advice for near shore fishing

C

CBFinet

Guest
advice needed for near shore fishing

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone on the forum for all the useful information I've been able to find here. I'm fairly new to saltwater fishing but have had a lot of fun with a handful of trips over the last year.

I managed to pick up a 13 ft Zodiac this Spring and have only had it out once in March launching from Tucson Beach. We picked up a bunch of spotted bass and a few corvina.

I'm headed down for a short trip next weekend and will have 2 days to fish on 9/6-9/7. I'll have my fiancée and an old friend from college w/ his girlfriend so it will be a full boat and slow going with the 6 hp motor I'm working with.

I've read about a rock pile near shore off the PDO ramp and also found some structure off of Pelican Point into Cholla Bay. Does anyone have suggestions on where to try within 1-2 miles of shore for a chance at smaller grouper or sierra? It looks like 10-12 mph winds so would it be safer to stay in Cholla? I have a 2wd SUV so it looks like Tucson Beach or the boat launch at the marina would be the best options to start from.

Any tips would be appreciated. I'd like for everyone to have a good time and catch some fish but I'd also like a chance at maybe some larger fish (corvina, small grouper, sierra etc.)

i can return the favor in beer if anyone's in town that weekend.
Thanks in advance,
Chris
 
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dmcauley

dmcauley

Guest
Look in the past posts and you'll find some good tips on trolling offshore for leapard grouper. I know that if you troll on the west side of Cholla and past competition hill that there is a good chance to nail Leopard Grouper
 
jerry

jerry

Guest
You guys get up early and get the fishing/launching out of the way...then take the girls for a trollwith one pole
 
C

CBFinet

Guest
Thanks guys.

I may end up going alone for part of a day and taking everyone out later. Somebody's gotta catch dinner.... I'm just debating where to launch from- Tucson Beach in Cholla to fish the bay and off of Pelican Point or launch at the marina and fish off the point by the Mirador and around near PDO.

I've been looking at all the old posts and can't seem to find one that I read a while back talking about a near-shore reef about a 1/4-1/2 mile out in front of the PDO boat ramp. We're staying in Penasco near Freemont St. so the harbor would be very close. Do you think we would be able to launch where the pangas put in on the sand? Other suggestions? Tucson beach is easy but would be a lot farther from where we're staying.

I've got a portable fish finder but no GPS so finding specific points way off-shore would be difficult.

Thanks again.
 
Kenny

Kenny

Guest
dmcauley said:
Look in the past posts and you'll find some good tips on trolling offshore for leapard grouper. I know that if you troll on the west side of Cholla and past competition hill that there is a good chance to nail Leopard Grouper
Click to expand...
One day when it was to rough for Ric and I to get out, we caught a small Yellowtail trolling that area. I even hooked, but only for a short time (fast, talk about fast!) a better than 3 foot billfish of some kind in that area. There are some coves along there that with a little hike can produce from shore as well. From Cholla to Sandy will give you more rocks and structure to fish than any other area close to town, hands down.
 
C

CBFinet

Guest
That's just what I was hoping for. I know I can keep the girls busy with small bass and maybe corvina if they're around. I've got some 4-6" cranks, 1 oz kastmasters, a bunch of jig heads w/ plastics, and a few sabiki rigs for catching bait. Now it's just a matter of figuring out what will get us into some larger fish...

Couple of questions; if I don't have much for deep diving cranks would it make sense to use a 2 oz trolling sinker and a 4-6ft leader to get down deeper? Also if I manage to get some small baitfish would it be worth it to try trolling them slow and near the bottom or do you think using a fish finder or other bottom rig would be better? I know the grouper should be in the lower part of the water column if they're there. Would small sand bass work for bait?

I'm getting antsy already- the only problem is we just have 2 days to fish.
 
D

don

Guest
Hi Chris!

If you want to try for leopards, I recommend you procure some deep diving minnow imitation lures. Likewise, when I troll for groupers, I found much better success trolling at speeds about 5 MPH. To estimate that speed, my inflatables would be on the verge of creating a small non-breaking wake, if that makes sense...
Two reasons for such a fast trolling speed

1.) to get the lures to dive deep (we found heavy mono will not allow lures to dive deep enough) If your lures are bouncing the bottom, pull up a couple of turns.

2.) small sand bass will for the most part be pulled off the hook.

If you plan on using live bait, I wouldn't recommend trolling: we found we got a lot of line twist. If you wanted to use live bait, find the darker water (reef), notice the tide/wind/wave action and set yourself up to drift it. Also, try to hook your bait through the tail to create an injured bait-fish. Lastly, notice the tide changes and get on the reef during the slack time.

For 10 mph winds, your going to get spray, so you might to suggest the girls bring along wind breakers (help shed spray and comfort), or stay within a bay and troll lures or drift / anchor and bait bait fish (shrimp/squid).

If you troll, I'd recommend no more than two lines out at once, unless they are experienced trolling. Make wide turns!

If you go swimming, show them how to climb aboard with a leg kick, grab the handles, reach across and grab the handle across deck and pull. Not easy if they don't have of strength. Practice this in shallow water first, and maybe you guys are already good!
Don
 
Mexico Joe

Mexico Joe

Cholla Bay 4 Life
Chris,

The structure you are referring to off of PDO is straight out from the boat ramp about one mile. Using triangulation you should be able to see Sandy beach. Sorry as I do not have a GPS coordinate for this location or any other location for that matter. Obviously as I am #chollabay4life I would suggest fishing the Pelican Point area past Pinto Point to the backside of Competition Hill. Lots of structure. I recommend using at least 4oz diamond jigs for bottom fishing. Depending on the tide that weekend and wind speed anything less than 4oz in my opinion isn't going to get you into the strike zone. Forget about it with 1oz unless you just want to catch 6 inch rock bass inside the bay of Cholla Bay. I've spent a lot of time in the last year or so trying different times and tides to fish. I've fished the incoming to high tide no matter what time it coincides without much productivity. IMO it seems fishing any time other than Sunset is a WOT. I have found that the Sunset bite is far superior in productivity than any other time of day that I have fished. I can't comment on the morning bite because I go way too hard at night time and can never wake up that early but I hear morning is good too. I've included some pictures that might help you triangulate the locations aforementioned. Good Luck and tight lines! and Remember, Pics or it didnt happen! Have fun!

Pelican Point


4oz Diamond Jigs


Corvina


PDO ROCK




Cholla Bay







​#ChollaBay4Life
 
playaperro

playaperro

El Pirata
Got these gps's from a retired pescador that fished out of PDO.

N 31 13 998
W 113 32 542 .... 4.39 miles

N 31 13 154
W 113 29 994 ....5.74 miles

N 31 13 225
W 113 40 455 ....8.66 miles

N 31 10 599
W 113 37 299 ....8.25 .... miles

N 31 20 497
W 113 39 916 .... 8.36 miles .......... Pelican Point area

N 31 10 231
W 113 41 486 ....11.2 miles

N 31 22 530
W 113 55 800 .... 15.5 miles ........ good one

Tell him to go over by the tanks * * * just past Las Conchas, * * * two tall black smoke stacks, ... 1/4 mile from shore to a couple miles, * * * fish all around this area, some good holes there
Tank area ... start here,
N 31 15 149
W 113 22 373 .... 10 miles .......... good spot to start fishing, I've caught Grouper, & Pargo, trolling this area

These spots will put plenty of fish in his boat,



 
C

CBFinet

Guest
Thanks guys. That gives me a lot of good info to start with. I picked up a couple of large deep-diving Rapalas but couldn't track down any 4oz jigs... I've got some 4-6oz sinkers and may try live bait if I can catch some. I'll take my camera so I can get some pictures posted.

I got some 20lb Power Pro to try trolling. Maybe I should have gone heavier. Would you use a flouro or mono leader then or just tie to the braid? I've got some heavier mono I could use.
 
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