By Paul Lebowitz

There are many places California kayak anglers can experience the thrill of hooking up a powerful gamefish. Malibu has its thresher sharks, Dana Point its barndoor halibut. But the most reliable bet of all is La Jolla’s hard-charging yellowtail.

Yellowtail can be caught year-round between the depths of submarine Scripps Canyon and the southern edge of the normally lush La Jolla kelp. The biggest fish of the year, brawny homeguards that sometimes push 50 pounds, are caught on deep iron and squid in the winter. For numbers and the highest odds of taking home the hamachi summer and fall can’t be beat.

It’s a prime reason the Steve Moyer Memorial Kayak Fishing Tournament is staged in September by La Jolla Kayak Fishing, a San Diego based guide service and outfitter. Fishing was red-hot for last year’s contest, which saw the field of about 150 land close to 20 yellows. In 2006 the event goes off on September 9. It will bring out the best, but it’s also an ideal venue for kayak anglers who are still learning their way according to LJKF guide Matt Moyer.

“Fishing La Jolla really isn’t that hard. Tie on a 2/0 or 3/0 hook, make bait and pin one on, then troll it slowly 50 feet back. It’s a game of luck. Maybe today is your lucky day! People make it out to be harder than it is,” said Moyer.

Moyer’s right. The basics of chasing kayak ‘tails at La Jolla could scarcely be simpler. Live bait accounts for the vast majority of the yellows. Most La Jolla regulars begin an outing with ‘making’ bait with a sabiki rig multi-hook gangion.

Look for greenback or Spanish mackerel along and in the kelp, or schooled up in open water. A fishfinder helps, as does getting out early and greeting the new day on the water.

After that it’s just a matter of pinning on a bait, usually across the nose through the nostrils, and taking a leisurely paddle.

“Don’t be in a hurry. Go slow. Enjoy the scenery; take a stroke here and there. Let the bait swim naturally,” said Jim Sammons, LJKF owner.

There are ways to increase the odds of hooking a yellow.    

“Give yourself every advantage. Use a flourocarbon leader and troll deeper,” said Sammons. To get the baits down without using a sinker, Sammons suggested hooking them across the back behind the eyes using a 6/0 light wire hook. As long as they are trolled slowly, Sammons claimed the mackerel will stay lively longer.

When the bait is picked up and the reel clicker shrills out its insistent warning, it’s easy to lose a fish out of excitement. Usually it’s best to let a yellowtail run with the bait before setting the hook. Once you do, go to work. According to Sammons, many beginning kayak anglers lose fish to a loose drag.

TOURNAMENT YELLOW – Summer and fall offer the best odds of connecting with a kayak yellowtail at La Jolla. That’s why La Jolla Kayak Fishing hosts the annual Steve Moyer Memorial Kayak Fishing Tournament each September. This year it’s scheduled for September 9. If fishing is anything like it was last year, when the field accounted for nearly 20 yellows, it will be an event to remember.

LUCKY DAY – Fishing for yellowtail at La Jolla isn’t all that hard according to kayak fishing guide Matt Moyer, shown here holding a 22-lb. ‘tail. “Tie on a 2/0 or 3/0 hook, make bait and pin one on, then troll it slowly 50 feet back. Maybe today is your lucky day!” said Moyer.

“Guys don’t pull hard enough. Especially when fishing near kelp put the hammer down,” said Sammons.

Here’s another tip. Take advantage of the kayak’s stealth. Early in the morning it’s possible to catch yellowtail napping on the surface. Look for the tips of their yellow tails sticking up just above the surface. They look a lot like kelp scraps. Wake them up by casting a live bait in front of their noses, or cast a lure past them and buzz it back.

Surface irons, saltwater plugs, spoons and swimbaits all have their place in the yellowtail angler’s tackle box. When there’s no bait to be found, trolling a plug such as the Rapala Magnum CountDown (size 14 or 18) keeps you in the game. Swimbaits can be trolled too, or tossed at yellows on top. Don’t overlook the venerable Krocodile spoon, effective for casting and retrieving or vertical speed jigging. Finally we come to the iron.

It pays to have a rod rigged with an iron ready to throw at yellowtail boiling on bait. They’re in a biting mood; in a kayak the hardest part is catching up. It can be a frustrating scene for a kayak angler as the yellows pop up out of reach, scatter a bait school, and then sink out only to repeat the process seconds or minutes later in a different spot hundreds of yards distant. If they ever come up within casting range, that’s the time to toss the light iron past the boil and then bring it back through the heart of the commotion.       

The methods are simple. What’s harder to understand is kayak fishing for yellowtail is a low percentage game even at bountiful La Jolla.

“People think they’re doing something wrong when they don’t catch something,” said Moyer. It’s not the case; even the best kayak anglers can go a dozen, 15 or even 20 trips between good catches.

Time on the water cures all ills.

“Don’t get discouraged. Keep trying and put in more time on the water. Sometimes they come in waves after that first one,” said Sammons.