12-07-2007, 05:29 PM
At first I thought the best way to go would be just to buy some inexpensive gear at Wallymart. The best option is to purchase some fine travel rods from Bass pro. For around a hundred bucks you can fish with some of the finest rods there are and keep them a lifetime. And they fit in your luggage.
It's not a bad idea to invest in a decent rig for your kid. Have you ever tried to fish with a Snoopy rod? If we can't, it's impossible for your kid. My five year old loved to fly fish. It was active and she caught the bejesus out of the smelts and perches ( thereby making bait for me) and her bait didn't stink. With that little 3 weight she could fish worms or flies or a dollar bill, pulling it quickly away from unsuspecting tourists. The setup was $59 dollars and she still fishes it.
Anyway there are piers , fishing docks, and miles of shorefishing in the bay. My best tip would be get up early, head over to Pacific beach. Rent a Beachcruiser and circle the bay. It takes about two hours ,more if you talk to people. You will know know everything about it. The locals are friendly and laid back. Its like a little piece of Santa Barbara but two hundred miles south. Bay fishing with ghost shrimp would be the best way to start but sometimes those little buggers are tough to find in the stores. Throwing four inch and smaller curly tail type plastics in white or chartreuse on a quarter ounce jighead will be a close second.Another locals type way is chumming up some smelt off the public docks, catching them on small bread balls, and keeping them in a bucket. Take them to where all the fishermen are shore fishing and chuck them out, nose hooked, Carolina style , with as little weight as you can and still lob the little critter into deeper water. Spotted bay bass, Yellowfin croaker, White Seabass, Spotfin Croaker,Halibut and maybe even the rare Pacific Coast Bonefish are all cruising the bay. If your daughter hooks one of those Bonefish, hold on to her. She might just ski right on out! Good luck and let the board know how you did. PS Take Pictures...we like pictures [
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It's not a bad idea to invest in a decent rig for your kid. Have you ever tried to fish with a Snoopy rod? If we can't, it's impossible for your kid. My five year old loved to fly fish. It was active and she caught the bejesus out of the smelts and perches ( thereby making bait for me) and her bait didn't stink. With that little 3 weight she could fish worms or flies or a dollar bill, pulling it quickly away from unsuspecting tourists. The setup was $59 dollars and she still fishes it.
Anyway there are piers , fishing docks, and miles of shorefishing in the bay. My best tip would be get up early, head over to Pacific beach. Rent a Beachcruiser and circle the bay. It takes about two hours ,more if you talk to people. You will know know everything about it. The locals are friendly and laid back. Its like a little piece of Santa Barbara but two hundred miles south. Bay fishing with ghost shrimp would be the best way to start but sometimes those little buggers are tough to find in the stores. Throwing four inch and smaller curly tail type plastics in white or chartreuse on a quarter ounce jighead will be a close second.Another locals type way is chumming up some smelt off the public docks, catching them on small bread balls, and keeping them in a bucket. Take them to where all the fishermen are shore fishing and chuck them out, nose hooked, Carolina style , with as little weight as you can and still lob the little critter into deeper water. Spotted bay bass, Yellowfin croaker, White Seabass, Spotfin Croaker,Halibut and maybe even the rare Pacific Coast Bonefish are all cruising the bay. If your daughter hooks one of those Bonefish, hold on to her. She might just ski right on out! Good luck and let the board know how you did. PS Take Pictures...we like pictures [
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