By Paul Lebowitz

A group of birds headed straight towards us. Without thinking I fired a cast in front of the line of diving birds. Hook-up! My rod bent double as the fish started towing the kayak. Line tore off the spool. Then disaster struck as my overmatched reel seized and just like that my fish was gone.

“Quick, bring the gaff!” shouted my fishing partner Al Silebi. Silebi was leaning back on his kayak, rod arched towards the water as he pulled on his own fish. I paddled over with the gaff and Al stuck a 12-pound class yellowtail, the first of his two for the morning. We were floating just yards from the southwestern shore of the Bay of L.A. in a mere 20 feet of water.

It was never my ambition to hunt yellowtail using 6-pound test on an ultra-light spinning outfit.

It was the final morning of our kayak fishing trip, time to relax a bit after two dawn-to-dusk sessions. All of the heavier gear was packed for the long ride home. We’d only planned on sampling some fish a cast spotted bay bass action. Then the yellowtail that had been so elusive the two prior days crashed the party. I didn’t stand much of a chance armed as I was with an outfit better suited to chasing spotted bay bass in the shallows of San Diego Bay. Who could have resisted the opportunity to try? I failed but came home a bit wiser. When fishing L.A. Bay in the spring or summer, no matter where you are in the bay, it pays to be ready for yellowtail.  

L.A. Bay is well known for quality summertime yellowtail fishing, bountiful ocean wildlife, and scores of scenic islands described by some as the Galapagos of the Cortez. It is equally notorious for sudden gales and dangerous, unpredictable currents that can bring an unprepared kayaker to grief. The outer waters of the bay amidst the islands offer the most productive fishing for yellowtail, leopard grouper, and the occasional tuna or dorado if you are there at the proper time of year.

These demanding waters are no place for an inexperienced kayak angler. On the other hand the calm, sheltered waters of the southern half of the inner bay provide excellent reef fishing and at least a shot at the roving schools of yellowtail that sometimes chase bait into the bay.

Southern L.A. Bay is defined by the spine of mountains that encloses its eastern shore. The mountains plunge into the bay, steep slopes continuing below the water’s surface. The water depth along the shoreline here often drops to 60 or 70 feet just a lob cast from shore. The rugged shoreline is punctuated every quarter of a mile or so by a well sheltered cove. The steep slopes and indented coves often protect this stretch of water from adverse weather. When the wind is howling between the islands of the outer bay it may be calm among these coves. Weather vigilance is still necessary. The nearest launch sites are two to three miles away across open water.

The best fishing is right up against the mountainous eastern shoreline. Triggerfish, barracuda, the ever-present spotted bay bass, grouper, and Cortez grunt are likely catches here. If you’ve never seen a triggerfish you’re in for a surprise. I once heard a Mexican father describe this fish to his young son as a “cartoon fish.” Triggerfish have tiny mouths filled with oversized crushing teeth, big puffy lips, goofy looking beady eyes, and a comically undersized tail. These fish are named for their strong horn-like first dorsal spine. When agitated they lock the spine open. The second dorsal spine is the trigger. Press it down and the big one will follow. Don’t underestimate these oddball fish. They are tenacious fighters and great table fare, especially tasty in ceviche.  

Away from the mountains, the remainder of the southern bay is a gently sloping plain that starts shallow along the western shoreline at an average depth of 10 to 15 feet.

Small areas of rocky structure provide shelter for the dominant spotted bay bass as well as smaller triggerfish and other assorted reef species including puffer fish. The shallows can yield fish cast after cast. This is a comfortable place for less experienced kayak anglers to start. Trust me, for seasoned kayakers it is well worth the effort to paddle across the bay to the foot of the mountains for bigger and more varied fish.

While waiting and hoping for a school of marauding yellowtail to penetrate deep into the bay, most kayak fishermen will want to focus on the resident gamefish. For these, think lighter gear for better sport. 12 to 15-pound test on a levelwind reel is just about perfect for battling the numerous triggerfish, spotted bay bass, and other shallow reef fish.

There are two basic methods. The first is to cast or troll a minnow type crankbait or saltwater plug parallel to the shoreline, working the lure near the bottom. Don’t forget to bring replacement hooks. You’ll need them once a triggerfish puts its powerful teeth to work on one of your trebles.  

The second popular method for targeting fish on the shallow L.A. Bay reefs employs a saltwater spoon such as the Luhr Jensen Krocodile. This is a vertical approach. Freespool the bait to the bottom, taking care to keep your thumb poised above the spool. Be ready for a strike on the fall. If the lure reaches the bottom, reel up about a foot and then start jigging the lure upwards a few feet and then letting it fall. Keep your drag set tight! Once a fish hits it will try to escape to the shelter of the rocks. If a triggerfish wedges itself into a crevice you might never get it out, so sweep your rod tip up and crank furiously when you hook a fish. Alternatively try casting and retrieving the spoon, keeping it near the bottom. Whatever your preference, don’t be surprised if you catch so many fish that they chew all the paint off your spoon.

Keep a 20 to 40-pound outfit in reserve. You never know when the yellowtail might sneak up on you. Think surface irons and larger spoons and toss them in front of diving birds or on the edge of bait schools, then retrieve as fast as possible. There isn’t any kelp for wily yellowtail to find, so once hooked up take your time playing out your fish.  

CLOUDS of wheeling, diving bird signal the arrival of yellowtail deep within the Bahia de los Angeles.

WHERE BROWN DESERT MEETS BLUE SEA – The beautiful Bahia de los Angeles is located about 10 hours south of the US-Mexico border. A long day’s drive from home, the fishing is more tropical than anything back in California.

BIG SCHOOLS of yellowtail sometime move all the way into the relatively protected waters of southern LA Bay where they can be caught just yards from shore.

IF THE YELLOWTAIL AREN'T AROUND, kayakers can still find consistent action along the steep southern shores of the bay on a variety of resident reef fish, including spotted bay bass, grouper, barracuda, and deceptively powerful triggerfish.

Any time you are fishing a steep and boulder-strewn shoreline you might hook a huge gulf grouper. Enjoy the fight until you break off. If you want to target these fish be sure to bring out the heavy gear, big hooks, wire leader, and live or dead bait. Getting one of these leviathans (they can weigh over 200 pounds) out of the rocks is virtually impossible from a kayak, so I stick to the lighter gear.

While keeping a lookout for the birds and bait that indicate the surface feeding activity of yellowtail or barracuda, keep an eye open for the diverse ocean wildlife of L.A. Bay. Our stealthy kayaks don’t seem to alarm most creatures. You may spot sea lions, pilot whales, sea turtles, and sometimes even killer whales or whale sharks.  There is one more fantastic natural phenomenon that has to be seen to be believed.

One evening we lingered on the water until the sky grew inky black. Soon we started to notice flashes of silver and purple in the water. At first they were faint as if reflections of the star filled sky above. The phosphorescence grew in intensity. Each paddle stroke was followed by a vortex of swirling light and our kayaks trailed wakes of silvery bioluminescent flame.

Kayaking after dark is not recommended for beginners. If you choose to experience L.A. Bay at night carry lights and a GPS receiver, and tell someone on shore where you are going and when you expect to return.

And don’t forget to be ready at any time for tackle-testing yellowtail.