FS Digest

I've been getting heavily into sailing in the last few years and plan to do some multi-day cruising soon. I would love to learn how to catch some fish while out at sea (I'm sailing out of Los Angeles area) but I have no idea how to get started. Any advice on where I can learn more would be great!

- Tutorials or books?

- Basic gear setup?

- Learning about licenses and legal limits

- Learning about what fish are in the area and which ones I should be trying to catch (easiest, tastiest, etc), what lures to use for what fish and where to find them, etc.

- How to gut and prepare fish? Any issues of parasites to watch for?

Thanks for any suggestions!

--
by pg_rated

FS Digest

Well LA is only 20 or so miles away from Catalina island which holds some tasty rockfish, lobster, yellowtail, sheepshead, etc. I'd recommend you hopping on some charters in that area or SD to get a feel for gear and general info. The caps and crew can get you familiar with the rules and whatnot too. Bottom fishing is relatively cheap while if you're trying to go for our tuna friends it can get expensive.

--
by pluckems

FS Digest

Troll some lures at 8-10 knots while you are sailing

--
by LilPuuuma

FS Digest

I would do a couple days on a pier tossing out a hi-lo rig with shrimp and squid and talk to people before I went out on a boat.

That said - big long Ugly Stick for rod, saltwater sealed reel(I like the Daiwa BG). Big heavy sinkers, 4-12 oz (for on a boat, 4 oz will handle it from shore)

Look up the specific species you've got on youtube for gutting/filleting, all parasites die when cooked to a certain temperate(I forget which, easy enough to find though).

Halibut are the tastiest fish in your waters, they dig an anchovie close to the bottom. I'm pretty sure they're not going to be common again for a few months.

California DFW's website is where you go for limits and species information.

--
by RandomPantsAppear

john1470 Loc: Sandy Hook, CT

Suggest you go out on a “party boat” for fishing - tip your crewman/woman and listen and watch what they tell you to do. You will learn information from them that you can use on your boat. Good luck, be safe and enjoy yourself.