The WSB Bite

[Spike]

I get a lot of publicly published info on the bite.  Like most anglers, I read newspapers, listen to radio reports and receive networked fishing info on a regular basis.  The perceived value of hiding the bite probably makes sense to those who only referrence these web sites for info.

It's clear that the wsb bite in Malibu has been widely reported.  Is the bite being hidden on all the kayak fishing web sites?  I'm not busting anybody's (contributors here) coconuts over this, I know this is a dramatically charged issue well beyond the reality of good communication.  As an angler, you risk vandalism and worse.  As a writer, my safety was threatened when, early in our careers, I put Rhino on the cover of Pacific Fisherman magazine in front of Point Dume.  That one drew serious ire from local tweaker/poachers.

Realistically, at the risk of letting a few guys get a few small fish at the end of the run, how about some pix...?  What could be so wrong with that?  Then again, who said you have to give up any spots?  Shoot the fish pointing offshore.

As I recall, readers here didn't appreciate it when beach dweller offsprings hid the bite a few years back.  I doubt any of those guys stepped up with a heads up this time either.  It's a big spawn and a big ocean. 

[Falcon]

Eventually the news of any bite reaches from friend to friend but its funny how it has to be "hidden" from the boards.  Thats seems to be the way things go now as kayakfishing has become more than mainstream over the last ten years. I never had a problem sharing a good catch with "the board" in the late 90's and even in the 2000 bite.   Post your reports, hide your spots, but the people in the "know" who read these boards are smart enough to find out where the fish are. 

As Scott says...follow the light...

Its a big ocean and there are fish to be shared, at least among us recreational guys...

[jscott]

Here is a pic...my 1st and only legal and great personal best in any book!



Been hunting this one for a long time!!  Lotsa miles on the car and kayak to get this bad boy!
Weighed at 40# and 49". 

Jason

[yakrider]

still makes me smile, too...
nice fish there J

[surfsup]

this is exactly why i like this site over some of the other sites out there.  ultimately its only fishing and why not share info.  isnt that one of the reasons why these sites are up?  you just reaffirmed my respect for you spike by making those statements.  i for one cannot fish everyday, whenever i want.  i usually sneak off on sunday mornings etc.  occaisonally i will take a day off if i suspect a good bite is on but lately its seems that if you dont know the friggin secret handshake and have on the secrect society decoder ring you wont know until about a month or two later.  i think its hilarious and kindof sad how these guys stay so hush  hush about the catch and then months later post up all sorts of pics about the bite to stroke their own egos. 

[jscott]

Sharing bite info has definitely become a charged issue.  I know people on both sides of the issue.  My personal approach on it is this...if I am brought into a bite from a friend, it is not my bite to share publicly on boards.  If I stumble accross a bite on my own....then I don't have any problem sharing the bite.  It doesn't happen often....but last year, (Jan 2008)I stumbled upon one of the first days of a winter bite in LJ-- and I posted same day on the boards of my midweek catch-- and many others profited from the learnings.  Many of those happened to be the locals that always fought to keep the bites secret. 

It's all good....I can respect other's wishes...in my book it is just fishing!  It is time for me to decompress from the stresses of life, work, family and other....the opportunity to catch some of the amazing fish that we have access to is just GRAVY!  Time on the water pays off....you will stumble onto your own bite-- then share or keep it a secret==> it's up to you! 

My 2 cents....  Good luck out there! 
BTW-- I have heard that T's may be out and about....I'm working a lot and can't get out-- I hope someone can get into them.  If you do on my info-- please post up the catch on this board timely and I can live through your report! 

TL all,

Jason

[Spike]

2 cents worth of common sense there J. 
It's no secret that this is prime time in so cal to look for the thresher bite.  Be careful out there and give the amatuers (anyone too close to you) plenty of room.  Keep a knife sharp enough to cut spectra at hand.

Trolling plugs (usually tail hooked/no jumping) and trolling or drifting live baits (mouth-plenty of jumping) in all the likely spots (Malibu Pier is a good one) will produce.  I've hooked many on the outside kelp edge all the way up the line.

A few Pix of FishMan

[surfsup]

  that bottom pic is just wrong!  LOL!

[greybeard]

I dunno' about the pic.  If a guy has enough guts (almost said to balls) to castrate himself in a kayak I guess a photo is o.k.  rofl