Christmas Tree Cove (Rancho Palos Verdes)

[jplee3]

Hi all,
Just wondering if any of you have tried fishing up at Christmas Tree Cove (south of Lunada Bay) in RPV. I'll be going there this Saturday... I actually went down there (the hike was KILLER!) a couple years ago and had a fun time. Brought my *LIGHT* gear with me though and got hung up one too many times. Some guy was going for opaleye. Most others were catching perch (I'm not sure what kinda they were.... small rubberlips perhaps? I caught a couple as well and my friend caught a smelt).
Anyway, just wanted to know if any of you have been there recently and if there are any new developments/warnings/dangers to be aware of. Also, I hear there's big fish over there. Last time I actually saw a guy pull a cabbie out of the rocks/tidepools close to shore. I'm not much of a rock/tidepool fisherman, so what would you guys advise in terms of a setup (or setups)?

I found this link with a little bit of info but it's for divers.
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/CalM/Christmas_Tree/index.htm

BTW: What are Garibaldis caught on? I've been dying to catch one and cook it up :P :D hahaha jk

Oh yea, are you allowed to use sea urchins for bait? Would they even work? If so, how do you split them open and rig them up?

[IslandBoi]

Sea Murda is a Garabaldi slayer .... or actually he just caught one, stuffed it and uses it on all his reports, hahahhahaha

When we gonna hit the surf up Murda!!!!

[Nessie Hunter]

Dont know the area at all????

But if your considering Urchin as bait, Try the Uni Butter scent.. It is made of fresh Urchin.

Good stuff anywhere for anything!! :thumb:

Ghost Shrimp works excellent there..or Gulp shrimp

[jplee3]

Ghost Shrimp works excellent there..or Gulp shrimp

Thanks for the tip! I actually tried ghost shrimp last time I was out there and nada! But the GS was actually half-dead by the time I got there (I had stopped off at BigFish off PCH on the way up...) Are there any bait stores open early up in that area that would have GS? I was planning on picking up some squid as well. Can't forget the PEAS this time :D Maybe even some chovies. Do you think the Gulp sandworms, peeler crabs, or jerk shads would work around there too?

I also have a bottle of smelly jelly (anchovy)... gotta get my hands on some of that uni butter though (what stores around here sell Unibutter anyway?)

[one_leg]

Christmas Tree Cove is a great dive site :roll:

One_Leg

[jplee3]

Christmas Tree Cove is a great dive site :roll:

One_Leg

Not if you have to hike down that trail with all your gear :D

[Sea Murda]

Sea Murda is a Garabaldi slayer .... or actually he just caught one, stuffed it and uses it on all his reports, hahahhahaha

When we gonna hit the surf up Murda!!!!


:lol: hahaha!!

I hit the surf a couple weeks ago, caught like two dink perch :cry: . Havent had to much luck anywhere dude, im about due for something nice :D

I'll let you know about surf fishing, I kinda want to shot for some leo's 8)



jplee - fresh mussel will get you a garibaldi! They are fun to catch........and taste just like black sea bass :lol:

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c167/cjay909/Garibaldi/garibaldi1.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c167/cjay909/Garibaldi/garibaldi2.jpg

[victor101]

i thought that was my secret spot. haha.ive caught big opaleye down there as well as kelpfish, senorita fish, and a cabezon. ive seen people fish with whole small crabs(not sandcrabs), not sure what they were fishing for. the hike down there isnt that bad, the hike back up is a beeesh(im a big guy!)....but once you are at your spot its worth it. mussel and ghost shrimp.

[jplee3]

i thought that was my secret spot. haha.ive caught big opaleye down there as well as kelpfish, senorita fish, and a cabezon. ive seen people fish with whole small crabs(not sandcrabs), not sure what they were fishing for. the hike down there isnt that bad, the hike back up is a beeesh(im a big guy!)....but once you are at your spot its worth it. mussel and ghost shrimp.

Hahaha nice baldies SeaMurda! I know you slay em quite often, if not the most here on FNN :) Mmmm I haven't had black sea bass in the longest time! I still need to finish all the cowcod in my freezer :O

Victor, hehe when we went down there, we saw a bunch of other guys down there. Not many with licenses... :| Can't you catch cabbies with those little rock crabs? Yea we were just pulling mussels off the rocks and fishing with those. I wonder if the limpets and/or urchin will work too.

Do you generally try to cast out very far around there? Seems to me that most of the big guys are hanging around and hugging the rocky structure. I was scared of losing my footing or getting swept out a couple times! We were fishing off the far point that sticks out (where the tidepools are on the left-hand side). There's a little 'island' out there you can swim to as well.

[victor101]

yeah you kinda have to get there early to get the best spots. you dont really have to cast out too far. sometimes you can end up on an island if you arent paying attention to the low/high tide haha.

[BishopTrouter]

i dont exactly fish lunada bay but i usually fish other coves around there and ive found casting out to be pointless b/c its never worth how many times u hav to re-rig.... I personally use light tackle, a BB split shot, and a size 10 salmon egg hook w/ a green pea on it and totally slay the opaleye/blue perch/buttermouth/senoritas/small cabezon right next to the rocks and tidepools. The times in the past that i used to cast out, i fished squid and once caught a calico and once a big cabbie.

[jplee3]

i dont exactly fish lunada bay but i usually fish other coves around there and ive found casting out to be pointless b/c its never worth how many times u hav to re-rig.... I personally use light tackle, a BB split shot, and a size 10 salmon egg hook w/ a green pea on it and totally slay the opaleye/blue perch/buttermouth/senoritas/small cabezon right next to the rocks and tidepools. The times in the past that i used to cast out, i fished squid and once caught a calico and once a big cabbie.

Good stuff.... yea, I bet there's a ton of hangups out there what with all the kelp and rocks :) Did you get hit on the bottom by the calico and cabbie? Or was it on the fall or flyline?

I brought light tackle last time and got a couple (either buttermouth or blues) off a size 18 treble hook and mussels. But that was a two edged sword cause the treble hook got stuck alot easier. I didn't know other fish besides Opaleye will eat peas! I remember there was a guy out there fishing peas and he was using old car spark plugs as sinkers just because of the loss rate. Hehe... I should bring an old t-shirt/rags to tear up, wrap some gravel/rocks in, and use some makeshift sinkers. I wonder how well that would work.

[BishopTrouter]

i dont exactly fish lunada bay but i usually fish other coves around there and ive found casting out to be pointless b/c its never worth how many times u hav to re-rig.... I personally use light tackle, a BB split shot, and a size 10 salmon egg hook w/ a green pea on it and totally slay the opaleye/blue perch/buttermouth/senoritas/small cabezon right next to the rocks and tidepools. The times in the past that i used to cast out, i fished squid and once caught a calico and once a big cabbie.

Good stuff.... yea, I bet there's a ton of hangups out there what with all the kelp and rocks :) Did you get hit on the bottom by the calico and cabbie? Or was it on the fall or flyline?

I brought light tackle last time and got a couple (either buttermouth or blues) off a size 18 treble hook and mussels. But that was a two edged sword cause the treble hook got stuck alot easier. I didn't know other fish besides Opaleye will eat peas! I remember there was a guy out there fishing peas and he was using old car spark plugs as sinkers just because of the loss rate. Hehe... I should bring an old t-shirt/rags to tear up, wrap some gravel/rocks in, and use some makeshift sinkers. I wonder how well that would work.

im pretty sure they were both on the bottom w/ a sliding sinker rig... but as u said mussel is probably the best bait out there but its just annoying for me b/c it fall off sooooo easily.

[jplee3]

i dont exactly fish lunada bay but i usually fish other coves around there and ive found casting out to be pointless b/c its never worth how many times u hav to re-rig.... I personally use light tackle, a BB split shot, and a size 10 salmon egg hook w/ a green pea on it and totally slay the opaleye/blue perch/buttermouth/senoritas/small cabezon right next to the rocks and tidepools. The times in the past that i used to cast out, i fished squid and once caught a calico and once a big cabbie.

Good stuff.... yea, I bet there's a ton of hangups out there what with all the kelp and rocks :) Did you get hit on the bottom by the calico and cabbie? Or was it on the fall or flyline?

I brought light tackle last time and got a couple (either buttermouth or blues) off a size 18 treble hook and mussels. But that was a two edged sword cause the treble hook got stuck alot easier. I didn't know other fish besides Opaleye will eat peas! I remember there was a guy out there fishing peas and he was using old car spark plugs as sinkers just because of the loss rate. Hehe... I should bring an old t-shirt/rags to tear up, wrap some gravel/rocks in, and use some makeshift sinkers. I wonder how well that would work.

im pretty sure they were both on the bottom w/ a sliding sinker rig... but as u said mussel is probably the best bait out there but its just annoying for me b/c it fall off sooooo easily.

Right on... yea mussels seem to do the trick, and they sure are annoying because they fall off so much! Gotta remember to bring some thread. I also hear the "clumpy" stuff they're attached to can make a good 'natural' thread in terms of keeping them on. Otherwise, treble hooks work pretty well.