Newport Harbor saturday 7-5

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Hit up Newport Harbor Saturday 7-5.

Located fish at almost all the stops, bigger fish were harder to come by.


Stitched anchovies in water averaging from 16 to 23’ was the ticket, I found more consistent action in the deeper water.


Caught a whole lot of fiash…kinda lost count of the spotties

My brother caught:
7 Spotted Bay bass 3 sand bass and I believe 1 white seabass
3 short halibut

I caught:
15 Spotted bay bass
5 Sand Bass
3 White seabass
1 dink bat ray
2 short Halibut

Didn’t take whole lot of photos as my camera has been really trippin lately, the button doesn’t always click to take the photo..

Here are a couple…..

I released about 4 spotties that were way past legal but I didn’t rob the cradle…..I only kept the 2 biggest ones..

Got a tasty blood shot…..Ohhh Yeah !...funny that one was hooked solid on the tongue….he was a bleeda !!!....well….he coincidentally felt the steel of my knife later..

Great day, I was hoping for some keeper Halibut but the 5 we got were way short…
But…
Spotted Bay Bass fillets…..Hmm Hmm Hmmn !

Till the next foray…
Gary

P.S.
Also hit the Newoprt pier afterward, I hadn't been there for 20 years or so....what a mad house this weekend...I searched for flatties but found that the thornback sandsharks had other ideas....caught about 16.....I stopped fishing fianlly after that..
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn284/garywuebben/NEWPORTHARBOR7-5-081.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn284/garywuebben/NEWPORTHARBOR7-5-082.jpg
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http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn284/garywuebben/NEWPORTHARBOR7-5-084.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn284/garywuebben/NEWPORTHARBOR7-5-085.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn284/garywuebben/NEWPORTHARBOR7-5-08.jpg

[Brian_GSC]

Nice job on the spotties!

How big were the seabass? Were they shorts?

[kill_obet]

great job out there bro!!

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

Nice job on the spotties!

How big were the seabass? Were they shorts?


There were way short....unfortunately

[Wingnut]

You got that harbor dialed in Gary. I wonder if the big legal WSB ever make their way into the harbor. I've seen many short ones caught but haven't heard of any big boys being caught inside the harbor. Congrats on a good day on the water. :cool: :D

[chris]

You got that harbor dialed in Gary. I wonder if the big legal WSB ever make their way into the harbor. I've seen many short ones caught but haven't heard of any big boys being caught inside the harbor. Congrats on a good day on the water. :cool: :D

a few years ago a guy and his girl posted pics of a legal they got right at the bait tank
nice job gary i like that area under the bridge

[tacklejunkie]

Nice going on the variety! Thanks for the report :cool:
I gotta try for a spottie one of these days.

[Vman]

Very nice report. I used to fish that harbor alot on my kayak, but that skiff you have, with the trolling motor, seems to be the perfect setup.

[CASTAWAY]

Nice. I may have ta get back out there soon....:D

[lizzay]

Nice job Gary, from stripers to spotters. One of a kind! hey, I heard Davey's Locker rents out skiffs for the day. I might just try that out soon. Thanks for the report.

[fish4keep]

Not a hater here. Do as you please since they're legal size spotties.

I don't know if you know but spotties lives in the harbor all (if not most) of their lives. There are lots of pollutants from boaters (oil, greese, fuel) and run offs. Many times that I've caught spotties, they would puke while shaking, and alot of time there are oil slicks coming from the undigested food.

[steve092]

Thanks for the report.

What kind of boat is that?

[crappie stalker]

Nice spots looks like you got a few things dialed in..

CS

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

great job out there bro!!
Thanks my friend...a little different from the west ramp fish but it's a blast...
Hope to see ya soon,
Gary

You got that harbor dialed in Gary. I wonder if the big legal WSB ever make their way into the harbor. I've seen many short ones caught but haven't heard of any big boys being caught inside the harbor. Congrats on a good day on the water. :cool: :D
Thanks buddy, I'm still learning it, things are a little different from when I used to fish it 20 years ago, this is just the 2nd outing since my younger more idle meanderings in this harbor.

I am very slowly expanding my ventures into new zones each time out, honestly theres a good 50-60% of that harbor I've not even fished yet..

I can't wait to really get it dialed, for now I am happy to be catching fish, thats what it's really about...I love those scrappy bass out there, I don't want to fool anyone, there were periods of the day I really had to work hard to find fish and even then some spots would only give up 2-4 fish then I'd have to go on the hunt again.

I sure wouldn't mind catching a legal WSB and landing it, no matter where it was...the biggest I've landed so far were a pair of 27 inchers and beleive it or not....that was off the Santa Monica Pier at night...

I sight fished them suckes that night with everyone and their mother throwing right on top of them...they'd chase a lure for 6-8 feet then stop within inches...taunting you...I tried many methods with lures and even anchovies to get 'em to bite but no go.....So ....necessity is the mother of invention

I caught 2 small mackerals and live lined 'em....2 mackerals ='d 2 WSB

Not kidding, there were about 15 nice ones out in the light and I tried for about an hour till I used the macks...then after that...no more macks....no more WSB.

Anyway, enough of the fish tales...
thanks for the props buddy, we gotta hit the water sometime soon regardless of what body of water...
Good fishing to ya,
Gary


a few years ago a guy and his girl posted pics of a legal they got right at the bait tank
nice job gary i like that area under the bridge

I could see that happening since it's so near the open water...I'm not kiddin, I've tangled with a legal in MDR harbor b4 mr seal bass_turd moved on em and had a meal on me and I've seen an unbeleivable huge one chase my dine to the surface so the potential is always there...thats why when I go there, I seriously think BIG...always think big and expect the unexpected.

When I tangled with that 5 foot shovelnose in NP I was seriously thinking that 15lb test was way light but I managed through some creative battleing around the mooring buoys..

This last time out, I started out using 10lb test....I caught about 4-5 fish and stopped and told myself "what are you doing.." ..I stripped it and put 15 lb on....

Don't get caught light on a fish of a lifetime...or you'll regret it for a lifetime....

I didn't find that they were line shy..

The bridge is good but only at certain tidal times....it's hit and miss there, I wouldn't suggest spending a whole day in that zone but it's a great bass magnet with the right incomming currents..
Good luck and thanks for the kind words,
Gary


Nice going on the variety! Thanks for the report :cool:
I gotta try for a spottie one of these days.

Thanks, those spotties put up one great fight...they are power packed to the end...kinda like juiced up largemouth...you'd like fishin for 'em..


Very nice report. I used to fish that harbor alot on my kayak, but that skiff you have, with the trolling motor, seems to be the perfect setup.

Thanks...
Thats one of the rentals with my motor as well as an outboard that comes on the boat.

I may be trying out the tubing there sometime soon




Nice. I may have ta get back out there soon....:D

Get on them suckas, maybe we'll see each other there sometime soon, maybe we could get a group of people together in about 3-4 weeks or so...who knows...



Nice job Gary, from stripers to spotters. One of a kind! hey, I heard Davey's Locker rents out skiffs for the day. I might just try that out soon. Thanks for the report.
Thanks...I pride myself in mixin it up...it's all good fun...and good eating by the way, I just ate the 2 I kept laste night...beer battered and pan fried....Hmn Hmn Hmn !
...keep in mind..I caught well over a dozen but not all legal...and I certainly could have taken a limit but didn't....take what yer gonna eat..

Those suckas are great scrappers and are fat for their size...good fillets !

Funny ya mention Davy's locker...thats excatlty what my brother & I did...we rented a skiff from there..it had an outboard but I brought my trolling motor as well to help navigate the currents in spots...
Try it...get it on a good tide though, this past weekends tide wasn't optimum in my opinion but get out there and give it a go...
Good luck,
Gary

[GeordyBass]

nice job!Thats not your boat is it?Was that bass good???:Twisted:

[gletemfeelsteelgary]

nice job!Thats not your boat is it?Was that bass good???:Twisted:

Thats a rental..the bass was excellent, fed 3 adults (beer battered)





Nice spots looks like you got a few things dialed in..

CS
Sorry I did not respond to the following 3 posts, I did not omit you on purpose...my bad..

Yeah CS, I like to think I have an idea of whats going on there but theres still so much to learn, these fish in the bays with the concentrated tidal effects are real tricky, I will be doing a little more research "on paper" b4 my next outing to see if I can maximize my day out there and hang some real big fish, I know theyre there, for now, 1 day at a time, everytime on the water is a learning experience if one pays attention and makes mental notes...I actually fished about 9 different spots, I think 7 of them produced some fish but not in great concentrations....more ta be learned from this, my gut tells me a higher tide in these spots will produce more consistency






Thanks for the report.

What kind of boat is that?

Its a rental from Davy's locker





Not a hater here. Do as you please since they're legal size spotties.

I don't know if you know but spotties lives in the harbor all (if not most) of their lives. There are lots of pollutants from boaters (oil, greese, fuel) and run offs. Many times that I've caught spotties, they would puke while shaking, and alot of time there are oil slicks coming from the undigested food.

No worries, you have valid concerns and I am aware of what you speak of.
Generally I concentrate my table fare to the migratory species in the areas that I know migrate.

Totally understood that the SBB live there all year long, I would not eat them in any regularity from there to ensure no mecury levels transfer into my metabolism.

Given, I do know that this species does not easily retain the higher toxins such as the Yelowfin croaker or barred surf perch, smelt, those particular fish have a metabolism that is more prone to absorb and retain the toxins that come with pollutants.
Note that there are other species too that I have not noted.

I'm am no biologists and I don't want to profess to be an expert but I'd guess that the "slicks" you have experienced when a fish regurgitates something is most likely a combination of the fish's stomach acids and the fish oils from the food it's digesting.

I kinda doubt you'd see a concentration of pollutants visible to the eye being produced from the fish itself.

I'm not saying you may not see some fuel or things of the sorts floating in the water, just most not likely from the fish.

I 100% thank you for these notes as they are real concerns and everyone should be aware.

Thanks and good fishing to ya !
Gary

[flyngby]

Gary,

Looks like you are having fun bringing back the old times and memories and having productive days as well!!!!!!!:Beer Toast:

Looks like a fun day out there in my favorite fishing location.

We will run across each other soon.


Steve

[LightningRod]

good job out there on the spotties.

Please try to release the bigger spotties as they are very limited in numbers nowadays or keep sandies for tablefare as they do taste much better than spotties. thru the past several years of my fishing experience there, there have been lots of pressure on the spotties, and witnessed fisherman on boats and shore taking spottie of illegal sized to large sized as in trophy sized 2.5-4lb spotties.. for those who know about newport harbor, the fish had declined in numbers from reports i received from the regulars that go there and from my experience fishing there 2-3 times a week for the past decade.

Anyways, you do what you want, its in your legal rights, but im just letting you know what had happen before and what may happen again for that bay. Good job out there!