Pursuing an Inshore Favorite:
A Calico Primer
by Craig Smith
An introduction to chasing one of our favorite fish. All photos by author, except where noted.
Tactics
Kelp forests can be approached in a number of different ways. The simplest is to drift along the edge of the kelp forest, letting wind and current carry your craft along. As you drift along, make repeated casts towards the kelp that reaches the surface or over submerged kelp fronds. Try different depths and directions of retrieve.
As they present themselves, make casts close to kelp strands, since the bass will often be tight to the stringers and hiding right below the canopy. Don’t forget to try your poppers, Gurglers, Crease Flies, or other surface patterns that create a disturbance when worked back to the boat.
You can also drift right through the kelp forest, making short presentations in the lanes that form in the kelp as it is pushed over by the current. The thickest sections of floating kelp, avoided by most anglers, can turn out some nice fish. A short cast to a small pocket of open water with a heavily weighted fly might just produce a big surprise.
An electric motor is a very useful boat accessory when working inside the kelp forest since you can use it to maneuver into open spots and around the thickest sections of the floating kelp. An electric motor is even helpful when working the outer edges of the kelp bed since the wind and current rarely seem to take the angler in the optimal direction.
When drifting through kelp, trimming the main engine up will help keep your lower unit from getting hung up in the kelp, giving you a cleaner ride. Conversely, lowering the main engine so that the lower unit occasionally catches in the kelp allows it to act as a drag anchor of sorts, slowing your drift.
Jetties and rocks are always good locations to present your flies. It pays to work your fly out away from the structure, as well as very tight to it. Calicos will often move quite a way off of structure if a food source is available. If the structure creates current seams, work the edges of those seems and the ends of current tongues where the current velocity drops off. Present your fly through the entire water column from the surface to as deep as you can reach.
Submerged reefs, rock piles, and wrecks also deserve your attention. Work near-surface structure just as you would visible rock structure. Reefs are often found off popular surfing beaches and are easily accessible to kayak or surfboard anglers launching from nearby beaches. Angling for calicos is often excellent over these reefs, just outside the surf line.
Even deeper structure, 50 feet or more below the surface, can produce for the fly angler under the right conditions. While 50' is stretching the capabilities of even the fastest sinking lines, when bait fish are present, bass will often come up in the water column where they are within range of your feathery offering. As with the kelp forests, an electric motor is very helpful for moving along above-surface or submerged structure, and for holding position in currents, rather than relying on the wind and current to move you in the desired direction.
It pays to look up into the sky frequently, too. Bird activity usually indicates the presence of game fish working a school of bait from below. If you encounter diving birds near kelp, jetties, rocks, and other structure you will likely find calico bass mixed in,with other gamefish underneath. It is not unusual to find calicos under birds hundreds or even thousands of yards from the nearest obvious structure. If you see fish crashing on the surface, this is a prime time to break out those topwater patterns.
Anchoring near structure is sometimes a worthwhile option if conditions permit. When securely anchored, you can ensure that you will hold in a fixed location and concentrate on fishing rather than boat handling.
And whether anchored or free, don’t overlook the use of chum to get the fish into a feeding mood. Chunk, ground, and live chum can all be helpful at times.
Safety First!
Fishing in proximity to visible or near-surface structure always presents some type of hazard. Even in calm conditions, inattention to one's surroundings can lead to serious mishaps.
If you anchor, always pay attention to the wind and sea state. Be certain you have sufficient anchor rode to safely weather the given swell and current.
When working close to jetties and rocks, be very mindful of swell, current, tide, and wind, and plan your approach and angling tactics accordingly. When caught in a strong current or a big swell, an electric motor may not be powerful enough to get you out of trouble, so you should consider keeping your main engine running if there is any possibility of being carried into the hazard by the wind, swell and current. If in doubt about your ability to safely work an area, skip it no matter how promising it looks.
And a couple of final safety notes - beware of sea lions when landing your catch, and remember to protect your eyes!
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