Launching in Dana point harbor.

Hey guys! I was thinking of tubin dph by the bait barge before work tomorrow but there's a sign that says no float tube launching out of the launch ramps. Is there anywhere else to launch by there or do I just do it anyway? Thanks?

I wonder if that sign is new. That's where I would always launch from but it's been a while... Hopefully a local can better answer that.

I parked in front of Dana wharf and walked in from the sidewalk at the end of the ramps. Oh yeah, signs say "4 hour parking from 7am -7pm". Can I be there at 6am or will there be a problem?

Personally I would just pay for parking and park inside the launch ramp parking. I know a few people that have gotten tickets parking in that area.

Ya parking before the allotted time will cause you problems. I have seen guys get ticketed 10 minutes before the posted times.   

fishin aint easy

SirMixALot wrote:fishin aint easy

No it's not..between the LAB and NPH I've paid over 150.00 in parking tickets..  

Hey SirMixAlot,

How did it go, id like to tube DPH myself......

thanks bro!

that sign must be new cuz i launch at the ramps everytime they cant say u cant launch off a launch ramp i dont get that if u want u can park by the police station and just launch off the rocks

I parked in the permit parking and just launched from there anyway. I was in the water in 5 seconds flat! I asked the guy at Dana wharf sportfishing if I could buy a permit and he just gave me one. I guess he thought I was getting on the boat =)
My brother and I got skunked. I got some bites by the barge but nothing stuck. In by 6:30 out by 8:15.
I usually fish nph but I was 5 mins from there for work and I've never fished there. Limo when you're at nph and we'll meet up.

Hey Sirmixalot,

The wife gave the go ahead to fish this weekend, so now i wanna go some where....Irvine, Laguna Niguel Lake, NPH.....shoot for some halibut! if do nph ill launch like at 630-7

Cool. Out of the coast guard beach right? I'll let you know by tonight.

Yes sir!!! and cool let me know, do this!!!

At DPH we launch from park next to Institute at north end.  it has a beach that makes it easy.

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I wanna fish the lagoons in Carlsbad!!! who`s down?

Hey aqua....im down......tube it right....when?

Aquaholic38 wrote:I wanna fish the lagoons in Carlsbad!!! who`s down?

Has anybody ever fished the Lagoon there? any success?
oh wait... it must be another secret.   

Fishingdachronarch201E7 wrote:Hey aqua....im down......tube it right....when?

yeah tubeing. im open for weekends. how about march 30th?

Yellowrock wrote:

Aquaholic38 wrote:I wanna fish the lagoons in Carlsbad!!! who`s down?

Has anybody ever fished the Lagoon there? any success?
oh wait... it must be another secret.   

I have never. but sure looks fishy!

Has anybody ever fished the Lagoon there? any success?
oh wait... it must be another secret.

Back around 2004 - 2009 I would stop by this spot, I thought it was part of the lagoon system on my back to Los Angeles every Sunday evening around 4:00 pm during each summer or any given warmer day.
There is some sort of wildlife office building there right off of South Coast Hwy, just south of the 78 and they would be gone by the time I got there so I parked in the back lot.
Down about 100' there was an open spot that eventually turned into a spot only reachable by laying planks on top the reeds to get access.
What I found there was an open area maybe 60' across and 100' wide to fish.

I caught huge catfish close shore, and I mean real close. Just tossing it out about ten feet to my right right against the reed line on whatever I had in the bag, usually Mackerel left over from fishing Oceanside with the kids over the weekend but sometimes Shrimp.
I landed my biggest Bass at this spot on a top water Hula Popper. I kept going because I kept catching fish there pretty consistently. I tell you what, there is nothing like top water Bass IMHO.
Bonus was the people on their balconies in the condos giving me a standing ovation. They shouted that they had never seen anything like it before. Hell, I hadn't either.

My entire life I have dreamed about being on a float tube in this area or, just South/East. Let me know it goes!

Then again you guys are probably talking about those big open lagoons to the South aren't you? Well I spent too much time typing this so I aint deleting it. I'm pretty sure the area I'm talking about is protected by the state because on a map I just looked at it's not even named and could get you in some serious S**t. But, you would catch monster fish!

awesome story dlobo! thanks, and you prob. right, must be protected by now but I`ll look into it.

The freshwater lagoon is considered a preserve. You can fish from shore from a few openings in the tules but no watercraft of any kind is allowed. The saltwater lagoon to the south on the west side of the 5, where the YMCA camp is, is legal to fish from shore or tubes or kayaks. As long as it doesn't have a motor.