Saltwater-Index

Catching Sand Dabs

I have only done this once but it left a big impression on my fishing adventures. Leaving out of 22nd Street Landing every Wednesday on a Sand Dab Drift. Motored out to just East of the Casino at Catalina setting a tree of hooks (Gangion) baited with squid pieces down to about 80 to 130 feet. We drifted across a small canyon. On the other side the Captain would say ok reel em in! ... Each drift the average fish count per rod was 12 plus nice Sand Dabs. On one trip I hooked a Mako Shark ... Got it to the side but could not gaff it ... What excitement. Played hell on the rigging but it was a tremendous time. At the time there was no size or number limit. Nothing better than a nice sack of Sand Dabs for dinner.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carey on March 18, 2009 at 11:33pm

what you need to do is take those sand dabs and instead of eating them you should put a hook thru thier nose and get about a 6oz sinker and drop it down in about 300+ feet of water and catch you some 30lb lingcod... thats all i know about sand dabs is next to octopus, sand dabs are great bait for lingcod and large cabazon....mmmm. much better eating than sand dabs.

Permalink Reply by tim schultz on March 19, 2009 at 1:41am

if im not misstaken the sanddab is in the sole family which makes it an almost sure bet for quality eating, besides 9 out of 10 lingcod cant be wrong. seriously i have found them to be very tasty

Permalink Reply by Edard J Shelton on March 19, 2009 at 10:53am

Wow ... that sounds fishodelicous ... Love that Lingcod .. will try that ... thanks for the tip and the blog on the subject ...

Carey A said:

what you need to do is take those sand dabs and instead of eating them you should put a hook thru thier nose and get about a 6oz sinker and drop it down in about 300+ feet of water and catch you some 30lb lingcod... thats all i know about sand dabs is next to octopus, sand dabs are great bait for lingcod and large cabazon....mmmm. much better eating than sand dabs.

Permalink Reply by Edard J Shelton on March 19, 2009 at 10:54am

I use to know some rule about the eyes. one on top or two on top means something in this "flounder" family. Anyone know the rule ... I think Halibut only have one eye on top ... Have to do some research.

tim schultz said:

if im not misstaken the sanddab is in the sole family which makes it an almost sure bet for quality eating, besides 9 out of 10 lingcod cant be wrong. seriously i have found them to be very tasty

Permalink Reply by Old Gus on March 19, 2009 at 11:35pm

If you go up towards Oxnard you can fish in much shalower water for Lingcod and Cabazon ! More in the 100 - 150 ft range.

Permalink Reply by Adam Flores on March 24, 2009 at 3:15pm

Just checking your bait from 300 feet is a workout. I bet it is much nicer from 100-150...

Permalink Reply by Carey on March 25, 2009 at 2:03am

very true its much easier to 150ft of water than 300 but the lings see sand dabs in 150 feet of water and don't always bite them. sand dabs don't due well in 300 feet of water and the lings never see them down there so that's why they bite them better in deeper water, plus the bigger lings are deep small ones are shallow...screw sand dabs if you really want lingcod go to a fish store and buy you a live octopus...expensive buy never fails!!!

Permalink Reply by Edard J Shelton on March 25, 2009 at 11:49am

Got fishing fever now real bad ... the weather is getting great and looks like the water is going to be warmer this spring.

Permalink Reply by jiM Kracky on April 15, 2010 at 1:56am