By Paul Lebowitz

In summertime Catalina’s Two Harbors is rocking and rolling. The tiny village perched on the narrow isthmus bursts with fun-seekers. Line after line of moored sailboats and power yachts fill the coves. It’s a good time, but not exactly conducive to a rustic kayak fishing get-away.

Feel that chill in the air? Well, if the warm days of Indian summer make it too hard, just pretend. Halloween is long gone, and the calendar reads November. It’s the off-season in Catalina, and the crowds are just a memory. It’s kayak fishing season in Two Harbors.

Why Two Harbors? It’s on the gorgeous west end of the island, easily accessible via direct ferry service from the Catalina Express terminal in San Pedro. All the necessities for a comfortable week or weekend in paradise are close at hand, including well-rigged Prowler 15 fishing kayaks for rent at the Dive and Recreation Center. Most importantly, the fishing is outstanding. 

I can hear some of you thinking, “But it’s winter, the water’s too cold and rough for kayak fishing.”

Nonsense! The cooler months are usually the calmest of the year, and the east-west orientation of the island shelters the surrounding waters from the prevailing swell. Go between winter storm systems, and chances are you’ll find Isthmus Cove flat as a lake.  

Now, where to start? The kayak fishing opportunities seem endless in the Two Harbors area. I asked fishing guide Jeff Krieger for some suggestions. Krieger, who leads kayak fishing trips to the island, has been fishing Catalina much of his life.    

“Start at the obvious spots, but watch for bird and bait activity,” said Krieger. He was referring to the too-big-to-miss features that jut out of Isthmus Cove. Working out from the pier in front of the Dive and Recreation Center, the first major structure is known as Harbor Reefs. This series of shallow reefs is a serious hazard to navigation so it is well marked by warning signs. Kayakers of course have nothing to fear.

Just beyond Harbor Reefs the low rounded dome of Bird Rock looms up near the eastern arm of the cove. Off in the distance, about two miles from shore, the jagged white spire of Ship Rock stands prominently alone. The Isthmus High Spot, a key underwater fish-holding structure, lies somewhere unseen between the two Rocks.

“The channel between the Harbor Reefs and Bird Rock can hold yellowtail and white seabass, as can the high spot,” said Krieger. “There are halibut in the sandy bays, and calico bass all around, on the structures, in the kelps, and along the shoreline boiler rocks.”

As long as the water stays warm, typical summertime fishing techniques are effective.  For yellowtail, slow troll live mackerel between the Rocks and over the high spot.

For good numbers of nice-sized Catalina calicos, pitch plastics along the edges of the kelp beds and reefs. Or drift baits along the bottoms of sandy coves for halibut and enjoy the beachside scenery.

As the year progresses Krieger recommends shifting tactics. Fish slower and deeper as the water temperature drops. “I’ll fish the calicos by slowly bouncing swimbaits along the bottom.” For the big ‘homeguard’ yellowtail that are in residence year-round, Krieger might yo-yo heavy iron jigs just off the high spot or Ship Rock. The irons imitate the squid that start moving up the submarine canyons beginning in late fall. Which brings us to using squid itself.

HEADING OUT – Two kayak anglers head out to fish Isthmus Cove. If they stay out all day, they’ll hit only a small fraction of the available structure spots.

ISTHMUS COVE 'TAIL – Yellowtail often patrol the reefs just offshore of Two Harbors. Kayakers can take advantage by trolling live bait between Bird Island and Ship Rock. PHOTO BY MARK OLSON

YOU CAN SEE FOREVER from the Two Harbors campground, which looks out over the action on Isthmus Cove.

Two Harbors ‘Surf’ Launch – Except when a storm rolls in or the Santa Ana winds blow from the mainland, the waters of Isthmus cove are typically flat as a lake. The calm conditions make for a beach launch as easy as they come.

One key to success is to present squid very slowly and naturally, so he fishes it on the dead stick (with the rod untouched in a holder) with a sliding sinker rig. Alternatively, he might rig up a dropper loop and fish it about a foot off the bottom. 

Beginning in February, Krieger will look towards the West End for white seabass. He’ll target the outside edges of the kelp, but the kayak really shines in the narrow seams between the kelp and the beach. Get up shallow, in water as skinny as five to six feet deep. Krieger likes to improve his chances of landing a bullish white seabass by using braided line such as Spectra. “It will cut the kelp as a big beast pulls you away from the island,” said Krieger. 

Well, what about winter and spring halibut? Jason Morton, another kayak fishing guide who offers trips to Two Harbors, contributed his thoughts. “I caught my biggest halibut last year in December, fishing in 40 feet of water. Fish in the same depths you do in summer, from in shallow to 70 or 80 feet deep over sandy areas on the edges of reefs. Some people say to fish 50 to 80 feet deep in winter, but there are still halibut in close. Often, that’s where we catch them,” said Morton.

Information on the many services offered at Two Harbors is available at www.VisitTwoHarbors.com.  For guided kayak fishing trips to Catalina, contact Jeff Krieger at www.Rhynobar.com or Jason Morton at www.KayakSportfishing.com.