Seeking Yellowtail off La Jolla

[swinginFish]

I've been bait fishing for yellowtail (YT) for years off La Jolla, and began recently to seek them with the fly. Does anyone have any experience seeking these beasts in deep water, and if so, can you either offer some pointers or head me towards someone who can?

Thanks

[Slappy]

I have always considered yellowtail more of a bait fish than a lure/fly fish, but there are plenty of times they hit the fly. A little late in the season now, but the paddie hopping technique is best in the summer and you can sometime chum the fish up pretty good.

Sounds like you haven't been able to hang them around La Jolla on the fly? Have you tried a lot of chum?

Head out along the ridges or even outside the Coronados and look for spots of kelp floating. Pull up carefully on the paddie and toss a handfull of chum--zip the fly at any boiling fish. Or try taking a few casts around the paddie before tossing the chum. I think that paddie fish are often more aggressive than their inshore buddies.

As you know Yellowtail are one of the most fun fish in the ocean. On the paddies they have a tendency to wrap your line on the paddie like it is a package--a little bow and everything.

Should be very challenging to get them to eat the fly--and then again to land one! The only place that I have gotten them on the fly was fishing bonito off the ocean beach pier with splasher and feather. Occasionally a smaller size fish would eat the fly.

[swinginFish]

Just to be clear, I target yellowtail (YT) from the kayak, and fish for them mainly out of La Jolla. Although often caught on the surface in Spring through Summer, many larger YT winter over in the area, but if found are usually hooked in deeper water. I'm seeking input on hooking them on the fly in the deeper waters, feeling fairly competent at getting lures to them when they're breezing or busting surface bait.

AE