You are on page 1of 12

Recreation Guide

California Parks Company, Southern California


Time to ditch the city and enjoy the outdoors with us! Purchase an annual
or season pass at any of our locations listed below and receive a FREE gift on us!
Dont forget to mention this ad.
Lakeview cabins perfect for creating lasting
Lake Hemet memories.
Cabins | Camping | Fishing | Boat Rentals | Water Park
Thrilling summer fun at Splashing Eagle Waterpark
with eleven huge inflatable water-play structures.
Love to camp but
dont have the gear?
Rent My Tent!
Everything you need for
camping is provided.
Just bring your sleeping
www.lakehemetrecreation.com (951) 659-2680
bags, personal items,
56570 Highway 74, Box 4,
& food. Thats it!
Mountain Center, CA 92561

We stock year round www.lakegregoryrecreation.com


(909) 338-2233
Lake Gregory
for anglers and offer Fishing | Boat Rentals | Water Rec Rentals
affordable boat rentals. 24171 Lake Drive,
| Water Park and Beach | Events
Surround yourself with pine-forested Crestline, CA 92325
mountains, cool lake water, sandy beaches,
and tasty food from the Cove Cafe.
Climb, Jump, Slide down the Rim of the
World Waterpark inflatable play structures
or rent a variety of water recreation toys
like pedal boats, paddle & belly boards,
or aquacycles.

Diamond Valley Largest Southern


Lake and Marina California reservoir.
Fishing | Boat Rentals | Hiking | Biking | Equestrian Trails Anglers come from
all over California for
world class fishing.
Large and small mouth
bass, crappie, striper,
bluegill, catfish and trout.
(951) 926-7201
Bring your own boat or
www.dvmarina.com
rent one of ours!
2615 Angler Avenue, Hemet, CA 92545
As the sun sets on the Pacific, calico bass become active feeders, providing a tempting opportunity for anglers like Scott Pethtel.
Those who set out for a night on the ocean should be prepared for navigating hazards in the dark and other dangers. (ED SMITH)

90 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2017 | calsportsmanmag.com


SOCAL

Fishing The
NIGHT Shift
WHEN EVENING DESCENDS ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAS
COASTAL WATERS, CALICO BASS GET HUNGRY

By Ty Ponder

A
t 2 a.m. the often-frigid void of pure darkness
plays tricks on the brain. You see things that
arent there and, worse yet, cant see things
that are.
Keep an eye around this bend, I said. Several
times I had come close to small boats of questionable

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2017 California Sportsman 91


SOCAL
nature running with their lights
out, tucked tightly against the ver-
tical peak. No sooner had I said that
than my fishing partner wondered,
Whats that just off the nose?
Straight ahead turn right!
Missing the boat by no more
than 50 yards, I turned right back
where we came from. Both re-
covering from our close encoun-
ter with a lights-out panga deep
in Mexican waters, we agreed we
liked our last spot better.

IVE ALWAYS SAID THAT hardcore cal-


ico bass anglers represent a hearty
group. The hard-fighting calico
(kelp) bass, a saltwater cousin of the
freshwater largemouth bass, gener-
ally range from Californias Central
Coast to central Baja California in
Mexican waters. A 6-pound fish
is a trophy, while a world-class,
10-pound calico is the target for all
Its hard to describe what its like fishing on the ocean in the darkness amid the barking of seals and serious saltwater bass addicts.
stirrings of other marine life that keep you awake between bites. John Beerling and Steve Shook make a While squid and other live bait
run into the night. (TY PONDER)

92 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2017 | calsportsmanmag.com


calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2017 California Sportsman 93
SOCAL
may do very well at night, most
calico specialists utilize artificial
lures, since they often account for
the larger fish. My favorite evening
calico grounds typically dictate a
two-hour run each way to access
Catalina Island, San Clemente Is-
land or perhaps a run deep into
Mexican waters. These trips are
one thing during the day, but any
night mission requires a higher lev-
el of experience and preparation.
Safety is paramount, and you
should prepare for all contingen-
cies, such as knowing how to ac-
cess your safety equipment and
how to use it in the pitch dark.
When I run I always wear my kill
When fishing clear water with a full moon shining, try speeding up your retrieve and brightening up your
switch and my life jacket, which colors to draw a reaction strike. On the darker nights, try darker colors and slower presentations. If youre
contains a personal locator bea- not getting bit, try different things. (TY PONDER)
con, waterproof VHF radio, flares,
strobe light, etc. You also should be going overboard. check the wind and surf forecast.
prepared for hypothermic condi- Ideally, youve previously fished My favorites are sailfow.com and
tions, which is probably your great- or at least scouted your intended surfline.com. If youre planning a
est threat if you wind up sinking or target during the day. Definitely run into Mexican waters, you must

94 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2017 | calsportsmanmag.com


LIGHTWEIGHT.
LIGHTWEIGHT.
The lightest 200-hp four stroke
The lightest 200-hp four stroke
on the market
on the market

POWERFUL.
POWERFUL.
2.8L displacement and Variable Camshaft
2.8Lgive
Timing displacement
it the best and Variable Camshaft
power-to-weight ratio
Timing give it the best power-to-weight
of any ratio
200-hp four stroke
of any 200-hp four stroke

COMPACT.
COMPACT.
Nearly 120 pounds lighter than our
Nearly 120 pounds lighter than
four-stroke our
V6 F200
four-stroke V6 F200

THE ALL-NEW F200 IN-LINE FOUR.


THE ALL-NEW F200 IN-LINE FOUR.
FORWARD
FORWARD THINKING.
THINKING.
Show the water whos boss with the new F200 In-Line Four. Incredibly light, responsive and fuel efficient,
itShow theup
serves water whos
plenty boss with
of muscle the new
to handily F200aIn-Line
propel varietyFour. Incredibly
of boats. On toplight, responsive
of that, andalternator
its 50-amp fuel efficient,
offers
the power to add a range of electronics, and its 26-inch mounting centers and compatibility with eitheroffers
it serves up plenty of muscle to handily propel a variety of boats. On top of that, its 50-amp alternator
the power tooradd
mechanical a range
digital of electronics,
controls give you theand its 26-inch
flexibility mounting
to easily centers
upgrade your and compatibility
outboard withExperience
or rigging. either
mechanical or digital controls give you the flexibility to easily upgrade your outboard or rigging.
legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the all-new F200 In-Line Four. Experience
legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the all-new F200 In-Line Four.

CALIFORNIA OREGON
AVILA BEACH VENTURA YUBA CITY EUGENE
Port San Luis Boatyard Pacific Marine Repair Sutter Marine, Inc. Maxxum Marine
(805) 595-7895 (805) 658-1709 (530) 673-6250 (541) 686-3572
www.portsanluisboatyard.com www.pacificmarinerepair.com www.suttermarine.com www.maxxummarine.com

YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine Follow Yamaha on Facebook and Twitter


YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine Follow Yamaha on Facebook and Twitter
REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal
REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal

intended to be an endorsement. 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
intended to be an endorsement. 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2017 California Sportsman 95


SOCAL
ture out and search for prey during
be familiar and comply with all the day. In contrast, the natural
required Mexican paperwork and cover of darkness invites the smart-
regulations. As during the day, you er, older generation out to dine.
should be familiar with how the I prefer to arrive at my destina-
surf breaks and where the rocks tion in the evening to familiarize
and obstacles are located. myself with the conditions. While
Im often rewarded with an eve-
EVERYTHINGS A TRADE-OFF, I like ning bite, its not uncommon for
to say, and while calm winds and the fish to become tight-lipped for a
clear conditions make for a pleas- few hours after the sun goes down.
ant day on the water, it can be bru- Conditions aside, Ive caught most
tal for calico bass fishing. I search of my bigger fish between 11 p.m.
for what I call the three Cs of and 4 a.m.
prime calico conditions: current, Tidal swings are integral to cur-
color and clarity. rent flow, and my preferred move-
Tidal flow as well as wind-driven ment begins and ends an hour on
current stir up the food chain, and either side of a slack tide. During
when you find good water move- a higher tide period look for the
ment or the wind comes up, youll fish to be up feeding in the shallow
often find that the calicos start bit- areas. My favorite is a medium to
ing. I prefer a stained greenish wa- high incoming tide, where the fish
ter color, with 5 to 10 feet of visibil- are moving in to feed on the bait
ity. This reduced visibility provides thats been pushed up and crusta- John Beerling, a calico specialist and the veteran
of hundreds of night missions, reminds us that
a natural form of cover, where big ceans that get washed by the rising many very nice bass can be taken from local waters
bass are more comfortable to ven- water. off the Southern California coast. (TY PONDER)

96 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2017 | calsportsmanmag.com


Author Ty Ponder with an 8-pound
Conversely, on the lower tides calico taken from a spot of foam and
I look for fish on the reef systems whitewash that spilled out from a
series of boiler rocks. Hes caught
or in the kelp. In addition, youll multiple trophy fish from the exact
often find the fish turn on when same spot. (NIC DRAGONMIRE)
the current flow first changes di-
rections after a tidal swing. If its
safe, always have a shot at any
rocky area where the whitewater
is washing around the rocks, espe-
cially if theres kelp stringers and
other forms of structure around.
While I do not specifically follow
moon phases for fishing, theres no
doubt it plays an important role
with tidal flow and illumination
factors. The few days surrounding
a new moon or a full moon provide
the greatest tidal range. This typi-
cally results in greater current flow
and provides the highest tides that
often draw fish into the shallows
to feed. The full moon can provide
excellent ambient illumination, al-
lowing the angler to fish in tighter
situations more comfortably. On
the other hand, it can make fishing

calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2017 California Sportsman 97


SOCAL
tic swimbaits. At night, my go-to cally until it hits bottom and then
a bit tougher at times in a clear-wa- swimbait is the 5-inch MC stan- winding straight back up. One of
ter fishery. dard-size swimbait pinned on a my favorite kelp techniques is to
1-ounce VMC boxer head. You also fish a shallow-water crankbait
AT NIGHT I FISH heavy tackle to target cant go wrong with skirted jigs and through the kelp stringers. With
big fish. You need a rod sensitive creature baits fished through the its single hooks and long cast capa-
enough to feel the lightest bites, yet boiler rocks. On a clear-water night bilities, the new Rapala X-Rap LC
strong enough to turn a big calico at full moon, try speeding up your series is perfect to pull through the
before he stuffs you into the rocks. retrieve and brightening up your kelp without getting snagged.
I typically fish 80-pound Sufix 832 colors to draw a reaction strike. On While the risk and tedium of
braid tied to 4 feet of 50-pound Su- the darker nights, try darker colors night fishing isnt for everyone, if
fix Fluorocarbon Invisiline leader. and slower presentations. youre willing to put the time in,
I recommend a 300-size reel with Fish attractants such as Uni But- the rewards can be great. In the last
lower-geared cranking power and ter and rattles inserted into your year or so, I was fortunate enough
high drag capabilities, as I person- plastics may give you an advantage to catch a 9.6-pounder, three over
ally tighten my drags down 100 as well. If youre not getting bit, 8 pounds and multiple 6- and
percent for all calico bass fishing. try different things. Let the fish tell 7-pound fish at night, all of which
My favorite set-up is the Okuma you what they want and dont be- were released.
Komodo 364 SS reel on an Oku- come discouraged. Remember that Remember that these fisheries
ma SBX series 7-foot, 11-inch XH youre trophy hunting, and this old are fragile environments that can
Swimbait rod. saying often holds true: Slow fish become quickly depleted. After you
I tend to stick with a few basic days are big fish days. Only in this get that mandatory photograph, re-
baits and patterns in night scenar- case its nights. spect that 25-year-old calico for the
ios. While it is true that big baits survivor that it is: Enjoy the mo-
often equal big fish, I seem to catch THE KELP CAN OFTEN hold big fish as ment as you watch it swim back
bigger fish on medium-sized plas- well. Try dropping your lure verti- into the darkness. CS

Theres a Tohatsu outboard


that fits your needs.

4 Strokes 2.5-250 HP TLDI 40-115 HP New 40/50 HP Lighter Weight More Efficient Less Friction 4 Trolling Speed 21 Amp. 12 DC Alternator Electronic Fuel Injection

SANTA ANA, CA
Trade Winds Inflatables
(949) 631-7334
2810 S. Croddy Way
twimarine@gmail.com
www.twimarine.com

www.tohatsu.com

98 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2017 | calsportsmanmag.com


calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2017 California Sportsman 99
SOCAL

100 California Sportsman FEBRUARY 2017 | calsportsmanmag.com


calsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2017 California Sportsman 101

You might also like