First albies caught

JIM NIEMIEC

The first sport-caught albacore of the 2005 season were reported late

last week as sport boats running 1.5- to two-day trips out of San

Diego landings ran into schools of small longfins some 100 to 115

miles, 190 degrees off Point Loma.

The fish averaged 5 to 7 pounds, but there was a mix of 12- to

18-pounders caught. There appears to be a temperature break at this

distance where the water is holding between 61.5 to 63 degrees, and

perfect sea conditions contributed to the early season catch.

A private yacht, fishing another area only 85 miles from the

Point, limited out on albies (five fish per rod) and there were also

reports of single and double jig fish reeled from an area that was

only 55 miles off San Diego.

Water conditions off Southern California are still a bit on the

cold side to see any kind of movement of albies showing up before

early May within reach of the sport fleet running out of Davey’s

Locker, Newport Landing Sportfishing and Bongos Sportfishing

Charters.

“We are standing by and will make runs to the fishing grounds with

our fast six-pack charter boats as soon as the albacore arrive within

reach of the harbor,” Captain Joe Bairian of Newport said. “Last year

things got started the first week in May and if the seas lay down and

the water temperature jumps a couple of degrees, anglers could be

hooking longfins any day.”

Water off the coast is still cold and needs to warm up a little to

improve coastal fishing conditions. The best fishing locally is

happening at Catalina Island, where a mix of small bonito, barracuda,

calico bass, yellowtail and a few white sea bass are rewarding

anglers making the run across the channel from Newport.

Locally the half- and three-quarter-day boats are finding fair

action on bottom dwellers fishing over artificial reefs between

Newport and Huntington Beach.

It’s still too early to see much in the way of a sustained sand

bass bite develop along the coast, but there have been a few good

sized halibut taken including a 24.3-pounder landed by Robert Tighe

of Newport Beach while competing in the Lily Call tournament hosted

by the Balboa Angling Club.

Anglers should mark May 15 on their event calendar to attend the

United Anglers fundraising dinner at the Balboa Bay Club. This annual

gathering of sport fishermen and those committed to preserving our

saltwater fishery traditionally generates lots of money for

conservation projects and protecting our marine resources. For ticket

information phone (714) 840-0227.

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The official opening of the 2005 trout season will take place on

April 30 when thousands of anglers head up to the High Sierras to

test their angling skills at catching native and released trout.

Fishing will be tough this year due to a heavy snow pack and lots

of lakes will most likely remain either inaccessible or frozen over

until early June.

Crowley Lake is starting to break up and should be fishable on the

opener to provide some of the best fishing for boaters and shore

anglers.

The June Lake Loop is still “iffy” and the same for Bridgeport and

South Lake, but Bishop Creek should be a popular spot to land a quick

five fish limit.

Intake No. 2, which was drained last fall, is on schedule to be

refilled before opening day and stocked with trophy class Alpers

trout. The news is, as of late last week, there were still big

tractors working in the bottom of the small Edison reservoir and it

might not be ready for stocking.

For more information on fishing conditions within the Bishop Creek

drainage call Gary Olson at Bishop Creek Lodge (760) 873-4484.

Locally Irvine Lake and the Santa Ana River Lakes are kicking out

good numbers of trophy trout and easy limits.

For the first time in the history of the Irvine Lake, the Alpers

strain of rainbow trout were stocked in the popular Southland fishery

and are fully finned and fat.