Summer Fishing is Heating Up

Bluefin tuna and a few albacore continue to be taken by the San Diego long-range fleet several hundred miles from San Diego. The Royal Polaris, Shogun, as well as other long range boats, have had as many as 100 bluefin during the past week. The fish have ranged from 25 to 60 pounds. Hopes are that the tuna will move into one day range shortly, but so far, no sign.

The Redondo Special made the first big local catch of white seabass along the rich kelp forests of Palos Verdes Monday morning. Eleven anglers caught their one fish limits of the delicious eating croakers, fishing with frozen squid. 

“We left 'em biting,” said Captain Eric Hobday. The fish were not reluctant to bite on heavy line. “I saw one angler catch a fish on 50 pound test and another on 40; these things wanted to chew.’ 

Anglers have been salivating for this for months as freedivers have been spearing seabass to over 60 pounds since March. 

Danny Salas from Harbor Breeze Cruises has been watching freedivers walk down the trail near Point Vincente and back up with some giant seabass for several months. “I can see those guys from my house and it's really something to see them struggle back uphill with a 50-pound seabass.”

  The Redondo Special returned to a spot near Point Vincente on Monday afternoon and caught another 8 white seabass. “It was awesome,” said deckhand Ryan Koverman. Kelly Walker from Palos Verdes tossed out a surface iron that a 40-pound seabass inhaled and dragged her down the rail. She fought the monster for about 15 minutes before it came to gaff and was hoisted on board.

Jimmy Bass from Tradition Sportfishing says its game on. “We are scheduled for white seabass everyday until further notice,” said Bass. Larry Derr from Redondo Sportfishing said the phones have been ringing since the word got out. “There is a real excitement around here,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Tradition had 14 of the big croaker and the Redondo Special 4. Boat pressure had become an issue with more that 30 boats gathering to try for the seabass.  Captains Ryan Carino and Mitch Christensen had limits of white seabass Tuesday morning as well as some nice sheepshead fishing from a small private boat fishing near Point Vincente. They caught the fish before and just after sunrise so they could be back to run the half-day Southern Cal out of Pierpoint Landing.  

The croakers have been playing musical islands, driving captains crazy and adding to the enigmatic reputation of the white seabass. Great fishing at Santa Barbara Island one day followed by a day without fish.  The Freedom from 22nd St Landing in San Pedro had 47 white seabass at Catalina Island on Monday, but by Wednesday, fishing was slow again. Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to catch white seabass as they are so unpredictable. The limit for white seabass goes from one to three on Wednesday at midnight.  

The Huntington Flats produced good barracuda fishing along with a few sand bass. The Westerly out of Long Beach Sportfishing on Tuesday caught 67 barracuda and 36 calico and sand bass for 12 anglers. “We are marking so much sand bass that it is incredible,” said skipper John Ackley. “It’s only a matter of time until it really turns on.”