Visit to California - Newcomer Advice

[Mr_England]

Hi

I am new to this forum but I am a member of a similar setup here in the UK (WSF - World Sea Fishing). I am visiting California on vacation in May and I was hoping that I might get some advice about lure fishing??

Here in the UK I target European Sea Bass on all sorts of lures and spinners and I plan to bring my telescopic rod with me when I visit. I am doing the Pacific Highway drive from Monterey to Los Angeles, stopping at motels in Carmel and Santa Barbara on the way.

I was going to look for the nearest rocky ground near to where I am staying and have a few casts for the hell of it, but if I could get some pointers it might be worth a bit of a drive to make the effort a bit more worthwhile.

Here in the UK, fishermen are very guarded about there fishing places so I wont be offended if this post comes across as a bit forward. But any kind of rough guidance would be appreciated.

I don't know what species I would be targetting, but any predetary fish that would take a lure (especially off the top which is so spectacular) would be my aim.

I've included a couple of photos from the last year's album so give you an idea of what I'm hoping for.

Thanks - Will - Manchester (UK)

[SP Dan]

Hi Will and welcome to Socal, USA!

I like your plan to spot some boilers and just start tossing at em' ..... ya never know what Poseidon may toss your way?

That's a great looking ESB! How long and heavy can the European Sea Bass get?

We normally throw Lucky Craft 110 lures, Krocodiles and swimmies and we target a wide range of species such as:
Halibut, White Sea Bass (ghost), Striped Bass (very rare), Barred Surf Perch (BSP), Wall-eyed Perch, Barracuda, Shovel Nose Guitar Fish (SNGF), Yellow Fin Croaker (YFC), Leopard shark, Calico Bass, Sand Bass (turd roller) ..... etc.

Heck ... I've been known to even catch a bird or two on the LC 110! :ROFL: Ha ha ha! (by accident of course)

Will ... just do what comes natural and everything else will follow, just like it does back home ... and remember ... have fun! :Big Grin:

Good luck and please post a report of your sessions at the end.

PS .... Don't forget to purchase your fishing license for salt water fishing if you plan to fish on the beaches .... it's not worth the $ fine from the Warden.
Fishing on piers, man made jetty's will not require a fishing license.

PSS ... BEWARE of the MLPA areas ...... now protected wildlife reserves with limitations to fishing and or NO fishing.

Best success is usually at first light in the morning.

Good luck Will! :Thumbs Up:

SP Dan <"))><

[trail blazer]

You came to the right place for great surf info Mr ENGLAND.

Im sure that the S W A T bunch will be able to point you in the right direction . No body knows the surf like they do!

I for one would like to welcome you to the west coast of our country and hope that your stay and trip here is a memorable adventure.

Welcome to FNN.

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/attachment.php?attachmentid=46134&d=1429830883


Is that a zara spook,,,,,,,,night time topwater action WOW! nice!
TRAIL BLAZER

[bones]

I can't say much for a top water bite in our region primarily because we have a huge population of coastal birds that would attack your bait before you get the fish to hit but shoot me a PM when you arrive and I will try my best to point you in the right direction. I'm only familiar with the region from Santa Barbara moving south to LA though. In the northern region you might want to repost this inquiry in the "Northern California" section to get the help you desire from the guys who have the experience with that area.

Pointer....

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/forumdisplay.php?86-NorCal-Saltwater-Fishing-Reports

[shiromaguro88]

I would suggest you hopping on one of the 1/2 day 3/4 day trip. You probably have better odds on catching fish than from shore.

[shiromaguro88]

You may want to stop by the central coast and try this pocket fishing.
http://Youtu.be/cTdlxy91LSl
Look up www.jurassicsportfishing.com

[City Dad]

yeah, what Bones and Dan said. sounds like a fun trip. leopard sharks tend to show up in numbers on So Cal beaches in May and it can be startling to suddenly find oneself in the midst of a dozen or so of these fish as they swarm the shallows. Fortunately, they are only dangerous to sand crabs and juvenile perch and are known to take lures and flies from time to time.

a couple bits of advice:

there are many places that claim to serve "fish tacos" but the only real fish tacos are batter fried white-fleshed fillets served on a corn tortilla (henco a mano is best) with shredded cabbage, the white sauce and three lime wedges on the side. grilled salmon is not a fish taco ingredient.

as you move north you will begin to encounter San Francisco Giants fans. try and remember it's not their fault - they are most likely born with that deficiency.

[simijab]

yeah, what Bones and Dan said. sounds like a fun trip. leopard sharks tend to show up in numbers on So Cal beaches in May and it can be startling to suddenly find oneself in the midst of a dozen or so of these fish as they swarm the shallows. Fortunately, they are only dangerous to sand crabs and juvenile perch and are known to take lures and flies from time to time.

a couple bits of advice:

there are many places that claim to serve "fish tacos" but the only real fish tacos are batter fried white-fleshed fillets served on a corn tortilla (henco a mano is best) with shredded cabbage, the white sauce and three lime wedges on the side. grilled salmon is not a fish taco ingredient.

as you move north you will begin to encounter San Francisco Giants fans. try and remember it's not their fault - they are most likely born with that deficiency.

hahahahahahahaha!!!!!

[fishinone]

Our striped bass are in the same family as the ESB. I think that you'll do well fishing for them. It looks like many of your lures are just right.

The striper in the Ocean are more common up near San Fransisco in the Sacramento Delta and the Ocean. On the southern coast they are less abundant. They are also Landlocked in the California Aqueduct and in most of the lakes attached to it.

There are lots of other fish that will hit in the same zones where you would expect to find Sea Bass.

Enjoy your trip!
Tight Lines!

[Mr_England]

Hi everyone! I've just logged back into your forum and I'm amazed at the friendly responses to my question. Thank you. I plan to respond to each of your messages individually. Here goes....

[Mr_England]

Hi Will and welcome to Socal, USA!

I like your plan to spot some boilers and just start tossing at em' ..... ya never know what Poseidon may toss your way?

That's a great looking ESB! How long and heavy can the European Sea Bass get?

We normally throw Lucky Craft 110 lures, Krocodiles and swimmies and we target a wide range of species such as:
Halibut, White Sea Bass (ghost), Striped Bass (very rare), Barred Surf Perch (BSP), Wall-eyed Perch, Barracuda, Shovel Nose Guitar Fish (SNGF), Yellow Fin Croaker (YFC), Leopard shark, Calico Bass, Sand Bass (turd roller) ..... etc.

Heck ... I've been known to even catch a bird or two on the LC 110! :ROFL: Ha ha ha! (by accident of course)

Will ... just do what comes natural and everything else will follow, just like it does back home ... and remember ... have fun! :Big Grin:

Good luck and please post a report of your sessions at the end.

PS .... Don't forget to purchase your fishing license for salt water fishing if you plan to fish on the beaches .... it's not worth the $ fine from the Warden.
Fishing on piers, man made jetty's will not require a fishing license.

PSS ... BEWARE of the MLPA areas ...... now protected wildlife reserves with limitations to fishing and or NO fishing.

Best success is usually at first light in the morning.

Good luck Will! :Thumbs Up:

SP Dan <"))><

Hi mate - thanks for the reply. I've been fishing for ESB for approx 4-5 years on lures and my personal best is a 6lb 12oz Bass. But on the continent (around the Mediterranean) they can grow to 20lb+. I think the record is 22lb.

One of my favourite lures is the Lucky Craft Sammy 115 (I actually imported it from the US) and also the Gunfish. I could dig-out loads of photos of Bass caught on them (I'll include a photo with this post).

Please could you let me know some more details about the license and the protected zones.

46151461524615346154

[Mr_England]

Hi Will and welcome to Socal, USA!

I like your plan to spot some boilers and just start tossing at em' ..... ya never know what Poseidon may toss your way?

That's a great looking ESB! How long and heavy can the European Sea Bass get?

We normally throw Lucky Craft 110 lures, Krocodiles and swimmies and we target a wide range of species such as:
Halibut, White Sea Bass (ghost), Striped Bass (very rare), Barred Surf Perch (BSP), Wall-eyed Perch, Barracuda, Shovel Nose Guitar Fish (SNGF), Yellow Fin Croaker (YFC), Leopard shark, Calico Bass, Sand Bass (turd roller) ..... etc.

Heck ... I've been known to even catch a bird or two on the LC 110! :ROFL: Ha ha ha! (by accident of course)

Will ... just do what comes natural and everything else will follow, just like it does back home ... and remember ... have fun! :Big Grin:

Good luck and please post a report of your sessions at the end.

PS .... Don't forget to purchase your fishing license for salt water fishing if you plan to fish on the beaches .... it's not worth the $ fine from the Warden.
Fishing on piers, man made jetty's will not require a fishing license.

PSS ... BEWARE of the MLPA areas ...... now protected wildlife reserves with limitations to fishing and or NO fishing.

Best success is usually at first light in the morning.

Good luck Will! :Thumbs Up:

SP Dan <"))><

I can also vouch for being quite a proficient sea-gull catcher and un-hookerer! As my mate says: "watch your eyes!"

[Mr_England]

You came to the right place for great surf info Mr ENGLAND.

Im sure that the S W A T bunch will be able to point you in the right direction . No body knows the surf like they do!

I for one would like to welcome you to the west coast of our country and hope that your stay and trip here is a memorable adventure.

Welcome to FNN.

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/attachment.php?attachmentid=46134&d=1429830883


Is that a zara spook,,,,,,,,night time topwater action WOW! nice!
TRAIL BLAZER

Thanks Mr Trail Blazer, I am really looking forward to my visit, not long to go now. I fly-out on May 13th. The picture you have highlighted is Bass caught on (what I know as) a Heddon Spook One Knocker. I've just clicked on a link (http://www.heddonlures.com/product/one-knocker-spook-5/) and it does appear to have a sister called Zara which is very similar. I love this lure, it's cheap, it has a wooden-like ball inside it which makes a very distinctive dull rattle noise, and it casts very far due to its weight and its profile in the air.

[Mr_England]

Hey bones, thanks for the advice. I will watch out for the birds, maybe I'll consider taking some sub-surface lures in case the birds are a problem. I will post a similar question on the Northern section board as you suggested, I was in two minds where to post the original question. Thanks for the pointer

[Mr_England]

Hi, my missus ain't gonna entertain that! I'm having to smuggle the telescopic into the suitcase as it is!!!

[Mr_England]

yeah, what Bones and Dan said. sounds like a fun trip. leopard sharks tend to show up in numbers on So Cal beaches in May and it can be startling to suddenly find oneself in the midst of a dozen or so of these fish as they swarm the shallows. Fortunately, they are only dangerous to sand crabs and juvenile perch and are known to take lures and flies from time to time.

a couple bits of advice:

there are many places that claim to serve "fish tacos" but the only real fish tacos are batter fried white-fleshed fillets served on a corn tortilla (henco a mano is best) with shredded cabbage, the white sauce and three lime wedges on the side. grilled salmon is not a fish taco ingredient.

as you move north you will begin to encounter San Francisco Giants fans. try and remember it's not their fault - they are most likely born with that deficiency.

Ha ha I've never heard of San Francisco Giants, they must be an insignificant outfit! We have a football team in our district called Manchester City, their fans are a few beers short of a six-pack. Was thinking of taking-in a 49ers game or Raiders game but the missus isn't keen, until typing this I'd not even considered going to watch the Galaxy (I'm a Manchester United fan so seeing David Beckham again would be nice - if he's still there). Thanks for the advice matey

[Mr_England]

Our striped bass are in the same family as the ESB. I think that you'll do well fishing for them. It looks like many of your lures are just right.

The striper in the Ocean are more common up near San Fransisco in the Sacramento Delta and the Ocean. On the southern coast they are less abundant. They are also Landlocked in the California Aqueduct and in most of the lakes attached to it.

There are lots of other fish that will hit in the same zones where you would expect to find Sea Bass.

Enjoy your trip!
Tight Lines!

Thanks fishinone, that's the reassurance that I need. I'll take a couple of my fave lures which I feel confident using, chuck them out and take anything that may come along.

Tight lines and thank you

[bones]

Just to prime you up.....

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=monterey+bay+surf+fishing

You should also take the wife and visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium.... Very nice way to spend a few hours.

[one long cast]

Mr. England nice to see that this is read by fellow fisherman across the pond. The west coast of California is very beautiful and exciting to see. There are many areas that will take your breath away. Just to go over a few reminders that were stated on this thread, DO GET A Fishing LICENSE. maybe a couple of non-res 7day'ers. The Wardens in this state will cite their mothers for the chance to get a STAT. Now I don't know how well your Telescopic rod will work if you get into some good size fish and of course are you using spinning or casting reels?????. However if your Tackle fails you in any way and you are in the area or close to Seal Beach (next to Long Beach) PM me and I have more tackle than one person should have and I'll set you back up. Now if you wife gets upset as to you fishing on this trip, and you are in the San Francisco area, take her to Pier 39, take the cable car if you can and take her to a restaurant called Scoma's located on Scoma Way. The serve a flounder that is to die for its call Patralie and its served either battered or pan fried. I always take the latter. Enjoy Dennis

[Mr_England]

Mr. England nice to see that this is read by fellow fisherman across the pond. The west coast of California is very beautiful and exciting to see. There are many areas that will take your breath away. Just to go over a few reminders that were stated on this thread, DO GET A Fishing LICENSE. maybe a couple of non-res 7day'ers. The Wardens in this state will cite their mothers for the chance to get a STAT. Now I don't know how well your Telescopic rod will work if you get into some good size fish and of course are you using spinning or casting reels?????. However if your Tackle fails you in any way and you are in the area or close to Seal Beach (next to Long Beach) PM me and I have more tackle than one person should have and I'll set you back up. Now if you wife gets upset as to you fishing on this trip, and you are in the San Francisco area, take her to Pier 39, take the cable car if you can and take her to a restaurant called Scoma's located on Scoma Way. The serve a flounder that is to die for its call Patralie and its served either battered or pan fried. I always take the latter. Enjoy Dennis

Thanks Dennis, I will take every bit of that advice. Where abouts can I obtain a day license please??

[bones]

Thanks Dennis, I will take every bit of that advice. Where abouts can I obtain a day license please??

I don't think ONE day licenses are sold anymore. I believe that a minimum of a three day license is sold now. A quick call to a local tackle shop in the Monterey area upon arrival should set you straight. Down here in the Los Angeles area I was amazed this year that my local sport Chalet and Big 5 no longer sold fishing licenses so I had to go to Bob Sands Fishing Tackle to obtain one. Most people purchase theirs online now. If I'm not mistaken the cost of a three day license is just about half of a whole year license. Somewhere around 25 dollars. I'm not really sure how things change for non residents though. I suggest you go online and look up a local tackle shop in the Monterey area and give them a call in order to answer your questions accurately. Be sure to tell them that you will be fishing the salt water because we have to enhance our licenses with an additional fee of a few dollars for the privilege to fish in the ocean. Not sure if that matters with the three day license though.

[one long cast]

Did a little research for you (England) your best bet is to purchase a 10 day non-res. for $47.01 and an Ocean enhancement tag for $15.12. Then just renew the 10 day as much as you need. Never thought of it But Bones is correct about places to buy. Here in Seal Beach there are 3 Bait stores and none of them now sell Fishing Lic. Wal-Mart used to sell them however I have not bought on in California in a long time. A year long non res fishing lic. is approx. $150.00.

[Mr_England]

Did a little research for you (England) your best bet is to purchase a 10 day non-res. for $47.01 and an Ocean enhancement tag for $15.12. Then just renew the 10 day as much as you need. Never thought of it But Bones is correct about places to buy. Here in Seal Beach there are 3 Bait stores and none of them now sell Fishing Lic. Wal-Mart used to sell them however I have not bought on in California in a long time. A year long non res fishing lic. is approx. $150.00.

That's great information, thank you (thanks also to Mr Bones too). I'll call into a tackle shop, have a bot of a chat and see about acquiring a license from there.

OK guys, thanks for all your help, I'll be departing soon so my next post might be a catch report!!

[Mr_England]

Hello everybody

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to re-post on this thread that I started last year. I promised I would let you's know how I got on during my visit to the Golden State.

Basically, the missus and I had a FANTASTIC vacation. We flew into SFO, hired a Chevy Camero Convertable, took it Yosemite then back to the Pacific at Monterey Bay. Then we lazily made our way down to LA before dropping the car off in Sin City then jetting home via The Big Apple. Upon return to the UK, we discovered that she had fallen pregnant to our first little boy who is now safely with us (hence me forgetting to log back onto this site)

I only got the 1 chance to go fishing whilst I was on my vacation which was on Santa Barbara pier. What a lovely town Santa Barbara is! It was our favourite, quaintest town and it was some kind of market day whilst we was there with all the main street closed-off to motor vehicles. I tried my surface lures to no affect and ended up copying the guy next to me who was catching mackerel. I caught about a dozen and it was an enjoyable way of spending a May afternoon. I also recall there were sea-lions splashing about too, no doubt balling-up the mackerel. There we're a lot of hungry sea birds on the pier who were quite keen to deprive me of my catch, and also a resident Pelican too!

I have attached some photos of my day in Santa Barbara, and also some others from my trip which I will never forget.

Yours

Will
ENGLAND - UK

48142481434814448145481464814748148481494815048151 4815248153481544815548156

[City Dad]

congratulations and thanks for the report.

you simply must return and fish the coast with your son one day!

cheers

[Mr_England]

congratulations and thanks for the report.

you simply must return and fish the coast with your son one day!

cheers

Yes you're right City Dad. There would something satisfying about that, almost 'The circle of life' material!!

[Mr_England]

Thanks everyone for helping-out