Sea fishing kicking into high gear

Jim Niemiec

First of two parts.

Deep sea fishing was turned up a notch or two this past week as

warmer currents brought up the water temperature and in came the

exotics and marlin as was anticipated with all the fish holding up

off Baja for the past two months. Private yachts are reporting lots

of action inside the lee of San Clemente Island and there is a

mixture of tuna, yellowtail and dorado under floating kelp and on

high spots in mid-channel waters.

Twelve-year-old Megan Rainwater of Newport Beach, landed her first

ever striped marlin last week while fishing on board the yacht Joker,

captained by her father, Jack. The marlin was hooked on live bait

just east of Pyramid Point and weighed in at the Balboa Angling Club

scaling 193 pounds.

The sportfisher Marlin Man, captained by Jim Valentine, had a

double jig strike on marlin just past the 181 Spot, dumping one fish

and releasing the other with an estimated weight of 165 pounds. One

fish was hooked on a Mean Joe Green lure and the second spikebill

came up to a purple and black marlin jig. For an update on marlin

fishing contact the Balboa Angling Club at (949) 673-6316.

With warm water in the channel the marlin season looks like it

could be a good one for harbor area anglers. On average, billfish

seem to be bigger this season, perhaps due to an abundance of bait

along the Pacific coast. Tournament directors, captains of private

yachts and veteran big game anglers are optimistic about prospects

for marlin fishing off Southern California based on the numbers of

marlin that showed up off Baja Sur late last year and current water

conditions. This outdoor column contains a schedule of marlin

tournaments that will take place off Southern California during

August and September. The second half of this season’s calendar will

be published next week.

The 13th annual Church Mouse Marlin Invitational tournament is the

first marlin tournament of the 2003 season and is set for Monday and

Tuesday. The event will be based out of Avalon Harbor and a mandatory

captains’ meeting will take place on Sunday at the Landing Restaurant

in Avalon. The entry fee is $500 per boat and over the past few years

the average number of yachts competing in the event numbered around

ninety.

The Church Mouse is a “tag and release” tournament with winners

taking home tackle, accessories and fishing trips. Over the past 12

years the tournament has raised in excess of $300,000 for Catalina

Island youth projects. This tournament is a non-profit, tax

deductible tournament with all proceeds being used for prizes,

tournament expenses and donations to Catalina youth groups. A gala

awards night will be held on Tuesday at the Casino Ballroom. For more

details call Bob and Carol Butte at (310) 820-4434.

Avalon will also host Rosie’s Marlin tournament and it will kick

off with a captains’ party on Sept. 7. Fishing days are Sept. 8-9

with a tournament ending banquet to be held at the Country Club on

Sept. 9. This tournament was started back in 1975 and generates funds

to help support Catalina Island based and other designated charities.

Rosie’s is limited to only 20 boats, which will compete in channel

waters for two days of bill fishing. Last year the yacht “Corsario”

was the winning boat in the tournament with its crew taking home a

total of $78,880.

Tournament headquarters are located on the end of the Avalon pier

and registration information can be obtained by calling Roger Cadman

at the Zane Grey Hotel (310) 510-0966 in Avalon.

The Master Angler Billfish tournament will be hosted by the Balboa

Angling Club with a limit of 200 registered anglers competing. A

pre-tournament party will be held on Sept. 9 at the Village Crean

Restaurant in Newport Beach.

Competition will be on Sept. 12-13 with the awards banquet to be

held at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club on Sept. 14.

The Master Angler Tournament is a “Catch and Release” format based

on points for marlin releases made on 12-, 16-, 20- and 30-pound test

lines.

There is a broadbill division in the master’s and also a yellowfin

tuna category for tuna weighing over 40 pounds. Boats and anglers

fish as a team for one of the Southland’s angling clubs and it has

become a pretty highly competitive event for local big game anglers.

The entry fee is $150 per angler and, as is the case with most

marlin tournaments, the bulk of the money is used to purchase big

game tackle and accessories that will be presented to the top

anglers.

For more details contact your local fishing club or call Dara

Fry-Stotesbury, secretary of the BAC at (949) 673-6316.