Does anyone float tube Newport harbor during the winter months? Is it productive? I am debating whether to buy a tube to fish the harbor when I come back during Thanksgiving and Christmas, or wait until late winter/early spring. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

if you do...you really got to watch the tides. you'll get swept away like no other over there. so watch yourself.

never tubed over there before, just heard of stories.


joe

I tube but have not tubed the bay yet--I have only shorefished and boat fished it a lot. It is a yearound fishery. Winter is when you need to fish with a little slower retrieves, smaller baits and a little deeper. I find that the fish are typically not too shallow during that season. You will find them moving up shallower midday when the sun warms the shallows a bit. The tides can be a bit scary, so plan to drift with them--you won't likely be able to kick against them. Some folks stay out long enough to ride it one way and then back as it changes. You can also drift one way and then exit after you feel you went far enough and walk back. Just be sure there is an exit point like a public beach and not an endless row of docks. Some guys do long drifts and use two cars leaving one at either end for the ride back.

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If you are planning on tubing Newport Harbor I strongly recommend that you buy a pontoon float tube instead of a regular round tube or U-boat. I tried the bay a couple times in my round tube and it was torture trying to fight the tide. I went back in a pontoon boat and it was ten thousand times better. The wind wasnt even a problem. Besides that it is way easier to kick around because there is practically no resistance because you are completely out of the water except your feet. That means increased range over a traditional tube. Now all I ever use in the pontoon boat in fresh or salt water. I know that the pontoon boats are a little more expensive but it is definitely worth the extra money because when the guys in the donuts cant fight the wind and the current you arent having any kind of problems and you can concentrate on fishing. I got myself a Backpacker so it is really portable. It isnt as fancy as some of the realy expensive pontoons and it doesnt have oarlocks but it was also about half the price. If you have any questions or you want to see a picture of my pontoon let me know or email me at MATTHEWLSTEWARD@AOL.COM.

Matt

Never toobed Newport Harbor, just rented the skiffs at Davey's Locker... If you're gonna toob it, try the PCH overpass side. You'll see a restaurant on the south side of the overpass with a steamboat looking thingy outside of it. Start there and drift that whole stretch on an incoming tide... for halibut, white sea bass (shorts, but still fun), and bay bass. Live chovies -- flylined (watch out for the gars when flylining...) or on dropper loop is the best bet... I've also had luck with rootbeer or motoroil grubs here as well.

If you can do without the traffic, check out the outer south side of the jetty, opposite of the wedge (little corona side). I've fished and dove this side for lobster and halibut -- lotsa corbina and halibut on this side. My personal record for halibut there is 22lbs, night diving with my hawaiian sling :P. Have fun!