Jump to content


Photo

southern California microfishing (and non-micro fishing)


77 replies to this topic

#61 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
  • NANFA Member
  • Central Maryland

Posted 15 November 2017 - 10:02 AM

Looks like fun!  Pretty good fight and dinner too!


Kevin Wilson


#62 BenCantrell

BenCantrell
  • Moderator
  • Sebastian, FL

Posted 18 January 2018 - 04:46 PM

Happy New Year everyone!  Nothing new for my lifelist in this post, but I caught a few tidepool fish that are worth sharing.

 

Opaleye

39007772544_7fb627a457_c.jpg

 

Woolly Sculpin

39007771804_458cfd653e_c.jpg

 

Spotted Kelpfish

24847645427_9dcec0b8c1_c.jpg

 

The honey hole.  I caught all 3 of the above species in this pool as well as rockpool blenny.

39716793201_3671939b79_c.jpg

 

Ocean Beach Pier to the north.  You can triangulate my position if you want to poach the spot. :D

39716792081_5495a835f5_c.jpg



#63 ShadetreeIchthyologist

ShadetreeIchthyologist
  • Regional Rep
  • Charleston SC

Posted 18 January 2018 - 05:10 PM

That Woolly Sculpin looks pretty cool. Are you still doing your blog?


"Amateurs can potentially make valuable contributions to our knowledge of fishes". - Etnier and Starnes

#64 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
  • NANFA Member
  • Central Maryland

Posted 19 January 2018 - 07:40 AM

Very cool!  I bet all four species would make for an interesting biotope aquarium depending on how big a tank.  What, no blenny pic?   :fishy:  (I'm a bit biased...OK, I guess the kelpfish is close enough)


Kevin Wilson


#65 BenCantrell

BenCantrell
  • Moderator
  • Sebastian, FL

Posted 19 January 2018 - 06:17 PM

Very cool!  I bet all four species would make for an interesting biotope aquarium depending on how big a tank.  What, no blenny pic?

 

Agreed on the biotope aquarium.  Someday when I grow up and own my own home I'd like to set up something like that.

 

I don't know why I didn't photograph one of the blennies.  And I caught 3 of them!



#66 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 19 January 2018 - 07:10 PM

Wooooly Sculpiiiin! Wooly Sculpin! Wooly Sculpin! Watch it now, watch it now!

Cool stuff, as always, Ben!
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#67 BenCantrell

BenCantrell
  • Moderator
  • Sebastian, FL

Posted 05 February 2018 - 05:52 PM

Checking in with some recent catches!

 

First off, here is the #1 live bait for most of the fish in the bays in Socal.

 

Ghost Shrimp

39079891954_559a097ff6_c.jpg

 

Their burrows are easy to find at low tide in sandy/muddy areas.

 

25917675978_7c41ecd096_c.jpg

 

To collect them you use a length of PVC with a rubber stopper and a handle that can be pulled up to create a vacuum and then dump the contents on the sand.  It doesn't take long to catch your limit.

 

25917677278_ae4daec53a_c.jpg

 

These ghost shrimp were the key to catching my first bonefish.

 

Cortez Bonefish

28026253979_2550ec49b9_c.jpg

 

28026253669_f988049832_c.jpg

 

28026253399_81e2ec7ae3_c.jpg

 

28026254559_600e5c1122_c.jpg

 

Ghost shrimp also attract croakers, stingrays, and small spotted sand bass.

 

Spotfin Croaker

28026255729_dc0eea6f53_c.jpg



#68 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
  • NANFA Member
  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 05 February 2018 - 07:23 PM

Neat looking bait, is it a type of pistol shrimp?
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain

#69 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
  • NANFA Member
  • Central Maryland

Posted 06 February 2018 - 07:44 AM

That is a very interesting collecting technique for those shrimp.  The bonefish is quite beautiful in a subtle way.


Kevin Wilson


#70 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 06 February 2018 - 09:16 AM

Yes - Ben's photo really captures the essence of the bonefish's elegant design

That is a very interesting collecting technique for those shrimp.  The bonefish is quite beautiful in a subtle way.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#71 BenCantrell

BenCantrell
  • Moderator
  • Sebastian, FL

Posted 20 February 2018 - 06:29 PM

I've been getting into kayak fishing this year.  Isn't hadn't produced any new species for me so far, but it opens up a lot of water for me to explore.  I'm expecting good things in the future!

 

No one in California uses a sit-in fishing kayak except for me.  :blink:  This is the $350 one I brought with me from Illinois.

25952726518_3c7f078e9e_c.jpg

 

Spotted Sand Bass

38926911385_ce532693f0_c.jpg

 

Kelp Bass

25088576417_e1aeb61c03_c.jpg

 

A fellow kayak angler's fantail sole.

25088575747_3d91089731_c.jpg

 

And his specklefin midshipman.  I was pretty jealous.

25088574717_d03ee83bb0_c.jpg

 

25088574537_5a174c8631_c.jpg

 

And finally his shortfin corvina (his pic not mine).

25099414497_e96db3c2b6_c.jpg

 

Pacific chub mackerel.

26321486258_581065076e_c.jpg

 

California halibut.

26321484568_3f9221968b_c.jpg

 

26321484098_b4d790c28d_c.jpg

 

My big goal this year is to fish offshore in a kayak and catch a new species that I wouldn't be able to catch from shore.  I'll probably need to borrow or rent a larger sit-on-top style kayak for that.



#72 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 20 February 2018 - 07:27 PM

Maaaa! Bennie got a slurp gun!!!
And then he gets the fishes!
I wonder about slurp guns for snorkeling and collecting fish that have holed up in difficult to reach spots. Does anyone use 'em for fish out there, or just stuff buried in the mud?

And as always, great pictures, Ben!
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#73 elting44

elting44
  • Regional Rep
  • Salina, KS

Posted 21 February 2018 - 10:59 AM

Just checked out this thread; very, very cool.  I had never even heard of a guitarfish prior to reading through this, and the Thornback is awesome!!

 

What size hooks are you using for the micros? (i.e the Opaleye from 1/18)

 

I am going to try my luck at micro-fishing and or ultra-light/micro-light fishing this spring.  I have spent the last few years targeting Blue Catfish so it is going to be quite the gear shift.  I have some ultralight rods and small spinning reels, its the terminal side of the rig I am trying to figure out.


Tyler Elting -  Intersection of the Saline, Smoky Hill and Solomon Rivers, Kansas
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" -Matthew 4:19
Avatar photo credit Lance Merry

#74 BenCantrell

BenCantrell
  • Moderator
  • Sebastian, FL

Posted 21 February 2018 - 11:03 AM

Just checked out this thread; very, very cool.  I had never even heard of a guitarfish prior to reading through this, and the Thornback is awesome!!

 

What size hooks are you using for the micros? (i.e the Opaleye from 1/18)

 

I am going to try my luck at micro-fishing and or ultra-light/micro-light fishing this spring.  I have spent the last few years targeting Blue Catfish so it is going to be quite the gear shift.  I have some ultralight rods and small spinning reels, its the terminal side of the rig I am trying to figure out.

 

Thanks!  Owner New Half Moon Tanago hooks from http://www.tenkarabum.com/micro-fishing-hooks.html. Make sure to get presnelled.



#75 elting44

elting44
  • Regional Rep
  • Salina, KS

Posted 21 February 2018 - 03:01 PM

Thanks, just got some ordered, they were the ones I was looking at.  I am also thinking about getting some size 22 or 20 hooks as well for targeting sunfish.

 

Do you (or have you) fished Tenkara style with a fixed length of line and telescopic rod without a reel or do you use spinning or casting gear.

 

I like the idea of being able to fit everything in my Chair-pak including my rod (with or without a reel)

 

Between having a new tank cycling and learning new fishing methods, I have cabin fever as bad as I can remember


Tyler Elting -  Intersection of the Saline, Smoky Hill and Solomon Rivers, Kansas
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" -Matthew 4:19
Avatar photo credit Lance Merry

#76 BenCantrell

BenCantrell
  • Moderator
  • Sebastian, FL

Posted 21 February 2018 - 03:15 PM

I have this rod:

http://www.tenkarabu...e-kiyotaki.html

 

It's really nice, but you can catch fish with pretty much the same success rate with a cheap spinning combo.  Most of the time when I'm hunting small stuff in saltwater I take a medium-lite rod with 2000 size reel and 6 lb fluoro.

 

Honestly I would bump up your hook size to around #14 for sunfish.  With too small of a hook you risk them swallowing it.



#77 elting44

elting44
  • Regional Rep
  • Salina, KS

Posted 21 February 2018 - 03:41 PM

I have this rod:

http://www.tenkarabu...e-kiyotaki.html

 

It's really nice, but you can catch fish with pretty much the same success rate with a cheap spinning combo.  Most of the time when I'm hunting small stuff in saltwater I take a medium-lite rod with 2000 size reel and 6 lb fluoro.

 

Honestly I would bump up your hook size to around #14 for sunfish.  With too small of a hook you risk them swallowing it.

 

I will give them a look. I think I will buy a cheap Tenkara rod and then use a telescopic spinning rod for my 1000 series Shimano Spirex and give that a shot.  That way I can keep some Tenkara rigs tied up and ready but still have spinning rig to fall back on.  The wind in Kansas may very well make days where Tenkara style fishing is viable few and far between.

 

Thanks for all of your help, the more I read about microfishing the more your name is popping up. I appreciate the advice


Tyler Elting -  Intersection of the Saline, Smoky Hill and Solomon Rivers, Kansas
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" -Matthew 4:19
Avatar photo credit Lance Merry

#78 Chasmodes

Chasmodes
  • NANFA Member
  • Central Maryland

Posted 26 February 2018 - 03:15 PM

Very cool stuff.  That midshipman is cool!  I bet he'd be fun to catch at night!


Kevin Wilson




Reply to this topic



  


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users