Ocean Fishing Species – Beach to Ocean

Dorado Fishing – How to catch a Mahi Mahi!

beachtoocean — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 02:12:34 +0000

Dorado Fishing 101

There are a few different ways of fishing for Dorado, from trolling to paddy hopping. Unfortunately many dorado are a by-catch when trolling for larger pelagic species like tuna or marlin. Typically in these scenarios the dorado is outgunned and caught fairly easily because of the heavy gear being used to catch the larger species. This is why we prefer a Californian method called, “Paddy Hopping”. At times a very tedious and difficult approach but when you come across a floating kelp paddy full of hungry dodos, so worth it!

The idea is to search the area for floating kelp paddies that provide structure for the dorado. Once a paddy is located the captain will position the boat far enough away to not spook the fish but close enough to cast out to. The captain then positions the boat with the current to drift past the kelp paddy. The engines are turned off, bait is thrown in the water, jigs and bait casted out and the fishing begins!

Recommended Reel For Dorado Fishing-

The Shimano Torium is a fantastic Dorado Fishing reel. This reel works well for live bait and jig fishing! With a 46 inch retrieval per crank and a max drag of 24lbs the Torium has no problem horsing in large bull dodos! Equipped with a high line capacity spool that is compatible with mono and PowerPro braid. Paired with the Shimano Tallus and you’ve got yourself a lethal ocean fishing combo.

Budget: $ $

Rating: 94/100

-SHOP NOW-

Recommended Rod For Dorado Fishing-

Shimano Tallus series is the ideal pelagic fishing rod. We personally use the Tallus 7’6″ conventional model paired with the above mentioned Torium reel. Made of tc4 blanks the Tallus is lightweight but still powerful enough to withstand large head shakes and aggressive jumps. Fuji aluminum oxide guides are designed to withstand thick PowerPro braid and heat dissipation for those line burning runs. Split EVA foam grips are comfortable and offer great control of the rod even when wet. A great live bait rod that works just as well with surface and yoyo irons. A mean combo for dorado fishing as well as other pelagic species. Our personal best tuna was caught on this rod and reel combo!

Budget: $ $

Rating: 95/100

-SHOP NOW-

Recommended Bait For Dorado & How To Fish Them-

There are many applications that work great for dorado fishing, for us it’s live bait. Anything from anchovies and sardines to squid and mackerel. A quick tip when live bait fishing, fish a hook that matches the size of your bait. Many anglers believe in order to catch a big fish they need a big hook. Our personal best bull dorado (65lber) was caught on a tiny bait holder hook! Small bait, use a small hook. Large bait, like a mackerel you use a large hook. If you have a small anchovy pinned onto a large hook weighing it down it will die or tire before it swims out into the bite zone. You want your bait as far from the boat as possible, make sure you have the appropriate hook pinned on and you’ll be a successful live bait angler.

We have also caught dorado on butterfly jigs and sinking stickbait jigs. Try them all out and see what works best for you! Nothing beats rolling up on a kelp paddy and tossing out your bait to a pack of hungry dodos. The jumps and runs these fish perform are incredible!

Recommended Line for Dorado-

It all depends on the conditions of that particular day and how finicky the fish are. Typically you should be good to go with 25lb-30lb fluorocarbon leader when dorado fishing. But you always want to be prepared with a heavy outfit just incase a bull dorado shows up. For the bigger grade bull dorados we usually tie on a 40lb-50lb fluorocarbon leader.

You ever try a baitcaster reel? They also do work against Dorados!

Click here, for an in-depth look at some of the best baitcasting reels on the market!

The post Dorado Fishing – How to catch a Mahi Mahi! appeared first on Beach to Ocean.

Tuna Fishing – The Californian Anglers Dream

beachtoocean — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 01:12:15 +0000

One of Californias most prized pelagic species, the tuna! So many application and styles to fish for tuna its mind-blowing. From flying a kite to trolling and paddy hopping. Its always a blast especially when you come across a school that’s willing to bight. Below we will go over gear that works well with jigging and live bait fishing for tuna.

Tuna Fishing Tackle & Gear

Rod & Reel Options!

There are a few different species of tuna that prefer different methods and baits so we recommend a few different variety of rigs ready to go. Our top three rigs that we use, a 6ft medium-spinning rod paired with a spinning reel that has a large line capacity and strong drag system. A 7ft-8ft medium-heavy casting rod paired with a large line capacity conventional reel. Lastly a “jig stick”, a 9ft-10ft medium heavy rod with a large line capacity conventional reel with a strong drag system.

We like having the lighter pound line on the spinning reel, mid range pound line on the 7ft-8ft rig and the heavy gear on the “jigstick”. As you get more experienced you’ll see what set ups work best for your style of tuna fishing.

Click here for a list of rods we use!

Click here for a list of reels we use!

Fishing Methods-

Many different factors come into play on what works best that day. Here are a few beginner methods we prefer when targeting Pacific Tuan. Jig fishing or live bait fishing is our preferred “simple” way of targeting tuna. Tie on a hook to your leader, pin on your live bait and cast out to boiling tuna. Boiling tuna aka foamers are when the tuna are chasing bait fish up to the surface. When they are in this feeding frenzy it makes the surface of the water look like its boiling. Cast out your live bait or jig into the feeding frenzy, wind back and hold on!

What bait and lures work best?

Tuna are very finicky and picky eaters, any little thing can make the bite shut off. This is why we recommend talking to fellow anglers, asking your local captains for advice and just getting out there and trying different baits. Other then live bait we like using butterfly jigs, sinking stickbaits or flatfall jigs.

Relatively simple, tie on your jig directly to your leader line using the San Diego Jam Knott and cast out. Once your jig hits the water let it sink a bit and wind back. You can play with the retrieval rate, some tuna blow up the lure as soon as it hits the water. Other tuna prefer a chase, so a quick retrieval might be a better option. See what works best for you once you’re out on the water. When it comes to tuna fishing there really isn’t a bulletproof strategy that works every time…actually that’s true with most of fishing! More time on the water the more you will refine your skills and techniques.

Click here for a review on an old favorite plastic bait that’s making a come back! The hype is real!

What fishing line works best?

Tuna are a tricky species of fish, highly intelligent and very cautios. If you can get away with it we recommend using light line. But if you come across a school of 60lb-200lb tuna ditch the light line and get a heavier outfit casted out.

For smaller class tuna fishing we like using 25lb fluorocarbon line. Any tuna in the 30lb-60lb range we prefer using 30lb fluorocarbon. And any tuna in the 80lb+ range we use 100lb+ fluorocarbon or monofilament.

Now See If You’re Up For Some Dorado Fishing!

Click here, to see what works best when fishing for dorado!

The post Tuna Fishing – The Californian Anglers Dream appeared first on Beach to Ocean.

California Yellowtail

beachtoocean — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 21:58:18 +0000

California Yellowtail-

Considered one of California’s true trophy fish that can pull like a freight train! One of our favorite targets to chase in early Spring all the way to late fall. Average size for the California Yellowtail is around 10lb-20lbs.

If your lucky enough to hook into a “mossback” (large resident Yellowtail) in the 30lb-40lb class, hold on for a wild ride! Amazing fish to target and eat, we prefer ours sashimi with a little soy sauce!

Gearing up for a wild ride!

Recommended Line for Yellowtail-

We don’t mess around with the California Yellowtail, these fish fight hard and are notorious drag rippers! We stay in the 40lb-50lb monofilament test with the occasional short fluorocarbon leader (still 40lb-50lb test).

Yellowtail cruise the depths as well as close to structure so you never know if they’re going to try and “reef” you. This is why it’s crucial to have a strong pound test line to withstand these runs.

-Price & Info-

Recommended Rig For Yellowtail-

Your rig will all depend on what technique you’ll be using when targeting California Yellowtail. We prefer tying on surface or yoyo iron jigs directly to the leader. We also use live bait pinned onto a hook that is an appropriate size to your bait.

Meaning, if you have small delicate anchovies you don’t want to be using large hooks. Larger hooks will tear out of your bait or tire them out before they swim into the strike zone. On the other end of the spectrum, don’t use small hooks if you have large baits.

If the bait is small and the yellowtail are deeper in the water column we thread on an egg sinker to the leader line and then add the hook. This will help with casting out your bait and keeping them suspended in the water column.

-Surface Iron Price & Info-

Recommended Bait For Yellowtail & How To Fish Them-

Any diehard California angler will tell you that the best bait is “throwing the iron”. That means casting out a surface iron or yoyo iron jig and retrieving it back to the boat. The action of the jig as its retrieved, kicking & waddling back and forth entices the fish to strike the jig.

There are two preferred methods, the surface iron and yoyo iron. The surface iron is made of a lighter metal that can be casted out and maintain its position at the surface of the water column. As the angler retrieves the jig it will kick and shimmy back and forth mimicking an injured baitfish.

This method works really well especially for the anglers that are skilled enough to make a 40-50 yard cast. Another Cali method of fishing for California Yellowtail is the yoyo jig. This jig is made of a heavier metal meant to sink down through the water column. The angler lets the jig drop all the way to the bottom and then winds back up as fast as they can. As the jig swims up the water column it will kick and create an action enticing any yellowtail nearby. The angler will repeat this drop and retrieve just like a yoyo until bit.

Jig fishing is a great method of fishing for yellowtail but don’t let the hype distract you. Sometimes the best way is the original way, live bait! A skilled live bait fisherman that knows how to control and guide its bait into the strike zone can be just as successful as a jig fisherman.

-Yoyo Iron Price & Info-

Recommended Rod & Reel For Yellowtail-

Your rod and reel will all depend on what technique you’ll be using when targeting Yellowtail. We like to keep it “Cali Style” when fishing for Yellowtail. A 9ft-10ft medium-casting rod with a sensitive action, paired with a high line capacity conventional casting reel. This set up is the ideal “jigstick”, perfect for casting surface or yoyo irons long distances to “boiling” Yellowtail that are usually 40-50 yards away from the boat.

We also use the live bait rig, a 6ft-7ft medium rod with a spinning or conventional reel, use whichever reel you feel more comfortable casting with. The key is getting your bait the furthest from the boat. Many California anglers (myself included) love the conventional reel but I always recommend fishing what your most comfortable and confident with.

If you’re afraid of the notorious “birds nest” when using a conventional reel (line that backlashes and tangles on the spool when casted incorrectly), go with a spinning reel with a large line capacity. Here are a few reels we have used that work great. Click Here. Paired with one of these rods and you should be golden. Click Here!

Now Try Targeting Tuna!

Click here to see what works best for targeting these fun and delicious fish.

Tuna Fishing gear recommendations, click here.

The post California Yellowtail appeared first on Beach to Ocean.

California Rockfish

beachtoocean — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 21:13:46 +0000

California Rockfish–

There are many different species of California Rockfish in the Pacific Ocean that make for great fishing and even better table fare. From the Vermillion Rockfish to the Bocaccio, you never know what’s going to be on the other end of your line. The Pacific Ocean has around 100 rockfish species with 56 of them residing in California fishing grounds. A species of fish that does not take much experience or know how to catch.

Recommended Line for Rockfish-

Typically when fishing for California Rockfish your fishing hundreds of feet below the surface. So when it comes to line you really don’t need to worry about fish being “line shy”. Heavier pound test works fine and can hold up to fish trying to break you off on the rocks. We usually use 25lb monofilament, the only time you would need anything a little bit stronger would be if you where targeting large Lingcod. If that’s the case we bump our line up to 35lb test. Unlike tuna or yellowtail, rockfish aren’t to picky.

Recommended Rig For Rockfish-

Hands down the Double Dropper Loop is our go to rig when targeting rockfish. Click here to learn how to tie this rig!

Recommended Bait For Rockfish & How To Fish Them-

Rockfish eat a variety of different baits, live bait, artificials, dead bait, jigs, bucktails etc. On the double dropper loop we usually pin on strips of squid or anchovy (depending on what’s available). With rock fish you’ll know quickly if the bait or lure you have is what they’re in the mood for. Try a couple drops and if there not hitting switch it up. We also love using bucktail jigs with a piece of bait pinned on the hook. Because of the action of the bucktail fluttering in the water and the scent from the bait you double your chances of a strike.

Recommended Rod & Reel For Rockfish-

We highly recommend a conventional reel with a large line capacity paired with a strong rod that can withstand pulling large fish up hundreds of feet. We love conventional reels when you’re dropping 400ft-500ft. The comfort and convenience of resting your rod on the rail of the boat while you reel in your catch is a game changer. Make sure your reel has a few hundred yards of line capacity to reach the depths necessary to be successful when rockfishing. We like a 6’6” to 7’6” medium heavy rod with a strong back bone.

Try fishing for another great tasting fish, the Halibut!

Click here for our guide on catching a California Halibut!

The post California Rockfish appeared first on Beach to Ocean.