Albacore within range

JIM NIEMIEC

Albacore could be well within range of overnight boats running out of

Davey’s Locker, Newport Sportfishing Landing and Bongos Sportfishing

Charters as they continue to move up along the Baja California coast.

Big schools of albies popped up just 58 miles south of Point Loma and

with the full moon these fish could be stacked up on the 43 Fathom

spot or in the channel any day.

Clay Van Sickle of Costa Mesa was joined by this outdoor editor on

an epic albacore trip aboard the deluxe sportfisher Pacific Star

captained by Mike Bullard this past week that produced one of the

better fishing trips of the season. The boat slid in on a school of

breaking longfins and the bite exploded off the stern as every piece

of chum tossed into to the ocean was boiled on. The bite erupted as

18- to 25-pound free swimmers surrounded the 72-foot charter boat and

the stop lasted into the dark when the captain finally shut off the

chum as Mexican limits were put down into the refrigerated slammers.

Twenty-five tired anglers showered up and were fed a great tri-tip

dinner served by culinary trained chef Becky Trotter, also of Costa

Mesa.

Davey’s Locker will be sending the Sea Hawk out to the albacore

fishing grounds on overnight trips once the bite develops closer to

Newport, the Aggressor and Ultra are also scheduling trips to the

outer waters for this coming week out of Newport Sportfishing Landing

and the fast six-pack Bongos charter boats will be switching from

runs to the islands to the outer banks when the longfins arrive.

Mixed in with the albacore are quality bluefin tuna weighing in

the 20- to 40-pound class, along with kelps holding schools of small

yellowfin tuna, some huge yellowtail and even a few early season

dorado. Everything could come together in a hurry to make off shore

fishing in August the place to be.

Sand bass continue a strong bite all along the coast. Quick limits

are being sacked by anglers fishing half-day trips on boats anchoring

up in about 90 feet of water inside the oil derricks just off the

Huntington Beach Flats. Breezing schools of barracuda are being

chased under the birds just a few miles off the beach by

three-quarter day boats that have a little extra time to fish after

limiting anglers out on sand bass.

Catalina is giving up quality fishing for calico bass, an

occasional yellowtail and some hefty white seabass, while San

Clemente remains steady for calicos and big forktails fished off the

front side of the island.

The water along the beach continues to warm and surf fishing has

been exceptional for corbina that are biting on rigged Berkley Gulps

and sand crabs. Good numbers of barred perch are also being caught

south of the Newport pier on the incoming tide, with the evening bite

reportedly offering up better overall surf fishing.

Reports of the first marlin were called into JD’s Big Game

Headquarters on Balboa Island on Tuesday. A fish was spotted tailing

only 4 miles west of Dana Point and the water temp was 66.9 degrees.

The water in the channel needs to warm up a few more degrees before

the spikebills move in and begin feeding. There was a spot of

69.5-degree water on the 181 Spot so there is hope that warmer water

isn’t too far down the coast and it will be moving up soon.

Sloppy sea conditions with the wind coming from one direction and

the swell from another angle made it tough on anglers searching

mid-channel waters for floating kelp. A few patties are holding big

yellowtail but they are not yet in a feeding mood. Fishing in general

along the South Coast been running about a month late this season,

but the good news is that there is plenty of bait available to hold

the fish here once they do arrive in local waters.