Did the circuit of Balboa Island in the float tube and did OK. I caught 16 fish total, all dinks except this guy.

I've never been a fan of Newport. It's crazy busy on weekends and gets a ton of fishing pressure.

And I got hassled by a cop. I was hoping to launch out of a place called Channel Park. It was about 5:00am and I was looking for a parking spot and a cop cruised by me and saw my fishing gear and turned on his lights. He backed up to my window...

"You here to go fishing?"

"Yes, I was hoping to launch my float tube from Channel Park there."

"This is residential area here and these people don't need to be disturbed. Visitors need to park in the public parking lot over on 15th street."

I'm aware of my surroundings and I'm always quiet and respectful of the fact that I'm in a residential area but he has no way of knowing that and even though I have just as much right to park on the street as anyone else, there is certainly no percentage in arguing, so I left. First time I've ever been run off by a cop simply for being a fisherman. It left a bad taste.

I went to the Coast Guard Station, parked on the street, and launched from there.

I think I will need some serious motivation before I go back to Newport.

Click image for larger version. 

Name:	SPOTTIE.jpg 
Views:	364 
Size:	97.6 KB 
ID:	50138