LJ Concern
 

When launching from La Jolla by myself, I am concerned about leaving my gear on the beach unattended while I drive my truck to the parking lot. Is there a more secure way of doing this that I am not thinking of? Or, are the people of La Jolla just that honest(or loaded $$) that I don't have to worry about people taking my gear? I know it's best to take a buddy to stay with the stuff, but unfortunately I don't know too many kayak fisherman. All my friends think I'm crazy! Thanks for any pointers. Oh, and if anyone is interested in fishing LJ this Thursday, this would solve my problem.

I would be concerned leaving my fishing gear without a trusted person to watch it while parking ten minutes away. Opportunist are everywhere so I recommend you carry your rods with you back to the beach and the same for your return, back to the car.

LJ Concern
 

Drag to north side of launch along the cones. Find a nice family to look over it. This world full of good people, they just don't stand out like the dirtbags.

Edit. I just re-read post...In the morning...yeah, tough one when solo. I second carrying your poles.

If you keep posting here you will meet a couple more. I'm sure there are plenty of guys here who would meet up and fish with you.

I usually launch early so I get prime parking, with that being said I always offload everything from my truck when I park and wheel it down to the water. My truck has not hit the beach yet. My home situation with my yak is different as I don't have a garage so I have to load up the kayak on site regardless of location.

If you fish alone just carry your wheels. I know its extra crap you have to carry but the pros out way the cons when you have your wheels with you.

I trailer my island and I only leave my kayak on the beach while I go park the trailer. I carry my two rods, mirage drive, and dry box with my phone wallet and keys in to and from the lot.

Its normally pretty empty when I launch early but when I come back in ive noticed a few homeless looking people around. I do the same thing in reverse when I come in. I carry all my stuff back to the parking lot. Anything expensive and easily carried off while im sure will eventually disappear if you leave it to chance

Wheels you can break down or simply stow are your best option when nobody else is around. Otherwise, If you show up and find other yakkers on the beach it pays to offer to watch their stuff as they park for the same in return. If you are fishing during the week, get there early, take care of business before you unload and you should only be out of sight of your yak for a few minutes.

Never had a problem even when parked super far away. Also used to lock my wheels to the wood pylons.

I usually carry my stuff, especially my turbo fins, not so much my fishing gear. But I forgot the fins at the launch while I walked to the truck and they were still there! Whew!

Just use wheels and wheel the kayak and gear from your parking spot right to the beach. I do it every single time. Super easy and I have never once been tempted to drive out onto the sand. Don't leave your stuff sitting out unattended unless its something you are willing to lose.

My plan
 

He's my plan if there are no other kayakers round. I have a PA-12
I have one of those bicycle cable locks with loops on both ends.
With the mirage drive seated in it mount, I'll put one loop around my mirage drive peddle upright, run the cable down through the mirage drive hole and bring the cable up to my Vantage chair, wrap the other loop around the chair and put a lock through the loop and on the cable. The length just fits so there is no loose cable. The way I run the cable it is pretty difficult to get the rods out of the rod storage if all the rods are together on one side
It's not fool proof but it's enough so that someone can not grab and run with my gear.
It should work for the amount of time it takes to park my truck and get back to the launch.
The key is not to linger at your car when you go park. Park and get back to your yak ASAP

La Jolla full of baddies:


I carry my wheels, usually set mystuff on the sand wait till another kayaker comes by and ask him to watch my stuff then go park my car, I do the same while he goes park his car.


If you arrive at a weird time then wheel it.


I usually go back in with someone and do the same, I watch someone gear then I ask them to do the same for me when I go get my car.

I always launch early, drive onto the sand unload and set up the Yak except for the expensive easy to carry things (fish finder head, custom gaff, Go Pro, PDF and VHF Radio). I carry the small stuff from where I park my car back to the launch in a gear bag. It is a lot easier than wheeling a fully loaded Kayak all the way from the parking lot. I have had to do it , but if I can drive onto the sand I find it much easier. Always look around the beach and walkway for weirdos hanging out. Usually the only ones there if not while still dark are people jogging or walking. I have never had a problem. Then I don't have reels and rods worth many hundreds each. A lot of times there is someone else launching that is there so your stuff is not alone while parking the car.

Like many others have said: park and unload. Wheel your loaded yak to the launch. Then stow or lock your wheels to the wood pilings. Not only does no one steal your s#!t, the seagulls can't peck at your catch while you go get your car and you get to avoid many of the highly intellectual tourists questions.

Oh come on DM, the tourist questions are in the top 5 events that can occur at LJ. That and having stock answers that are as dumb as their questions.

I know I am such a party pooper.
Yes I caught it in the ocean.
Yes I caught it from my kayak.
Yes I landed it by myself.
I was a mile and a half out.
No it's not a tuna.
That's called a bait tank.

Do you eat that fish?

Have you ever seen a shark?

Aren't you scared of sharks?

I know I am going to jinx myself. But I always leave my yak and ALL my gear on the beach. Then go park the truck, take a crap etc. Have never had a issue. I fish by myself most of the time and I dont like getting up early. So it is always a full house when I get down there. No problems so far :D

Thanks for all the insight. Gotta keep those tourist questions coming though!

Tourist : Is that a Tuna?
Me: No its a Yellowtail. It's part of the Jack family.
Tourist: It's a Yellowtail? Oh, so it's a Tuna.

Tourists: (looking at my YT) Did you catch that out there? (pointing to the water)

Tourist : (looking at my YT) what are you going to do with that?
Me: I use it for bait.
Tourist: Bait for what?
Me: Sharks
Tourist : Sharks? There's sharks out there? (pointing to the water)
Me: Yep
Tourist : Aren't you scared that they will attack you?
Me: No, not at all because there are so many people swimming in the water today and they are easier for a shark to get than me on my kayak. :D

Tourist : (looking at my YT) Is that a Tuna?
Me: Why yes it is.
Tourist: COOL!

Tourist: Can I take a picture of your canoe?
Me: Sure. It's a kayak
Tourist : (Yelling to their kids) "Commere and stand next to this canoe for a picture"
Me: grrrrrrrrrr

And so on.
I'm so glad the season is over!


OH, I almost forgot.......

Man Tourist: That's a nice set up.
Me: Thanks, it's a lot of fun
Man Tourist : I ice fish when ever I get the chance.
Wife of Man Tourist: But he doesn't use a canoe like you.
Man Tourist : (silence)

:cheers1:

Love the questions. Did you catch that out there? No I bought it at the store and carry it around all day in hopes I see a great white. Then I walk away. Or what I love even more is the one calling me a murderer and asking if I enjoy killing things.

I thought it was just me that got impatient with the bombardment of one dumb ass question after another.

Thank goodness there are people like Yani to be ambassadors of our sport .

The best one this weekend. .. Is that one of those Hobie pedal kayaks? My kayak is yellow with big black lettering saying Cobra Marauder and has a paddle laying across it. Why yes it is. What's the oars for? To see how deep it is. Oh.

Best tourist encounter for me

tourist: what kind of fish is that?
me: its a halibut
tourist: is that what they look like?
me::confused:
tourist: hmmmm, that's not what it looks like when I order it at a restaurant

Best tourist statement:

WOW Sir, I would imagine that you would be skinny hauling all the gear back up the mountain.


me: silent....


( I just got blasted for being fat by an 80 year old women.)

Said my 89 year old mother after seeing my Hobie bait tank with the lid open, sitting on the back of my PA:

"Is that a toilet?"

That's funny