By Paul Lebowitz

Would the Yankees be the Yankees if they played in the Metrodome? Not at all: a great field of play enhances any competition, even fun and friendly contests such as the Plastic Navy Tournament Trail. The fortunate anglers who compete in all six Trail events will complete an epic tour of the crown jewels of Southern California kayak fishing. Here’s a closer look:

Mission Bay, Spotty Playground: What a place to kick off the Trail! Mission Bay simply sparkles. It’s a big place, over 2,000 surface acres and wide open for fishing. Hobie fishing kayak dealer Fastlane Sailing Center hosts - stop in for a demo. Anglers will launch their kayaks at the nearby Dana Landing launch ramp.

The spotted bay bass is the dominant fish throughout the bay, although lesser numbers of calico and sand bass are often found in the busy and sometimes bumpy entrance channel.

There isn’t much bottom structure here. Most of the bay is about 12 to 14 ft. deep, but there are a few holes and channels that exceed 20. Fishing action centers on the lush beds of eel grass scattered throughout the bay. The bass hide among the weeds, waiting for lunch to blunder past. The grass beds aren’t hard to find; there are usually thick beds along the Mission Bay Channel which runs right in front of the tournament launch site. If you aren’t dragging some up on your lures, you’re probably fishing in the wrong place.

Berkley Frenzy crankbaits are a staple here, ticked along just above the eel grass. So are spinnerbaits from 3/4 all the way up to an oversized ounce and a half. Rolled and bumped through the grass, they can be deadly. Plastics and Berkley Gulp have their places too, particularly among the trophy hunters who stealthily hunt the docks and moorings.

Newport Bay, Twice the Fun: Newport Bay is such a great kayak fishery, the Trail stops here twice. Home base the first go-round is the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort and Southwind Kayak Center’s exciting PaddleSports Expo 2007.

Newport is two bays in one. The upper bay is a wilderness of flats and cuts. The main basin, Newport Bay proper, couldn’t be more different. Gorgeous homes line the shore, each with its own private dock. More glitzy boats are tied up in the many moorages. This is structure-fishing central.

Spotted bay bass, mostly on the smaller side, inhabit the upper bay. The main basin has more of a mix of spotties and sand bass. The biggest spotties lay claim to the best spots, the pier pilings and concrete mooring anchors. Sandies are more likely to be found in the deeper main channel. Look for drop-offs and micro structures.

Newport baits are the typical mix of cranks, spinners, plastics and Gulp. The technique is a bit different. For the best shot at bigger bass, it’s important to place your baits right next to the structure you’re fishing. Expect to lose some tackle.   

 La Jolla, Calico City – La Jolla offers up more than big yellowtail and white seabass. There are calico bass here too, and big ones. Must be something in the water!

Anglers will sign-in on the beach at La Jolla Shores. The launch at the end of Avenida de la Playa is unique. Drive right onto the sand to offload your kayak, but watch out for the loose axle-eating stuff. Later, drive up the hill to Kate Sessions Park for the after-fishing festivities.

This is a surf launch, although usually a mild one. Sometimes there are no waves at all.

The La Jolla kelp awaits a half mile from shore just past the marine reserve. Toss large swimbaits at the edges, or paddle into the thick of the kelp and pothole plastics, Gulp or saltwater jigs such as the Trix Jetty Worm. Many fish will hit on the fall. Try crankbaits too, cast along the edges or lanes of open water.

Isolated pockets of sand bass are sometimes found on the flats north and east of the kelp. They’ll snap at a swimbait or an iron.

Or round the point and test the boiler rocks. Plastics and hardbaits both produce, but remember to keep one eye pointed out to sea. Getting pancaked by a breaker would spoil anyone’s tournament day.     

Dana Point, Headland Majestic: Calico bass galore! The hard part is deciding which reef to hit. They all hold fish.

The headland that looms over the west end of the harbor is tough to ignore. There are boiler rocks at its feet, and a kelp bed just offshore. But the mouth of the marina is on the far eastern side and pointed straight toward the Capo reefs, a series of productive submerged outcrops off Capistrano Beach. And then there’s the breakwall itself, a good mile long and sometimes full of calico and sand bass.

Techniques match those of La Jolla, with perhaps one small difference. There might be sand bass at the structure known as the pipe – if you can find it. Start looking a bit southeast of the harbor mouth. More bass hide in the marina, including the occasional spotty.

San Diego Bay, Kayak Classic: Sand bass, sand bass, and more sand bass will be the theme of the Trail finale. Come December the biggest of them, affectionately known as grumpies, should have taken up residence.

The launch and finale festival are set for Shelter Island. ‘SI’ is smack dab in the center of the bay’s deep water zone.

Many anglers will head to the channel for the San Diego Wind and Grind, a long-line technique for targeting the sandies. Simply stated, just let out line until there’s little left. When you put the reel in gear, chances are there’ll be a sandy on your 5 or 6-in. swimbait. Another option is deep drop-shotting, a technique effective with Gulp and plastics.

MISSION BASS – The Tournament Trail kicks off at Mission Bay, where the spotted bay bass is king. The freckled fighters love to hunker down in the bay’s thick eel grass.

I SEE…NEWPORT STRUCTURE – Newport Bay, home to two Trail stops, is rich in more than one sense. The pricey homes with private docks and moorings filled with million dollar yachts provide refuge for the bay’s spotties and sandies.

LUNKER LAND LA JOLLA GROWS BIG BASS TOO – San Diego’s La Jolla kelp beds and nearby boiler rocks produce more for kayakers than yellowtail and white seabass. The area’s calicos are suckers for a pot-holed jig or twitching swimbait.

DANA DELIGHT – Dana Pt. is a kayak bassers paradise. With calicos to the west, and calicos to the east, the hard part is knowing where to start. PHOTO BY BILL GARBER

THAT’S NO SAN DIEGO SAND DAB! – San Diego Bay gives up the grumpies – big sand bass taking shelter for winter. Five of these beauties is more than 15 lbs. of fish. PHOTO COURTESY PLASTIC NAVY