White seabass, barracuda here, and the albacore coming

Jim Niemiec

Big schools of barracuda popped up early this week off Huntington

Beach and sport boats running out of Davey’s Locker and Newport Landing

Sportfishing got into good fishing along the coast.

Anglers on board half and 3/4-day trips caught limits of legal

barracuda and then captains topped off the trip with some pretty good

sand bass action closer to the beach. The movement of barracuda into

local waters was most likely triggered by warmer water currents and

plenty of bait.

White seabass are schooled up on the back side of Catalina Island and

the one fish limit has been the rule for anglers on board sportfishers

and private yachts. Captain Mike Bullard, owner/operator of the “Pacific

Star,” operating out of Davey’s Locker in Balboa called in to report full

limits for anglers earlier this week.

“It was good bite on seabass weighing in the 18 to 25-pound class

with calm conditions allowing us to move right in on the beach,” Bullard

said.

Local anglers on board the “Pacific Star” were David Gandstuff of

Costa Mesa who docked his first white seabass that scaled 24 pounds, and

Costa Mesa resident Robby Oxford won the jackpot by landing a 28

1/2-pound seabass. Both fish were caught on live squid, which has

continually been the bait of choice when heading over to the island to

fish seabass.

In addition to limiting out on seabass, passengers on board the deluxe

sportfisher also also had a pretty fair pick on calico bass fished along

stringer kelp.

The fast six-pack charter boat “Bongos II” operating out of Bongos

Sportfishing Charters, (949) 673-2810, in Newport Beach, is returning to

the Pavilion docks daily with limits of big white seabass.

Tex Regan of Newport Coast hooked into a 25-pound white seabass this

week as Captain Richard Ruffini of Costa Mesa anchored up in the right

spot on the back side of the island. Even without live squid on the bait

tank, Regan soaked a “popsicle” (frozen squid) to entice the big seabass

to bite.

The waters around Catalina Island are stacked up with white seabass

and the steady bite could continue well into June.

Harbor area anglers looking to find out what’s going on off the coast

should head over to Angler’s Center on Newport Boulevard Saturday. The

inaugural Saltwater Seminar and Tackle Show will take place in the

Angler’s Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is

co-sponsored by South Coast Sportfishing magazine and some of the biggest

names in offshore and bay fishing will be on hand to answer questions and

talk fishing.In addition to learning from the experts, there will be

casting and knot-tying contests, raffle prizes and great buys on

saltwater tackle. For more details on the event, call the Angler’s Center

at (949) 642-6662.

Fisherman’s Landing, San Diego. The first sport caught catches of

albacore were made about 100 miles south of Point Loma late last week.

According to updated reports, the ocean became extremely rough and recent

trips have only been producing a few jig fish. The albies are weighing in

the eight to 15-pound class, which is typical for the early season run.

Captain Buzz Brizendine, skipper of the sportfisher “Prowler” feels

these schools of longfins could move up the coast and be fishable within

one day range before Memorial Day weekend. Gale force winds to 35 knots

blew up earlier this week, and it most likely will take awhile for the

seas to settle down and boats to relocate migrating schools of albacore

and bluefin tuna.