the occasional lizard, even with all the bait activity
Signs looking better and if you are in the right place at the right time you might pick up a few of the micros.
7/29 3PM - 5PM - Exploratory visit with just my camera, calm wind, dirty water, only small clusters of bait circling piling mussel clusters, TONS of what seemed to be 2 different dolphin species. Nothing bur lizardfish being caught at end of pier. Left pier and drove down to wedge, surf was flat and the dolphin were coming all the way to to jetty 30 yds out. Note, a local said (plus a report here from Newport) that the prev Thurs many micros were being caught on mac/bonito size sabikis, but dead on Fri
7/31 9AM - 12PM - Seeing a post WED of a limit of 11-12 in bonito, I decided to go fishing on THU, Cool, overcast past noon, a lot of bait shimmering surrounding end of pier. Nothing attacking the bait and only lizard fish being caught. A few schools of giant sardines passed through with a few caught on sabikis. Also one guy kept catching herring. No dolphin spotted. I fished splasher and kroc, only caught a few lizardfish on the kroc. Saw one boil but the sabiki boys only caught 1 or 2 macs, the only I saw.
8/6 - 12PM - 3 PM - Had a morning SUP session in Sunset Beach so I decided come check out the pier. Sunny by 11AM, light wind, water was clear and a fair amount of bait surrounding end of pier and the bait was being chased so I grabbed my gear and started casting. Nothing on splasher at 1st then I saw a boil and casted to that area and just got one boil on the feather. More small boils then I got a strike, double but one came off, final proof that it was Bonito, a 9" rat. Unfortunately that was it after a few more passes on the feathers. Alternating with kroc to work from bottom to top, got a lot of short barracuda chasers. No lizard fish YAY. NOBODY on end was catching anything other than the occasional lizard, even with all the bait activity
Signs looking better and if you are in the right place at the right time you might pick up a few of the micros.
