Hey,

Just wanted to say hello to everyone. I've been saltwater fishing for just a few months now (pier/shore), but I'm pretty hooked so I went out and got myself a float tube. Nothing big... a Caddis Discovery Gold.

I hope to learn from you guys and, even better, hope to meet/fish with you in person. I'll be heading to Long Beach tomorrow morning (thanks for the suggestion Kiyo) in search of halibut. Hopefully I won't be fumbling in the water too much. :)

Eugene

Welcome aboard Eugene
Send a report from your Long Beach trip. Good luck!

Hank

Thanks Hank!

Man, I'm glad I started somewhere relatively easy... Palos Verdes would've been murder! I got to Cherry Beach around 10am and took some extra time to make sure I had everything. Well, it still wasn't enough because I forgot to get my hat and my jigheads out of the car--LOL. Oh well, it turned out to be more an exercise in getting in/out and navigating the waters than fishing anyway. Fished for about 3 hours before my legs got tired... Had plenty of bites but only came away with one shorty halibut. Here are some pics:

Calm Waters


Fishfinder says there are fish! I don't know if these things are a gimmick but decided to give it a try.


Shorty halibut (maybe 12" or so?)


4" swimbait hit multiple times


As you can see from the pictures, the water was very brown with no visibility. Is this the infamous red tide or is it normally like this?

V6,

Welcome aboard! Looks like red tide in Long Beach? Sounded like it was ok though. Thanks for the report and keep at it. It will pay off especially if you can get out and fish for the Fall bite!

Kiyo

Eugene, Welcome!! Good job on the post. Looks like you had a fun first day with the float tube. Wait until you try a kayak then you will really be hooked. That water looks nasty! Hope it doesnt move up to the south bay.

Take it easy!

Aaron

Starting with a float tube is a good thing...........float tubers can put the hurt to them as well. Try the Keylime Big Hammer......it's one of my favorite Halibut plastics!!

Welcome!!

GBF

Hey, I think your watch if off? It shouldn't be 32' in that area you took the photo. I think more like 17'. I may be wrong though?

Kiyo

Yeah, I'm still trying to figure it out... I was stop and go so it was showing all these weird depths. Most of the time it was between 10 - 20.

A couple times it'd starting beeping like crazy... I imagine those must've been schools of fish because I'd circle back around and they'd be gone.

I have better luck going the other direction and a lot closer to shore..Try in front of those 2 big bldgs cast toward shore, really close to shore, as you kick your bait will come back out... If you got tired after 3 hours you are kicking too hard... You don't need to go fast...Another thing beginers often do wrong is going in and out at an angle...When you launch and come out of the water make sure you are going straight in or out...Other wise even with a little 1 1/2' wave you will get flipped over... Have fun and just relax...Kenny

Ok, thanks for the advice Kenny. It wasn't easy to gauge how fast I was going--I felt like I was going really slow. I think part of it was the waves and also that I was gauging my progress against the buildings (which at that distance probably wasn't accurate).

Any more advice is greatly appreciated!

ahh I was there running on Sunday I was wondering if i would see a report on the boards.

And Kiyo yes the red tide was very Ugly Sunday there at Cherry.