Fishing Newport Pier With My Buddy Max :D! Newport Beach, CA

In this video, my buddy Max and I are night fishing Newport Pier in Newport Beach, CA! Late-night fishing session we last-minute planned but we still caught a lot of fish! :D Max and I both dropped our rigs straight down or cast them out into the surf using shrimp. I talk about how easy it is to get into fishing at any pier because it's easy to access, you don't need a California Fishing License, and you can catch fish just by dropping your line down next to the pillars! We caught topsmelts, yellowfin croakers, possibly a white croaker, round stingrays, thornback rays, and even a new fish for me: a pacific staghorn sculpin! All were catch and release! I also go over how to appropriately handle gut shot fish. Overall, an amazing day of fishing with a great friend, doesn't get any better than that!

Timestamps: For Your Convenience :)

00:00 Beginning/ Intro, Setup: The Sven (10 lb braided, a Carolina rig,1/2 oz egg sinker, red bead, barrel swivel, 6 lb fluorocarbon leader, size 6 hook, piece of shrimp)
01:19 First fish! Simple smelty boi haha.
01:50 Information about fishing Newport Pier c: no need for a fishing license so it's a great place to try fishing if you're a beginner :D
02:51 Pier fishing information and fishing tips. Casting close next to mussel encrusted pillars is also as good as far casting, just pay attention and always watch your line!
03:32 Next catch for me c: a yellowfin croaker! Unfortunately, he was gut shotted, quick tutorial with how to handle this
05:04 Next catch for Max! It could be a white croaker (which you never want to keep or eat because they're contaminated in SoCal waters) or a yellowfin croaker with not-so-yellow fins.
06:03 Pier fishing/general tip: some fish feed at different depths of the water column, if you know what you're targeting and where they like to feed, this can be helpful! Also caught a pacific staghorn sculpin (new species for me!)
08:32 Pier fishing tip: You can catch fish dropping it down and casting it out! Bait and waits put out a scent for fish to find so it's still a viable option to see what's out there c:
09:40 Large thornback ray c: I let Max handle it with The Sven :D We also lifted it up slowly because I had 6 lb line (if they thrash, it could snap the line)
10:36 Thornback Ray showcase for local passersby c: but it's severely gut shotted :c
12:00 Next catch for me, a lil sea pancake.
12:50 Pier fishing tip: When to go. Early morning or late-night, weekdays, free parking after 6 PM for Newport Pier!
13:03 Next catch for me, another stingray c: also gut shotted :c
13:29 Concluding remarks, outro

#firstfishfreedom is a tradition that I started a while back. The basis for this tradition is to release the first fish you catch, regardless of what it is (prized, PB, good eats, maybe even world record someday haha). I will only keep the first fish if it is gravely wounded or gut shotted (and a species I can legally keep). If I keep the first fish, then I will pass on the tradition to the second fish, and so forth. Any day of fishing is a blessing, catching a fish and beating the skunk is another blessing on top of that, so I want to return that blessing and luck back to the fish, so they may live another day, get bigger, and maybe I catch them again in the future c:

Here's a link to the California Surf Anglers Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1791530244491062/

Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a beginner just starting out, go ahead and join CSA! They are a group that focuses primarily on surf fishing here in California, filled with many wonderful people who would be more than happy to share their knowledge with any surf fishing questions you may have. A lot of surf fishing I learn from them so go check them out :D

Hope you guys enjoyed, feel free to leave comments, suggestions, and feedback!

Cheers,
Sven

Gear Showcase In This Video (These links help support my channel, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases :D)

https://amzn.to/3K7tq9C (Penn Conflict II 4000, you can choose different sizes as needed, overall great saltwater reel, very smooth cast and reeling!)

https://amzn.to/3vCCgGX (Fishing Bait Thread, very helpful for securing non-sturdy baits to your hook, highly recommended if you use bait such as mussels!)

https://amzn.to/3Kgo38c (I normally use braided, my default line for general purpose is 20 lb Power Pro Spectra Braided Line, Moss Green. Choose the lb you need for what you're targeting, but you can never go wrong with this brand).

^You may be able to find some of this gear cheaper locally, don't forget to support your local small-business owner tackle shops!

Music:
Song by Jacob! Check him out on Soundcloud :D
https://soundcloud.com/beatsbyilluminate

Bon Voyage - Illuminate

Check out my Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/sven.goes.fishing/