Everyone should have had a good weekend!
Channel Islands
Yellowtail keep popping up on the Backside of Santa Cruz Island. Look around Yellowbanks, Alberts and Mar Medows. The Calico Bass bite has also been good.
Prisoners to Pelican is holding some Bonito and Barracuda.
Chinese Harbor is biting with Calico Bass, Bonito, Halibut and some Bonito.
Earlier in the week there was squid to be made off the East end of Anacapa Island at the Arch.
Catalina Island
The Frontside has some good Bonito fishing between Avalon and Hen Rock. The problem is the seals are awaiting for any fishing boat to bring them an easy Meal.
We heard of some Yellowtail earlier in the week off Goat Harbor. Nicer 25lb Models
The Backside and East end have had better fishing on Yellowtail. Silver Canyon to the East End Light is holding Yellowtail. Orange Rocks and Church Rock produced some of the better fishing in the area.
Off Salte Verde there was some White Sea Bass reported early in the week.
Iron Bound Cove is also reported having some Yellowtail.
There has been no one fishing the Island it's self. The locals are the only ones out there right now.
The fish are keyed in to Fin Bait. Mackeral can be made off the Mooring Balls in Avalon or off paddys in the channel on the way across.
The Marlin fishing was very good for the first half of the week between Ben Weston and Silver Canyon. 2-4 Miles off the beach.
Newport / Huntington Beach
The Newport Pipe has been the area fished most lately for the sportboats. Sculpin is the targetted species as of late due to the lack of Sand Bass, Bonito or Barracuda.
Use a strip of squid on a swimbait or a dropper loop with squid.
Some Numbers for The Newport Pipe:
33.36.87 x 117.58.36
33.36.64 x 117.58.43
33.36.63 x 117.58.58
The Hardbottoms off Huntington Beach have been producing some Sand Bass and small rockfish.
Izors
33.36.917 x 117.58.850
33.37.167 x 117.59.300
Dana Point
I worked the deck today on the Dana Pride.
Yellow Fin Tuna on the ponies inside the Mackerel Bank.
S4!t tons of fish. We got called in by Mansur and he had already layed the wood to them on this batch of dolphin before we got there.
The Freelance fished this same area today.
No small 8lbers, all fish were 15-25lbers.
Numbers:
33.02 x 118.14 dolphins Yellow Fin Tuna
33.04 x 118.15 dolphins Yellow Fin Tuna
33.04 x 118.16 gigantic Yellow Fin Tuna foamer holy crap! We lost a ton of fish on this one. Disasterous.
33.06 x 118.09 fish on terns- there were some big foamers in this sector. Only caught a few. Anyone with a clue could have used every single hook in their box.
Lots of terns. Huge kelps everywhere but not a single fish off them.
The water was 72 and got up to 73.5 about 12 miles inside Clemente.
It was off color right below the hard break on the cloro pictures.
I think we had 13 fish for thee day. Didn't see a single Yellowtail or dodo.
Later,
Brian Woolley
Dana Wharf Sportfsihing
P.S. Marlin all over the place.
Oceanside
Oceanside "Harbor Days" is this weekend Sept. 19-20.
The launch ramp will be open but NO parking, except east of the tracks, that will be very limited.
La Jolla
La Jolla this week has had a decent bite on Yellowtail between North West corner and South West Bull Kelp. Sportboats have been hooking them in the mornings and losing them to seals. Lucky Kayakers have had 2 or 3 Yellowtail on board at the end of their day.
Slow troll mackeral or a sardine around the kelp line. Use a rapala if the seals won't leave you alone.
Or sit on a chumline and wait for the Yellowtail to come in to the chum then toss topwater irons to the Yellowtail. Blue/white Salas 7x or Tady 45.
There has been good Calico Bass fishing along the kelpline with many 4lb plus checkerboards being landed.
Coronado Islands - Rockpile - Inshore
The Coronado Islands have not been fished much this week with many of the boats running offshore. The boats that have checked it out found Yellowtail 6-10lbs with an occasional 15-20lb size fish on the South Side of South Island around the 5 minute kelp, South Kelp Ridge and the Rockpile. The fish were being caught on top water iron and sardines.
32.17.50 x 117.10.50 Rockpile
32.22.00 x 117.13.26 South Kelp Ridge
Inshore between Descanso Point and Sugarloaf skippers are reporting big schools of Bonito with an occasional Yellowtail being caught.
Offshore
The weather today was nice with a big rolling swell and no wind. There was 1/2 mile visibility today due to fog that cleared up around mid day.
The afternoons have been better fishing this week. The fish have been coming up and going on the chew from 12pm to 4pm. There are fish being caught in the mornings for those that first find porpoise or a kelp.
The fishing is not wide open. Many boats have been skunked this week while others are limiting out. Decent fishing if you can find the porpoise or a loaded kelp first.
Traffic on the water mid week was very high. More than we have seen most of the season.
To have a better chance fish outside of the fleet and find a kelp or porpoise that no one else is on.
Keep your eyes open for birds. Birds are the easiest way to find the fish. The little white Terns do not lie like a junk eating Seagull.
The Slide (Banks off the East end of Catalina Island)
Marlin fishermen were seeing fish this morning off The Slide.
33.17 x 118.13
Scratchy schools of small Yellowfin made a showing at the 277 earlier this week. The fishing around the 277 the past couple of days has been slow. There were Marlin seen today on top of the 277.
33.12 x 118.05
Jason on his 17' Whaler Weather Conditions: Perfect, water greasy mid morning, 69 to 71 degrees.
Fishing Report: AM out of Dana Point to the FD numbers north of the 277 from a few days ago trying to get lucky on the Yellow Fin Tuna. Southwest of the 14 on a track from Dana Point to those numbers there was life everywhere, porpi, terns, huge paddies just loaded with bait and Mola Mola, but no love on any of the right kind. Perfect mini macks, spanish and greenback easily made on all paddies. Work the west ridge of the 277 to the eastend of the island, a dead zone from the Vees to seal rocks, real cloudy water and no birds, not even a whiff in this area. Saw a greyhounding marlin on the way in just south of the 14, so their still here and a ton of billfish guys working the backside.
Bait Quality: Cured big Dine with some newer small Dine.
209 Bank
There were lots of Marlin and a Swordfish around the 209 this morning. The Marlin were up first thing in the morning through mid day and the Swordfish popped around 10am.
33.10 x 117.48 was full of life. Porpoise, whales, birds and bait.
This week the 209 has been hit or miss with paddys holding small Yellowtail and nicer size Dorado.
267/279 Bank
The 267 had a couple paddys holding Yellowtail and some Marlin hookups. This week has been OK fishing with paddys holding Yellowtail, Dorado, breaking Yellowfin and Marlin.
33.17 x 117.54 Kelp with 6-10lb Yellowtail
33.18 x 117.50 Marlin Baited, others seen
33.18 x 117.52 Breaking Yellowfin
289
Skipper returning from the 289 with lots of Yellowfin reported finding fish boiling on Tern birds. Chased the birds around and threw live bait and ended up with a good score on Yellowfin for the day.
32.56 x 118.05
Mackeral Bank See Dana Point Report Above
Good fishing!
181 - 182
Lots of boat traffic in this area today.
This week 1 in 10 kelps were holding Dorado or Yellowtail between the 181 - 182.
There was only a couple kelps we heard of around mid day that were holding 4-6lb Yellowtail. Lots of other kelps in the area that were empty.
Marlin were seen jumping on "The Ridge".
For those that don't know The Ridge is the whole bank from above the 181 to 182 that is made up of lots of differant named banks.
Skipjack have been caught on the troll around the 182.
Many skippers fishing the area did not catch anything.
9 Mile Bank
Lower 9 Mile bank in the afternoons has had some nice schools of small Yellowfin coming up. Boats returning home with skunks have been catching small 6-12lb Yellowfin on breaking fish. Use small shiny jigs or small baits to get these fish to eat.
Outside the middle of the 9 mile bank at the 439 there has been Tuna and Paddys holding Yellowtail and Dorado.
32.31 x 117.29 Kelp for small Yellowtail "All you want"
32.27 x 117.27 Kelp with Dorado
226 - 302
This is the best area of fish reported today
The area west of the 302 is red hot after 11am. Many boats limiting out on 12-30lb Yellowfin Tuna. Look for tern birds. The San Diego 3/4 day boats were reported fishing in the area as well.
32.28 x 117.42 Kelp with Dorado
32.28 x 117.35 Porpoise with Yellowfin
32.27 x 117.35 Yellowfin on Porpoise
32.25 x 117.41 Yellowfin on Terns Limits for all the boats in the area
32.24 x 117.42 Yellowfin on Terns Limits for all the boats in the area
32.24 x 117.40 Boat Baja Viking Limited out on Yellowfin off a kelp
32.22 x 117.40 Double Yellowfin on Jigs with 18 Yellowfin on bait and 10 Skipjack
32.19 x 117.41 Paddy with limits of small Yellowtail for all
32.19 x 117.33 Yellowfin on Terns
Craig aboard his boat the Heron called in with limits of Yellowfin tuna from West of the 302.
Jim Daniells "Wildcat" Also called in with limits Yellowfin, Yellowtail and Dorado in the same area.
Floyd Sparks "Tuna Kahuna" Also did well in this area.
Rich "Tailwalker" Did well here as well!
John Loo of
Skiff Fishing : Offshore Fishing : Boating Safety : Ocean Skiff Journal aboard his boat Toy Boat II sent us a report from Yesterday.
We went north, looked at the 182 and towards the 181. Conditions looked good, blue water, 69-61 degree water, lots of bait, but we got blanked in that area. Saw a lot of porpoise herding bait, but we didn't find any fish under them, and nothing hit the trolled jigs. Decided to run south late in the morning, started trolled from the 226 to the 302. At abouth 2.5 miles south of the 226 a marlin hit a spreader bar we had out for the tuna. We managed to land it, we estimated the weight at around 135lbs (was about 10ft long including the bill). Fish was released in good shape. Picture is of my buddy Scott Leon (Paradigm Shift Charters). Second marlin ever for me, first marlin on my own boat. We didn't have much luck besides that. We didn't find many paddies, no other fish on the troll.
John
425 - 101
There were some big scores of Yellowfin off kelps from 6 miles to 10 miles below the 425. The 425 it's self has been slow overall today. Most boats are focusing on the 371 bank.
Marlin between the 425 and 101 Bank have been fished all week. Some hookups coming out of that zone but compared to last week it is slow. Look more up towards the Lower 9 Mile Bank and off the Coronado Islands for breaking Yellowfin and Marlin.
371
The 371 has had some good fishing West and South of the high spot. Yellowfin on Porpoise and birdschools, Dorado and Yellowtail on Kelps.
32.19 x 117.33 Tailwalker stop on 6 Yellowfin 15-30lbs
32.13 x 117.35-117.36 Yellowfin Limits taken on the troll. Brighter Colors, Mexican Flag, Zuchinni, Pink/White, Pyro, Cedar Plug
390
A single boat working the outside edge of the 390 reported in tonight with scratchy kelp fishing. Most of the kelps are not holding but there was one that had small Yellowtail with a couple bigger 18-22lb size, 22lb Albacore and 20lb grade Yellowfin Tuna. It was also all the skipjack you wanted. Look in the area of 32.04 x 117.50
Floyd Sparks started on the 390 on the morning for nothing and worked back to the 302 where he started picking up fish.
43 Fathom Spot
The 43 turned on the last couple of days. Boats that find the porpoise first are the lucky one's making a decent catch on the Yellowfin Tuna.
The Porpoise have been hanging out South West of the 43 in the area of 32.35 x 118.03
Skippers that are doing the best on the Porpoise are pulling in front of the school and dropping weighted baits in front of the porpoise.
There are a couple ways to do this. A 1+oz sliding sinker with a Carolina Keeper or swivel to 3' Florocarbon leader to a 2/0-3/0 hook or tie a 4oz cigar sinker between the mainline and leader.
The point is to get the bait down below the hole heads to the Tuna.
Watch for the birds on the porpoise. They are where the tuna are.
Skipjack are being picked up on the troll while looking for the porpoise or a kelp.
Kelps near the 43 are holding big Skipjack and small to medium size Dorado.
32.36 x 118.02
32.38 x 118.00
Kelps off the San Clemente Basin by the Weather Buoy were loaded with Yellowfin, yellowtail and some Dorado.
1010 Trench
The bottom of the 1010 Trench proper is reported very slow. Many boats running through the area to the bottom of the trench where the sportboats are at are reporting nothing holding on kelps and cold 66-67F water.
295-220 Bank
Yale Combs aboard his 32' Blackman "Riley" called in mid morning today. Yale is on Day 7 of his 8 day trip.
Yale wanted to give an update for those that are leaving today to go long to the zone 80-95 Miles from San Diego.
The Yellowfin 4-14lbs are everywhere in the area of the Double 220 at 31.32 x 117.33. All the kelps are corroded with 4-6lb Dorado this morning. There are sportboats in the area here that are on long stops catching all the rat Yellowfin they want.
Yale moved out to 31.37 x 117.39 west of the Double 220 and got away from the rat Yellowfin. The size of the fish went up along with picking up a couple 35lb Albacore off a kelp. Most of the kelps in this area are empty. There is 6 sportboats in this zone that are all stopped on long drifts catching fish.
Yale noted that the current has been running south his whole trip while on the sea anchor at night.
Mike Hadfield of the 6 pack Josie Lynn
http://www.josielynnsportfishing.com called in with very good fishing down by the 220 today.
Mike started at 31.37 x 117.30 and was hooked up right away with 15 bigger 20-30lb grade Yellowfin on the Porpoise.
He worked west to 31.38 x 117.37 with the rest of the sportboat fleet and had very good kelps with bigger size Dorado for Mexican Limits.
Mike had a single jigstrike in the area for a 40lb Albacore.
He reported leaving the fish biting today as he was on a 1 day trip and had to return.
1140 Finger to the West
See Shamus O'Keefe's report from Yesterday. 95 miles along the 117.30 line. While most of the sportboats have moved up from the 31.00-31.10 line to the 31.30-31.37 there is still great fishing below the fleet with small Yellowfin, bigger Dorado and an Albacore or two.
Sportboats that are in this area are also reporting good fishing today with Yellowfin to 40lbs, Dorado to 25lbs and some 35lb Albacore. The current last night moved one of the boats 10 miles south!
31.01 x 117.34 Good stops on Yellowfin
Ebbie would go... 
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