Where to go for float tube fishing - Newport Harbor

Newport Harbor is huge and so I've just taken a quick stab at getting my fellow tubers going here if they don't know where to go. I plan to do a couple of followup videos from other spots, but this one starts the ball rolling.

I know there lots of guys who fish Newport regularly and know way more about it than I do, but I hope this helps people get started at this popular fishing spot and is part of my "Where to go float tube fishing in Southern California" series.

Newport is one of those places, like Los Alamitos, that has a lot of different micro-environments and you could easily spend years getting to know it.

Newport has always been tough for me. I've never caught more than a handful of fish on any one session, but after some timely advice from Bassin' Rich, I was finally able to put it together and I had a 20 fish day!

Here's what I think made the difference for me...

1) Open water - I did much better in open water than up into the docks. Even in smaller channels, I did better in the middle than against the sides. At one point, I trolled down the side of a channel up next to the ends of the docks and got nothing. Then turned around, moved 10 ft over and trolled right down the middle of the same channel and caught fish.

2) Stay on the fish - If you catch a fish in open water, you're probably on some bottom structure and you should work the whole small area until you stop getting bites.

3) Moorings = no joy. I've always targeted the concentrations of open water moorings and I've never done well in them. I'm sure there are guys who rip them up, but for me, the moorings are low percentage areas.

As I said, I plan to follow up with some other launch spots, but for now, here's my introduction to Newport Harbor.

I have always said i do better in the main open channel then anywhere else in Newport. I like to drag my seeker rig and jika and dropshot setup. A great way to locate fish quick.

I'm a big dock/visible structure guy. But I look for key elements: relation to drop offs and any cover as well. I do better fishing docks with grass than just bottom and work it from a few different angles. It's been awhile since I tubed Newport (or tubed at all), but I walked the bank a few weeks ago with a friend...he worked a dock for a good ten minutes, I gave it a shot at a different angle and hooked up immediately. Moorings are a big fish deal for me, I don't get many bites, but the few I get are big. I don't like fishing open water due to lack of a fish finder/structure locator and overall lack of a desire to kick against current lol.

Another great video. Newport is an awesome place to float tube. I have only tubed around lido island. There is a little beach behind the bay point peninsula hotel. It is a nice place for sandies and halibut. Thank you for all the great info.

Good vid Omery! keep it up, Hook up baits doing damage!

Years ago, when I lived in Fullerton and had my 12 foot aluminum boat, I fished in Newport Bay a lot. By fishing there frequently and talking to the residents and other fisherman, plus using a depth/fish finder, we found several places that would regularly hold fish. Some were spots where big Spotfin Croaker congregated, some were halibut hangouts, and there were places where you could almost be sure of hooking into one or two big Spotted Bay Bass (their actual name is Spotted Sand Bass..). These spots may have been just some kelp growing out of a big rock or maybe a drop off near a concrete wall, or a deep sand bar next to some eelgrass that attracted Halibut. They all produced good fish, but the bite totally depended on what the tides were doing. I had a detailed map that we marked out all of our hotspots in Newport Harbor. There was about 15 "hotspots" that we fished. I'll try to find that map and post it here.

Thanks guys!

I really enjoyed the first 5 minutes of your video ... which I considered to be well formatted and quite informative for the people wanting to learn how to fish HH from a float tube. There are plenty of fish to be had there.

The following 14-minute 42-sec dink-a-thon portion of your video was also very good for the next 2 to 3 minutes but then became too repetitious and too long or me to watch but I'm certain it wasn't for many other viewers.

Keep up the good work  

Tight lines

SP Dan     <"))><

Do I need to wear a pfd to float tube the harbors?

Yes you do I have never been stopped but i know if they see you with out a life best they will stop you. More importantly it is about safety. Always stay safe and wear your PFD. Good luck let us know how it goes.

I would suggest that you wear your PFD at all times for your safety; no matter what body of water you fish, whether it be in fresh water rivers, lakes, ponds or salt water inner harbors.

Your PFD will only save you if you have it on (wearing it).
I wear my all the time and so do many others.

I've had my bladders punctured 3-times from the spines of the fish that I had released and 1-time I had a patch fail me.
3-times I was over a mile from my launch site and the other time 1/8th of a mile away.

And remember to always carry your bladder inflation hose with you.
I would not have made it back to my launch site without mine.

I believe that the Coast Guard ruling is: that you need to have it with you and not on you.

Stay safe.

SP Dan     <"))><