Kayak Fishing Catalina Island, Avalon

Twenty-six miles across the sea Santa Catalina is a-waitin’ for me, Santa Catalina, the island of fishing, fishing, fishing. Well that’s not exactly the words of the famous song about Catalina by The Four Preps but it could be! Lets see why Catalina Kayak Fishing is go great.

The beautiful island of Catalina is not only a quaint little vacation destination, but its an outdoor-persons dream. Due to its abundance of sport fish species and geographical orientation, the coastline is particularly suited to kayak fishing.

Avalon is the primary destination for most visitors. Being on the lee side of the island, and naturally blocking the swells from most every direction, the coastline has mild winds (depending on weather systems of course) and very little swell action.

A secondary destination for some is Two Harbors. Located on the west side of the island, the wind and swells can be a little more challenging. Lack of hotels and amenities makes this a much less traveled location. If you want solitude and beauty, this might be the spot you will want to visit.

In either case, fishing the coastline of Catalina is awesome. Fish are abundant compared to the overfish coastlines of the mainland and the average size is much bigger. The water around the island is often crystal clear and supports abundant sea life both under and above the water.

Fishing does not have to be limited to kayak fishing. There are areas where one can fish off the shore. Because the water is so calm, you can find spots between the kelp and cast out swim baits or squid strips. There is a pier in Avalon where fishing is permitted. Many fish call that pier home so chances of a catch are good. In fact, compared to most locations on the mainland, catching a fish on Catalina are good just about anywhere.

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How to get To The Island using Catalina Express or Catalina Flyer

The biggest obstacle to visiting this fishing paradise is the first word in the lyrics of the song we mentioned above; Twenty-six. Catalina is 26 miles from the nearest port which requires a pricey ferry ticket and some planning. Of course if you have your own fishing boat capable of such a trip, your options are much more numerous.

For most of us who would like to visit for some kayaking and/or fishing we need to take the ferry option. The two main companies that shuttle out to the island are Catalina Express and The Catalina Flyer. Catalina Express is located out of San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point. The Catalina Flyer departs from Newport Beach next to Davey’s Locker Sportfishing.

Both companies run ferries two and from the island every hour or so. Currently the cost is around $70 round trip per person. The boats are very large and carry hundreds of people. They fill up fast during the summer, so you need to get a reservation to secure your spot. I found Catalina Express out of Long Beach to be very efficient with easy parking and minimal hassle. Be sure to factor in a $20-30 daily parking fee.  Trip time is around 70 minutes and there is comfortable seating inside with food and restrooms available. Its very much like taking a plane with all the same service and amenities but on a smaller scale.

Renting A Kayak On Catalina

Most people will likely want to rent a kayak when visiting the island for a fishing excursion. It is possible to bring your personal kayak but there will be complications as the main Ferry companies mentioned above either do not provide this service or the cost is hefty. You can arrange to have it shipped to Catalina before you go and pick it up there, then have it shipped back once you leave. This is likely the only option to renting one there. You can check out the shipping detail here… http://catalinafreight.com/

If you are just going for the day or a short weekend, your probably best off to rent. There are lots of places to rent your kayak on the island and the prices go from around $20 for an hour to $70 for the day. I rented a tandem Ocean Kayak from Descanso Beach rentals for the day which cost $75 total. The picture below shows a Sheephead I caught in the rented kayak. In the background is Descanso Beach.

Of course, renting can be a hassle as you don’t have many items that you would be accustomed to on your personal craft. There’s no GoPro mounting spots or H-Rails to connect rod holders, etc . During my short stay in Avalon, I brough a single rod and reel and a backpack with assorted hooks and likely fishing jigs and lures along with my GoPro and head strap and selfie stick. I did not know exactly what the ferry boat would allow so I kept it simple. From my experience on this trip, it seemed they were quite liberal in allowing fishing poles on the boat. Next time I will bring heftier gear, as you see in my video the need to ‘horse’ fish out of the kelp required a stiff rod.

One of the great things about Catalina kayak fishing is you don’t have to go far to catch fish. Simply head to the nearest point or patch of kelp or sandy bottom and start fishing. Likely you only need to paddle 40 or 50 yards and you will be in a great spot.

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What Kind Of Fish Can You Expect To Catch Kayak Fishing Around Catalina?

• Calico Bass
• Sheephead
• Sandbass
• Halibut
• White Sea Bass
• Yellowtail
• Various Perch
• Barracuda
• Bonito
• Who Knows What Surprises You May End Up With

The abundance of fish around Catalina is amazing. Making it even more interesting is the clear water allowing you to see many fish that normally would go by unnoticed. Likely the first fish you will see when you get off the ferry is the California State Fish – the Garibaldi. These bright orange fish can be seen all along the shoreline. These fish are protected so be sure to through them back if you happen to hook one.

I think the ‘king’ of sport fish around Catalina is the Calico Bass. These fish are super abundant and can be quite large compared to the average size of Calicos around the mainland. If you toss a piece of squid, shrimp, lure or bare hook, chances are good that you will hook up with a fat Calico. Best of all, these put up a good fight and are great tasting!

Another very common and great tasting fish is the California Sheephead. Found around the kelp or rocky reefs, these fish can get up to 15lbs or more. They put up a great fight when hooked. It seems the favorite bait of the Sheephead is shrimp. I brought some frozen shrimp from the store and caught quite a few in the short time I was out fishing. These fish are very unique. Starting out as a light orange colored female, they transition to a male after a few years. The color of the fish also changes to a black tail and head with a reddish orange midriff. The eye turn red, and they develop a large fleshy forehead bump. Wow!

Fishing around the outer edges of the kelp and along sandy stretches of beach can produce a coveted catch, the Halibut. These odd-looking fish are popular for their mild and flakey white meat and powerful runs that will get your blood pumping. Your best bet to hook one of these guys is to drift a live bait with an ounce or two of lead just off the bottom. Drifting with a strip of squid or whole squid can also produce.

Possibly the most coveted catch of all is the Yellowtail and White Sea Bass. These feisty fish are highly sought after due to their world class fight and large size. Yellowtail and White Sea Bass can often get up to 40lbs or more. If you happen to hook up with one of these guys, you better have a good rod and reel with 50-70lb braid line and a 3/0-5/0 circle hook on 25-40lb leader. Heavy line is primarily needed in this case to cut through any kelp these fish may drag you into. Fishing live bait and jigging are the most common methods to draw a strike. They can show up at any time so be ready!

Here are some recommended fishing gear for a successful trip to Catalina or anywhere along the So Cal coast.

How to Kayak Fish Around Kelp

Since kelp attracts fish and is very close to shore, it is a great place to start your day of fishing around Catalina. I like to find a big ‘hole’ in the kelp or fish around the edges. This allows me to cast or toss my offering into the kelp and be able to quickly drag my fish out of the ‘danger zone’ so as not to get tangled up as much.

Below is a video of some fish I caught while out in my rental kayak just off Descanso Beach/Avalon

If I find a big hole in the kelp I can drop straight down with some bait or a jig and this also gives me a better chance of not snagging kelp. Now even though I can’t see the kelp, there is likely to be some on the bottom so be aware of that.

Bottom line, you can expect to get tangled up and loose fish and tackle now and then. It’s just the price you pay getting into the big boys hide out, where they like to ambush their prey. Going up in size on your rod and reel can be a good idea, so you can win the tug-of-war more often.

Drifting over an area where fish are hanging out can be problematic when the wind kicks up or there is a good current. In seconds you can drift off your spot and have to pick up your paddle to reposition the kayak. This can be a real pain. One good use of the kelp that is floating on the surface is to use it as an anchor system. You can see an example of that in my video where I tie kelp to my kayak to keep me from drifting. Very handy 😊

Catalina – A World Class Kayaking Fishing Destination

Getting to Catalina can be a little bit of a hassle and an added expense. That’s probably the main reason why fishing on this island is so fantastic. It has an abundance of game fish with minimal fishing pressure from the millions of fishermen and women on the mainland. So if you want to experience outstanding kayaking and fishing only 26 miles away, I highly recommend you make the effort and plan a trip to Catalina Island.