Questions about Newport Bay?
 

Hey guys, Im thinking about heading to Newport tommorow(friday if anyone wants to join or show me the ropes hehe) ..kind of a last minute decision, so i have a few questions..

where is the best place to launch from in newport(address)...also whats the parking fee like?

Im bringing plastic swim baits curly tails and lead heads maybe a few crank baits and spinner baits, of course hooks swivels and sinkers...anything else you guys suggest i bring?

BTW im mainly targeting Spotties and halibut if i can.

Rod wise , 66 medium bait cast 10lb line / spinning medium 6'6 with 6 or 8lb and probably my reaction bait bait caster with 10 or 12lb....what do you guys think?

let me know of any better suggestions....have caught spotties and white seabass there long ago but never fished for halibut there.

any suggestions appreciated

Thanks

Brian

Best place to launch is either over on the peninsula side (just watch for street sweeping signs). Parking is free, you just have to find it. Or launch at the USCG/Harbor Patrol beach. I don't have the address for it. But, if you take Jamboree past PCH, turn left on Bayside, go about 1/2 mile, and look on the right for the parking lot for the USCG/Harbor Patrol. Free parking, but it's from 6am-10pm. Bring your wheels, it's a pretty long haul across deep sand.

For the spotties this time of year it's probably best to hit the docks. I can't go deeper than that really. I suck at dock fishing.

i have wheels for the yak but prefer to launch from a ramp....around the corner from where that restaurant ferry used to be , if i remember right there's a launching ramp there ?

M Street block is the best place to launch in my opinion. It's literally like 15 feet from the sidewalk to the water. Sounds like you got all the right gear for what you're targeting. Maybe bring a small Sabiki to catch Smelt For halibut

ok great! i do have a sabiki , where do you go about catching the smelt?

Do you have your fish finder hooked up? Just paddle around till you see clouds on your screen and drop straight down. The smallest sibiki you cab find works best for smelt. They have small mouths. Like size 16 is good. I'd say hit the mouth by the bell bouy for Macs but being your first time solo I'd sick to the harbor.

Also a good place for halibut is around the sail boat moorings. Lots of grass with big patches of sand.

Launch from the coast guard station. I think your yak is small enough to make the turn down the walkway. You can wheel it between the buildings, lift it over one step and follow the walkway down. It will get you within 20yds of the water. You can use the hose by the restrooms to wash down your gear.

Much better fishing up front, launch ramp at the Dunes is expensive, and I think from the PCH bridge back is closed to fishing (I could be wrong on that).

Are they done with all the construction? I had more days walking the sand than the pathway last year.

The last time I was there was in September and they were done.

Yeah- everything on the backside of PCH is prohibited to fish from a boat/kayak. You can only legally fish from the shore.


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yea i have my sonar hooked up, yea im a little hesitant about where to launch and how to get there , also i dont have my bait bucket working yet need a battery for that but , i do have a submergable bait bucket that should work for now.

yea im still confused where to launch, without an adress im going to be driving around lol.

Drive to the end of Balboa peninsula. When the road turns like you are going to the wedge you will see a small Beach witha dock on your left. Easy launch

Map and all hah thanks Will!

Yep. When you going out? May join you fora few hours before work

getting out there really early say 6-7 am ish want a good full day.

Oh you start late, haha

Also they recently installed an additional set of hand rails between the top landing of the walk and the restrooms. Kayaks longer than 11' will have trouble making the turn. There's also a curb between the top landing and the sand. I guess you could lift your stuff over the curb and make the pull through the sand from here if you cant make the turn. It would save you from pulling the distance from the pipe gates to the wash rack.

this place is better to launch imo if your Fishing outside the harbor!

To me the coast guard station is a no brainier. Super secure off street parking, free, wash down a walkway to the water.....12.5 kayak makes the turn on that corner no problem. Easy in and out without any regard to the tides(unlike the little landing on the other side). As close to the harbor mouth as any other landing.


Google the coast guard/sheriff station on the ater and it will show you exact location.

Dang, mine is 14'. Used to just make the turn. Good thing I have good wheels now. Thanks for the update.

Stinkymatt could be right about fitting a longer boat through the turn. A Scrambler was a tight fit but it might have just been us making it difficult :confused:

The turn wasn't that bad going down to the water, for my stealth 12 or my dad's PA but coming up we had to adjust the back to make it easier-


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Try the main channel just inside the harbor entrance. No need to meter, just look for the surface breaking by hundreds of smelt. Nice patch of eel grass /sand right there as well. Good luck

I've been using m Street for 3 years and never had a problem. With parking, security of my vehicle, putting my yak in the water or rinsing off my things using the shower by the side walk. I have launched from the coastguard a dozen times and ran into problem every time. Either my yak not fitting in hair pin turns, or pulling through super soft sand. Plus it's further from where I'm ultimately trying to go anyways. Doesn't matter to me where anyone puts their yak in at its all personal preference. Allot of guys like that there are actual parking spots and a hose at the cgs. I launch so early there is always parking on m Street and I bring a bucket to rinse my things