Watch: Barracuda Dazzle Long Beach Fleet, Boaters

Big schools of barracuda have been found from Huntington Beach to Long Beach since Tuesday providing anglers with some excellent springtime action. The Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina Sportfishing had over 100 barracuda as dis the Victory out of Pierpoint Landing. 

Several boats including the 3/4 day Enterprise are catching good numbers of barracuda Wednesday morning off Sunset Beach as bird schools of the gamefish have popped up. Matthew Corder,a passenger on the Enterprise had a 1/2 a limit by 10am with 5 fish. 

"We have 100 plus on the boat," reported Captain Andy Siratt from the wheelhouse of the Enterprise.

Captain Mike Blue from the Victory out of Pierpoint Landing was also in the area and reported very good barracuda fishing. "It was steady," said Blue. "We have well over 100 fish."

The barracuda have been taken most effectively on jigs (lures) with blue and white, black and purple, and dorado colored lures working best. Both surface lures and the heavier yo-yo jigs have been effective. 

The bite has been building slowly but surely for the past week and has anglers wondering whether this will be yet another flash in the pan or whether it will indeed last for a while. Other sportboats are also in the area and catching fish. 

For the past 5-years, the barracuda bite has been very hit and miss. Theories for the slower more inconsistent bite has ranged from cooler water temperatures, cycles in fishing, jumbo squid, sea lions and declining fish stocks.

"We are hoping this is going to last," said Don Ashley from Pierpoint Landing. "At any rate, there are biting today so fisherman should jump on this."

Great times on the Native Sun, Fishing with Phil out of Long Beach Sportfishing as the barracuda have joined our nighttime party too. You will want to bring some barracuda jigs (lures) from now on as there seems to be a great deal of the toothy gamefish around for twilight anglers too.

 10-year old Neleah Nunez was on board with her father Ed and her sister Tatiana celebrating her birthday. It was a pleasure to have such a nice family on board with us and what an honor they all chose to celebrate Neleah's birthday, Fishing with Phil as she was the "HOT STICK" on the boat with two nice barracuda. 

Add some nice sand bass as well as some tasty sculpin and the Fishing with Phil twilight trips are a lot of fun right now. You can go Fishing with Phil too. 424 237 0250 or www.PhilFriedmanOutdoors.com