Outdoors: Fishing up and down in outer waters

Jim Niemiec

Local anglers are bringing back a mixed catch of albacore,

yellowfin tuna, dorado, yellowtail and white seabass. Rough seas outside

San Clemente Island held the sport fleet at bay for a few days but it

looks like conditions are laying down just in time for the holiday fleet

to head out to local fishing grounds.

There were winds gusting up to 30 knots on the Tanner Bank earlier in

the week, but they have backed off to where it’s almost fishable if you

don’t tend to get sea sick from swells and rolling seas.

The deluxe sportfisher “Pacific Star” operating out of Davey’s Locker

has been one of the hottest boats in Newport’s sport fleet. Captained by

Mike Bullard of Newport Beach and Kenny Wager of Huntington Beach, this

fast sport boat has been into fish since it became part of the Davey’s

Locker fleet in May.

This past week saw excellent fishing for big yellowtail at San

Clemente Island and the “Pacific Star moved around the island picking out

rock piles and hard bottoms that held good numbers of big yellowtail.

On board was the father and son team of Hal and Sean Woods of Newport

Beach. Young Sean had never landed a yellowtail and by the end of the

two-day charter he was a pro and took home memories of his first fishing

experience at the islands.

Yellowfin tuna are starting to show in better numbers around high

spots but the water temperature has to come up a couple of degrees before

these tuna will begin coming to the corner. Most of the yellowfin being

caught are jig fish in the 25-pound class.

According to Captain Richard Ruffini of Costa Mesa, who operates the

six pack charter boat “Bongos II,” yellowfin are under schools of dolphin

and trolling Rapala, Yo-Zuri Bonita and Zuker jigs through these jumping

mammals is where most action is taking place.

In action earlier in the week on the way back to Newport anglers on

board the “Bongos II” landed seven quality yellowfin, six of which were

taken on the troll and a single tuna was hooked on bait.

Bait conditions are still iffy for anchovies out of Newport due to the

red tide and changes in water temperature. Sardines are holding up well

when available and the “Squid-A-Lot” has been able to scoop up squid

inside Pyramid Cove to keep the sport fleet supplied when they arrive at

the island before daylight.

Billfish Just About Ready to Bite

Marlin numbers are building daily in mid-channel waters and they could

break loose by this weekend. With water temps in the high 60s, it will

just take a couple of warm days to bring the surface temp up a couple of

degrees, which should increase the feeding activity of striped marlin.

Private yachts working the 14 Mile Bank, 267 Spot and off the east end

of Catalina Island are seeing tailers and jumpers.

According to Jack Patterson of Costa Mesa, who handles the weighing in

duties at the Balboa Angling Club (BAC), boats are not having trouble

finding fish, but getting them to bite jigs or live bait has been

difficult. Patterson feels it’s still a little early in the season and

added that the month of September could hold some very good bill fishing

for the local fleet.

The first broadbill swordfish of the season was weighed in last week

at the BAC. The crew of the “Bongos II,” operating out of Bongos

Sportfishing Headquarters in Newport Beach, spotted a tailing swordfish

on the 281 Spot and it jumped on a live mackerel cast by crewman Mike

Shrosbree. The battle lasted three hours and 15 minutes and the tough

billfish was fought by each angler on board. The broadbill weighed 260

pounds and provided plenty of great steaks for the charter and crew

members.