Santa Barbara channel islands?

[jack n water]

Thanks to all for the cautions. I'm careful too. I want to catch fish but absolutely not at the risk of my passengers or myself. I've got 40 hours on the boat now just learning to use the electronics and getting comfortable with the boat. I'm taking it slow so that when the season really gets going I can choose a few good days and be out and back with confidence.

Good to hear there're fish out there. The coast has been pretty quiet for me but it's showing signs of life. Looks like a nice weekend. Enjoy.

[skipjack]

The yellowtail and white sea bass are caught off the backside of anacapa,santa cruz and santa rosa islands.
Right now there some thresher sharks and halibut being caught along the sb coast.

[recon3325]

I have had the worst luck bounce balling for halibut. 4 times out and nothing.
Only once was I able to get out before 8 am (the rest 12 to about 5) so maybe I'm hitting it a t all the wrong times. I have tried off goleta the lighthouse, and fernalds. 40 to 80 feet. the classic set up with flasher and sardines. Once school is done i will go early. I hear people are getting them but lack of knowledge is locking me out. How many knots should I be going?

J.D I'm definitely down to double up on a trip but don't see myself getting a chance until August. I will stay in touch. I'm' taking my Zodiac out this afternoon. I have used a lot of gas for nothing so it's to the 4stroke for me until I find them. Hopefully I will have something to share.

[jack n water]

I'll share too as I have something to report. So far, I'm not catching them either. My kicker will be tuned and ready for service after this weekend. Then I'll try the bounce-balling. I've had luck before inside between campus and Goleta beach. I saw a report of tubers catching them near the surfline but no first hand goods. I may give that a shot though before I try the G-beach to light house line. The old info is 60 ft. deep on that line and I still see people there every weekend. Not sure if it's working though. The biologist at the ramp says no reports of halibut yet.

Stay in touch.

J.D.

[Vampirate]

Originally Posted by recon3325

I have had the worst luck bounce balling for halibut. 4 times out and nothing.
Only once was I able to get out before 8 am (the rest 12 to about 5) so maybe I'm hitting it a t all the wrong times. I have tried off goleta the lighthouse, and fernalds. 40 to 80 feet. the classic set up with flasher and sardines. Once school is done i will go early. I hear people are getting them but lack of knowledge is locking me out. How many knots should I be going?

J.D I'm definitely down to double up on a trip but don't see myself getting a chance until August. I will stay in touch. I'm' taking my Zodiac out this afternoon. I have used a lot of gas for nothing so it's to the 4stroke for me until I find them. Hopefully I will have something to share.

I bounce @ 1.5 knots. I had to tow 2 buckets to slow my last boat down to this speed. Last year I had no boat and went only a few times but thought it was slow. This area is hit hard by the draggers(bottom trawlers) and can be frustrating with loose kelp and eel grass. I move in close 10ft or less and throw plastics in the sand alies if there are to many weeds. My new boat is still in project mode and should be getting wet in a few weeks, I hope I can still get in close dispite the windage of a skip FB. I'll give you guys a report after I give it a shot.
MP

[recon3325]

I have a kicker that will let me go slow. thanks for the reply. It is definitely frustrating to keep the gear clear and untangled but I bought some spreader bars that help a lot.

I went up by henry's and came around the inside of the kelp bed that runs parallel to shore. On my first cast towards shore in about seven feet of water I got bit by something but it wrapped up and i couldn't get it up off the bottom. I was using a 3" #38 blue shad.(The only one I had) Wish I had a mask and a pair of gloves with me. I kept second guessing myself thinking it just might be kelp or rock but I felt the rod twitching once or twice before it really stuck. Nothing for the next hour and a half. Talked to some kayakers and they had nothing as well.

Its good to see SB people here. Their aren't many posts about the area.

Sorry J.D I'm way off the tutorial topic of yellows.

[jack n water]

I'm glad to hear about some other people around here.

I was out at leadbetter about sunset and caught one calico about 14". Evidence that the water is warming I guess.