Monday morning saw me leave San Diego early with the intent of fishing three piers during the day. Unfortunately it was raining all the way to San Clemente. I finally decided to stop and have a morning sandwich in hopes the rain would stop before hitting the San Clemente pier. It did.
San Clemente Pier, 8:30-11:15 a.m. I arrived at the pier and only found three people on the pier, a bad sign, and sure enough things were slow. I started fishing at the end but all I was able to catch there were smelt and small perch. Finally headed mid-pier to just past the restroom area where I managed to catch a spotfin croaker and a yellowfin croaker. I caught the spotfin on ghost shrimp that I had purchased at Squidco in San Diego while the yellowfin hit on blood worms. Most of the fish were caught on the bloodworms.
Total for 2.75 hours = 11 jacksmelt and topsmelt, 4 walleye surfperch, 1 white seaperch, 1 salema, one shinerperch, one spotfin croaker and 1 yellowfin croaker.
Dana Harbor Pier, 12:35-2:20 p.m.. I next headed over to the small pier in Dana Harbor. Only one fisherman at that pier and he hadn't caught anything. It was slow except for one really nice fish. Total for 1.75 hours = 3 white seaperch, 1 shinerperch and one 18-inch corbina (which has been filleted and is tonight's meal).
The corbina was basically the highlight fish for the trip as far as I was concerned, better than the halibut I caught.
Newport Pier, 5:35-6:35 p.m. I had one more pier to hit. I drove the coast route to Newport, checked into my motel, stopped for a light lunch and headed to the always busy Newport Pier. It's often a hit or miss pier depending upon the mackerel and this was no exception.
I found the newly-opened end section crowded with people, almost all using Sabikis for mackerel, and not one mackerel to be seen (although a smelt occasionally ht a Sabiki). I fished the bottom at the end for a half hour hoping for a perch or bass but didn't have a bite except for a lone jacksmelt. I next moved inshore hoping for something, anything, but didn't have a bite in the half hour in that section. With the wind picking up and no fish in sight I called it a night and headed to the hotel to watch the NBA finals.
Tuesday would see me headed back to Fresno but not before stopping at the Balboa Pier and seeing Snookie, the "queen of the pier" for a while along with Hashem.
Balboa Pier: 6:45-8, 9:45-11. Once again I found the pier largely deserted, one lone angler about 3/4 of the way out to the end. The end had nary an angler which meant the normal mackerel bite was non-existent. What might replace them? I would cast out one line from the south corner of the pier and fish one line straihght down among the pilings hoping for a possinble perch, bass or mystery fish. However it was slow. All I managed in a little over an hour of fishing were some topsmelt, 2 walleye surfperch, 3 small bocaccio and 1 California lizardfish.
When Hashem arrived I decided to take a break and have some breakfast with him at Ruby's. Although Snookie had joined us at the end in search of some small live bait for her halibut, she would continue fishing while Hashem and I stuffed our tummies.
After breakfast we headed inshore to fish with Snookie by the second extension on the pier. As we arrived one of her group's anglers was pulling up a halibut. Unfortunately it was only 20 inches long and thus too short to keep.
A "shortie" halibut.
I decided to finish off my worms and try for some croakers or barred surfperch instead of soaking live bait for the halibut but it didn't work, all I got were a few more walleyes and a sanddab. Nevertheless, it was nice fishing with Snookie and Hashem and we finally got a picture of the three of us.
Hashem, Snookie and some gnarly old pier rat.
Total for 2.5 hours at the Balboa Pier: 5 wallye surfperch, 5 topsmelt, 3 bocaccio, 1 California lizardfish, and 1 speckled sanddab. The fishing was slow but it was still fun sharing the time with the dolphins, birds, and some old friends.
Heading home I made decent time (even in LA) excepting for a weird slow down at the foot of the Grapevine. I was back in Fresno by 4:30.
San Clemente Pier
San Clemente Pier, 8:30-11:15 a.m. I arrived at the pier and only found three people on the pier, a bad sign, and sure enough things were slow. I started fishing at the end but all I was able to catch there were smelt and small perch. Finally headed mid-pier to just past the restroom area where I managed to catch a spotfin croaker and a yellowfin croaker. I caught the spotfin on ghost shrimp that I had purchased at Squidco in San Diego while the yellowfin hit on blood worms. Most of the fish were caught on the bloodworms.
Spotfin Croaker
Total for 2.75 hours = 11 jacksmelt and topsmelt, 4 walleye surfperch, 1 white seaperch, 1 salema, one shinerperch, one spotfin croaker and 1 yellowfin croaker.
Dana Harbor Pier and adjacent Star of Dana Point
Dana Harbor Pier, 12:35-2:20 p.m.. I next headed over to the small pier in Dana Harbor. Only one fisherman at that pier and he hadn't caught anything. It was slow except for one really nice fish. Total for 1.75 hours = 3 white seaperch, 1 shinerperch and one 18-inch corbina (which has been filleted and is tonight's meal).
California Corbina
Grizzled pier rat and a corbina
Grizzled pier rat and a corbina
The corbina was basically the highlight fish for the trip as far as I was concerned, better than the halibut I caught.
Newport Pier, 5:35-6:35 p.m. I had one more pier to hit. I drove the coast route to Newport, checked into my motel, stopped for a light lunch and headed to the always busy Newport Pier. It's often a hit or miss pier depending upon the mackerel and this was no exception.
At the end of the pier
The end of the pier and Catalina off in the distance.
The end of the pier and Catalina off in the distance.I found the newly-opened end section crowded with people, almost all using Sabikis for mackerel, and not one mackerel to be seen (although a smelt occasionally ht a Sabiki). I fished the bottom at the end for a half hour hoping for a perch or bass but didn't have a bite except for a lone jacksmelt. I next moved inshore hoping for something, anything, but didn't have a bite in the half hour in that section. With the wind picking up and no fish in sight I called it a night and headed to the hotel to watch the NBA finals.
Tuesday would see me headed back to Fresno but not before stopping at the Balboa Pier and seeing Snookie, the "queen of the pier" for a while along with Hashem.
Balboa Pier: 6:45-8, 9:45-11. Once again I found the pier largely deserted, one lone angler about 3/4 of the way out to the end. The end had nary an angler which meant the normal mackerel bite was non-existent. What might replace them? I would cast out one line from the south corner of the pier and fish one line straihght down among the pilings hoping for a possinble perch, bass or mystery fish. However it was slow. All I managed in a little over an hour of fishing were some topsmelt, 2 walleye surfperch, 3 small bocaccio and 1 California lizardfish.
When Hashem arrived I decided to take a break and have some breakfast with him at Ruby's. Although Snookie had joined us at the end in search of some small live bait for her halibut, she would continue fishing while Hashem and I stuffed our tummies.
After breakfast we headed inshore to fish with Snookie by the second extension on the pier. As we arrived one of her group's anglers was pulling up a halibut. Unfortunately it was only 20 inches long and thus too short to keep.
A "shortie" halibut.
Hashem, Snookie and some gnarly old pier rat.
Heading home I made decent time (even in LA) excepting for a weird slow down at the foot of the Grapevine. I was back in Fresno by 4:30.
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