Fishing Helper - Newport or Huntington (San Diego, Carpinteria: to buy, school, live)

[colete00]

Looking for someone to meet us and help us pier fish. I used to do this as a kid and loved it! I want to share it with my kids. Does not need to be a "guide", but someone who knows a bit and has equipment to share with us.

Thinking evening July 7th, 8th, or 9th .... but SUPER flexible so nearly any date could work in July. Newport (balboa) Pier or Huntington Pier

Last year in Carpinteria I hired 2 teens to show my kids and I how to shore fish and we had the best time, so we are not looking for an expert angler, just someone who is happy to share stuff and show us a few things.

Let me know if you know someone, feel free to forward my number.
602 363 7895

Sarah

[NORTY FLATZ]

Sarah, according to the DFG, you can enjoy 2 free fishing days this year. This means you do NOT need a license to ocean fish.

The dates are:
03July, &
04 Sept.

Both Dates are Saturdays.

Now, a little update...

This is for San Diego area.

Bluefin tuna are biting, in a big way right NOW.

2 weeks ago, San Diego reported 1577 bluefin tuna. (Remember, these are NOT trout.) These fish are in the 35 to 150 pound class. (They get bigger as they school North.)

Last week, the number caught was 3200+. (Some fish were 200lbs+...)

These fish are < 20 miles out, so local fleets an get to them. Some Summers, they get no closer than 200 miles out, so no sportfishing happens. Just commercial fishing at that point.

So, my advice would be to get your family on a full day boat and go after some bluefin! (Dramamine might be a smart thing, too.) Read the directions.

I don't know if you've ever eaten fresh tuna before. It's NOT like the crap served at Anthony's Fish Grotto. "IQF" destroys fish quality.
There's a reason sharks eat fresh fish, and not "IQF" (Individually Quick Frozen.) More like "Individually Quickly Ruined..."

Rigging~ You'll want 30# or 40# test mono. Lighter and you'll get spooled. Prepare for a fight, too. You'll think you've hooked a Buick! LOL!
Post up pics too!

[HB2HSV]

Sarah,

If you want your kids to have a great fishing experience, pier fishing is not the way to go. In fact, it's the opposite of positive experiences.

One way is fishing from the surf. You can walk up & down the beach casting out to the surf then reel it in. But the downside is the quality of fish is poor even if you catch some. It's questionable if it's edible.

The alternative is buy tickets out of landings out for a half-day or a 3/4 day fishing. This is on a bigger boat where you maybe packed with 25 to 75 people depending on the day. They usually do what is called "bottom fishing ", that is put a sinker at the end of your line and drop it down to the bottom of ocean then wait for a bite. The ocean fish are usually healthy and they can be good eating. The Chinese seafood restaurants usually sell the live fish for $18 - $20 a pound to customers. But the problem with these "party boats" is generally you get a pretty bad customer service with no help for your kids. Worse if you go on weekends where the boat will pack passengers like sardines.

The best way I can suggest is go to "charter" a boat. They're usually smaller boats that accommodate upto 6 passengers, called a "6 pack". Some are even smaller called a "4 pack". They're very customer service driven and will help your kids from how to bait the fish and how to reel them in. They have all fishing tackles so you don't have to buy any. You can charter these boats anywhere from San Diego to San Luis Obisbo. As you can imagine, just about the only downside is cost. You'll be expecting to spend a few hundred dollars to charter a small "4 pack". It's also customary to give "tip" to the crew if the service is good, usually it's 20% of the charter.

If Newport Landing is convenient to you. Call the Landing and ask. They usually have a few boats they can refer you.

[censoreddawg]

Good advice. I dispute the quality of surf fish statement though. Think surf perch are fine to eat and really tasty. I've caught halibut in the surf on berkely worms as well as bat rays (wouldn't eat these). Agree with pier being crappy fishing though. Never caught anything except bait on the piers.

[Fisherman99]

For Kids...


Pier Fishing...no license required...use multiple tiny hooks (size 8 or 10) on dropper loops with a small piece of squid...will catch mostly small baitfish...smelt, mackerel, etc, but the kids will have fun.


Surf Fishing...license required...I do it a lot for mostly catch and release surf perch, baby leopard sharks, yellowfin croaker, the occasional ray, and corbina (if you are lucky). You can use small squid pieces on a hi/lo setup or carolina rig (size 6 hooks), however much better to just dig up sand crabs (look for the v's in sand at water line for sand crab beds) as all of the surf fish love them. The only issue is conditions have to be right with small surf and minimal seaweed...fun though when it is on.


Deep Sea Fishing...license required...try to get a private boat or private charter (less crowded but costs more). Otherwise, you will be on a packed "open party" boat. Can still be a lot of fun for kids...avoid crowds by going on weekdays on a half-day boat. The captain and deck hands will tell you how to rig up and what to do...listen to them!


Also, there are longer duration party boats (license required) that go for the yellowtail, and tuna more and are for the more hard-core anglers...30 to 40 pound mono minimum on these trips. Listen to the captain and deck hands on fishing tips! Fun, but is pandemonium when there is a wide open yellowtail/tuna bite on a crowded boat (follow your line around the boat when hooked up)...they don't call this "combat fishing" for nothing! A hassle at times, but a lot of fun/worth it when you land a big one!


Good luck...keep us posted how you do!