bassin' tips
 

ive been yakfishing about 2 months now, gone out about 6 times but ive never tried to catch bass. i caught one sand bass and it was hella fun:banana , but i have no idea what techniques to use to target bass. i would like to use mostly if not all plastics, and would like to know which ones seem to work (unless you have secret techniques you dont want to give away:p ) I just want to go out and catch some bass.:badair

Re: bassin' tips
 

I swear by my prism krocodile !!!
Been out 3 times with it, 2x SBB, 1x BSB

To be perfectly honest, I, myself, have not had luck with plastics.
I don't know why either.
Maybe we'll both learn something here.

Check out my previous posts

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/forum...read.php?t=581

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/forum...read.php?t=533

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/forum...read.php?t=527

Good luck
MG

Re: bassin' tips
 

I use nothing but artificials for bass, mainly targeting calicos and spotted bay bass. I don't target sandbass but get them when fishing for these other guys.

The following all work for both bass types, swimbaits, grubs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, creature baits (Condors, Brush hogs, etc...) and bass jigs.

Fish SBB like you would Largemouth bass, They love structure, docks, eel grass, channel drop offs, boat moorings, rock pilings, etc...

Calicos, outside the harbor, look for kelp and rocks.

A few ways to fish plastics (swimbaits/grubs/creature baits):

Cast, let sink to the bottom and do the slow retrieve (basically dragging the bait/plastic along bottom) and/or lifting the rod and reeling then letting the jig drop back to the bottom (bouncing it along).

Cast and a steady wind thru the kelp, over the rocks/structure/eel grass

This is my favorite, cast a swimbait (4-6") and just reel in as fast as you can wind over/thru kelp, eel grass, rocks, etc... This triggers the reaction bite in both spotties and calicos and they will just about rip the rod out of your hand.

Spinnerbaits, cast and wind thru/around/next to/above kelp, eel grass and rocks. Works really well once the sun is up and you have a bit of wind on the surface.

Crankbaits - cast and wind, with eel grass, get one that will dive to just the top of the eel grass. With kelp, cast up the lanes and around the edges. With rocky structure, work the entire water column and get in tight and bounce the diving lip off the rocks.

Bay/Harbor Colors
#1 - Chartreuse for spinnerbaits, crankbaits and grubs
#2 - Red w/Red Flake - Swimbaits & Grubs
#3 - any color on any day seems to work

One more thought, I like to throw a minimum sized 5" swimbait for spotties and 6" for calicos. I start there, if they don't touch that I'll start moving down to a 4" swimbait and then maybe a grub for spotties. I use a 3/4 - 1oz leadhead for 5-6" swimbaits and that allows me to make long casts and just rip the bait along the bottom for spotties and for calicos along the surface/thru the kelp.

I caught (and weighed on a scale I keep in the kayak and boat) five spotties over 4lbs and eight calicos over 7lbs (including one a bit over 9lbs) last summer fishing swimbaits this way. It's not the only way, but since I have started fishing plastics like this, the amount of larger bass I have caught has increased significantly! I have kayak fished side-by-side with a certain moderator of this board who was throwing grubs, while I was throwing big swimbaits and outfished him 10 to 1. I think that guy now has an entire forum dedicated to bass fishing :worthy :worthy and tends to throw big swimbaits ;) ;)

For the bays/harbors, tide can have a major influence on where the fish are staging, you'll need to pay attention to where you are and are not getting fish and what the tide is doing. Also, get a depth/fish finder for your yak, if you do not have one. Use it to help you locate structure and depths. Note this too as you do and/or don't get fish in locations/tide conditions.

Hope this helps, there are about 1 million ways to go with this so let me know if you have any questions/suggestions.

Keep in mind, we are just now starting to come into the time of year when the bass will become active and start biting, spawning, etc... so these past 2 months being "slow" is not unexpected!

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

Guys,
Listen to what Ed is saying. He is one very good bass angler. Even though he did win that day by a long shot with swimbait vs grub LOL, they are different plastics. Most grubs are fished bumping them along the bottom. Most of the time swimbaits are fished further up in the water column from just below the surface downward. Thats not to say you can't work a swimbait along the bottom, just most of the time they are swam if that makes any sense. If the fish are feeding at or near the bottom, grubs or similar plastics can work pretty good. If the fish are further up in the water column, other baits which are used in that depth will probably work better.

Also, keep in mind what species you are targeting. If you looking for halibut or bass, you may want to stay or at least start with bottom plastics. If you not getting bit, grab the swimbait rod and move up in the water column and see who is home. If the middle depths get you bit, then mix in spinners and cranks and see what happens. It's all good as the saying goes :thumbup

Perry

Re: bassin' tips
 

thanks for the tips guys:thumbup :brews i just have one more question, what is the best place for me to start? i was thinking either alamitos bay, newport, or possibly cabrillo? i really want to hit up mission bay...but its a two hour drive:( :censor

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

If you want to catch fish, I would suggest Newport Harbor and start with with the "AA" type grubs, in clear w/red flake or chartreuse, fished on a 1/8 or 1/4 oz round lead head. Fish the docks and boat moorings around Balboa, Lido and Harbor Islands. Put your baits as close to this structure as you can and try not to hit the boats/docks when casting ;)

This weekend there are good high tides right at dawn. Launch and fish the back areas of the bay, not just the Coast Guard dock area. Use 8lb test, still light enough for the spotties and should prevent too many break offs. You can also try the GULP stuff, grubs and shrimp baits. I was talking with Jimmy Decker last Saturday, who is a guide in Newport Bay, and he said the back areas of the bay are on fire now for the Spotties.

Good Luck

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

For green bass I have been fishing the swimbaits one of two ways:

Cast, let it sink (play with various depths until I find the fish) and then a slow wind back.

...or cast let it, let it sink to the bottom and then bounce it off the bottom all the way back.

I have not had too much success with the ripping it back to the boat in freshwater, but in saltwater for calicos, it is my #1 producer.

Got this one in Huites on the slow wind back to the boat. Lost a nice 4-5lbr right at the boat on the cast just before this standard model, which I just noticed is the same color/length swimbait I caught the spottie on last night

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/500/pearlbass.jpg

I think like any other bait technique, you just gotta do it for awhile and figure how it works best for you. Always easier to get on a good bite and then switch over to a new bait and see how it performs.

Hope this helps.

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

Here are some examples:

Spinnerbait Fish

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...HBJ12s2-6w.JPG


Grub Fish

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...ttieMega-1.jpg


Swimbait Fish

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo.../HH719-3-2.jpg

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...HHFSHChk1s.JPG


Jig Fish - I like this one as I made the jig myself!

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...pottie-Jig.jpg


Almost 4lbs

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...tie311edit.jpg


These next 2 are 4+lb fish

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...0/HH719-40.jpg


...and here is one that actually ate a small sandbass I was reeling in (I've had this happen 2 times)

http://www.seasidetechno.com/files/HBBigSpottie2L.JPG


They are out there, go get 'um and release the spotties please, they are slow growing and do not migrate in/out of the harbors.

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

To get the "bobbing" motion, are you using a floating/suspending bait??


...here is another tip on Spotties, even though most photos I have I'm lipping the bass. Spotties have a decent set of teeth and can destroy your fingers, here is what my thumb looked like after 2 days and catching approx 40 spotties. The 2nd day hurt the most when their teeth went into the open cuts. I tried tape and it just doesn't feel right thunbing the casting spool.

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...500/Thumb2.JPG



http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...500/Thumb1.jpg

They both healed up nice by the end of that summer:banana :banana

Re: bassin' tips
 

thanks for the tips guys:brews theyre really helpful. i hope to be posting some pics reeeaal soon!

Re: bassin' tips
 

Thank you for all the great info on the bass - what, if any, scent do you use on which lure?

Re: bassin' tips
 

Seaslug,
I'm not sure what Ed uses, but on plastics like grubs, creature baits swim baits and the like I use my standard "Hot Sauce" by Edge Fishing Products. If I'm using baits that already have scent in them like Yum products or Gulp products, I don't add an additional scent to them. Let's get out gain and fish soon :thumbup

Perry

Re: bassin' tips
 

one more question, what pound test braided line should i use inside the bays and harbors? someone told me 50....but that doesnt sound right to me. Again, thanks for all the info guys i really appreciate it:thumbup

Re: bassin' tips
 

Like Perry, I use Hot Sauce.

I would stay away from Braided Line in the Harbor while fishing from a yak, it's too hard to break off if you get hung up, but that is just my opinion. Stick with a good 6-10lb mono/fluoro line. I use P-line FluoroClear.

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

Hobb3s93,
I don't use braided line for any of my bass fishing. In the bays (San Diego & Mission) I use 2 different rigs. A medium action 6lb spinning setup for drop shotting and working plastics and a 7ft medium heavy stiff bait casting setup
for fishing spinnerbaits and jigs with 10lb line. If you want to catch lots of bass
the easy way give drop shotting a try. On your 6lb spinning outfit tie on a 2oz
torpedo sinker. About 18-24 inches up the line tie on a #4 Owner Mosquito hook
and pin on a 2" Gulp New Penny Shrimp in new penny or nuclear chicken colors.
Drop the rig down to the bottom and put your rod in the rod holder and start a drift. The sinker needs to maintain contact with the bottom. This technique is deadly on the bass in San Diego Bay out deep in the channels. As far as San Diego being a 2 hr drive from where you are at... True, but no place on the entire West coast has the spotted bay bass fishing that San Diego Bay and Mission Bay has. If you were to get into one of the wide open bites that happen quite often on these two bodies of water you will probably want to move down to the "619". It's that good. Many times I have caught so many spotties that I couldn't begin to count them all. Both of my thumbs were bleeding.

Robert

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

Water Rat,
In the Big Salty out here some guys have been doing a variation of the rig you mentioned with the bucktail. It is mainly used for shallow water rockfish. They would tie on a heavy metal jig (Salas 6X Jr or UFO 5) and 24" up the line they would tie on a Kalin's Magumbo grub on a dropper loop with a piece of cut squid
on the hook. Double your pleasure, double your fun! Drop it down to the bottom
and deadstick it. Many times you will catch multiple fish on each drop.


Robert

Re: bassin' tips
 

Omited by WR

Re: bassin' tips
 

.and a few calicos:

SWIMBAIT

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/500/DCP_1889.JPG


http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...0/DCP_1875.JPG

http://www.allkayakfishing.com/photo...catcallies.JPG


Spinnerbait

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/500/catspinner2.jpg

Big Surface Plastics/Iron

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/5...m/DCP_1888.JPG


http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/5...m/EBCallie.JPG

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/5...gBaitCalie.JPG


Crankbait Fish

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/500/DCP_1912.JPG

Re: bassin' tips
 

hello everyone this is my first post:banana nice spotties biggest iv seen i fish around San Pedro side of the LB Harbor spotties dont seem to get that big here i used basically the same stuff maybe on lighter gear:thumbup and i release everything especially here :badair

Re: bassin' tips
 

Yakman,
Welcome to the forums :hello.

I also fish those areas as I live in Orange County and play with the bass whenever I can. If I get something a few pounds inshore, I think I'm doing good. These guys though...that's a different story.

Perry

Re: bassin' tips
 

Newport, Newport, Newport:banana

Hank

Re: bassin' tips
 

Water Rat,
Living out here does have its good points. It's not all peaches and cream though. Housing is outrageously expensive. If I want to go hunting I have to plan on driving several hours to get away from the urban sprawl. I'm kind of envious of your location in a lot of ways. You can probably just walk down the road and catch all kinds of fish. I'll bet you don't have to go far to go hunting either. Did you see that picture of that 9.2 lb calico bass that Ed caught?
Those calico's are some mean bass! They will kick a largemouth's butt and steal their lunch money! I'd like to see Bill Dance hook into a calico that size!
I find it kind of odd that the pro bass fishermen on T.V. never even mention
the saltwater bass fishery that we have out here. I'd say that 98% of the country doesn't even know that it exists. I guess it's probably better that way. Otherwise everyone and their brother would be out here. Calico's are slow to grow too. A fish the size of the one Ed had is well over 10 years old. Probably closer to 20. Almost no one that I know keeps calico's to eat. We like to c&r them.

Robert

Re: bassin' tips
 

Excellent points Robert. While big green bass do pull hard, calicos above 5-6lbs pull way harder than there freshwater cousins. A 4lb spotted bay bass pulls almost (if not harder) than a 7-8lb calico.

Seems most So Cal anglers are set on fishing for yellowtail, white seabass, barracuda, rockfish, halibut and SANDBASS, all to put food on table, which is great. There is a pretty hardcore group of folks that fish calicos and go to enormous lengths/costs to get 'um. And 99% of these fish get released (however they are pretty tasty!).

Maybe it's best that the TV bass guys don't show the fish and have this fishery overrun like all others in Cali!!!

...and YAKMAN, there are lots of big spotties in the areas you mention!

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

Ed,
When I used to fish for big calico's on the party boats we would use the heavy gear. Forget the lightweight stuff that is used for freshwater. I used a Cal Star 8' 270H with 30lb mono and a Diawa SL30SH with the drags hammered down! You need to lay the wood to those mothers right now or they will take you into the kelp and it's over! Now I know a lot of guys now use spectra witch would cut through the kelp a lot better. Those big calico's aren't shy at all. I have seen them inhale some huge macs that I didn't think they would want anything to do with. My hat is off to you for catching calico's as big as those on a regular basis. :worthy :worthy :worthy Those fish have a big set of shoulders and a very bad attitude. :thumbup I would still love to see the look on the faces of some of the bass fishing T.V. hosts if they were to hook up to a big 10lb+ calico on their freshwater gear!:eek:

Robert

Re: bassin' tips
 

Robert,

If you look at the photos with rods/reels in them you'll see a Shimano Castaic and a couple of Curados matched with freshwater bass rods. About the only exception is the rigs we chuck iron with.

Most are loaded with 15 or 20lb mono or 50-65lb Powerpro (mainly for working the big surface plastics thru the kelp). Makes for a few busted off fish but getting a 5-8lb calico out of the weeds on a light bass setup is just killer!!!

Ed

Re: bassin' tips
 

Awesome Ed!
There is no doubt you have probably forgotten more about calico fishing
than I will ever learn in my lifetime. Uh, let me rephrase that: You haven't forgotten anything, and will still know more than I could ever hope to know
about fishing for calico's!:worthy For real though, unless I was using a heavy rod like a 270H jig stick when I was fishing live bait from a party boat, I couldn't turn those bad mamajamma's around. I know you guys use mostly artificials,
so it is a different ballgame from 10-15 years ago when I was targeting the big
calico's. Those are some absolutely epic bass that you and your friends caught. :thumbup

Robert

Re: bassin' tips
 

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...aulsyellow.jpghttp://http://i160.photobucket.com/a...s93/mytuna.jpgwhen i went on a 5 day yellowtail fishing trip, the calicos were spawning at the islands. the things were hard to keep off the hook! i ended up catching a HUGE cali on a scrambled egg iron, and my friend caught a 13.5 pounder(biggest bass of his life) that had a face only a mother, and a fesherman could love:p here are a few pics of the trip, the guy with the calico wasnt the one who got the 13, this was just the average size bass we were catching. then the one with the tuna is me(i was tired shut up!) and the one with the yellow is my bro.http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...93/bigbass.jpg

Re: bassin' tips
 

That is one massive calico! Way to go!

Robert

Re: bassin' tips
 

Great info