01-03-01
The waters out at Catalina have been beautiful lately. My sources are reporting glassy calm and extremely
clear waters. The squid, mackerel and
barracuda are thick. The biggest problem for
the anglers out there is getting through the rats to get to the seabass or yellowtail. The best areas for seabass are the beaches on the
backside near the V’s, but don’t be surprised if you pick up a good halibut as
well while fishing there. Watch out if the
swells are coming from the west. West swells
can be really dangerous out at the island if you get close to shore. For yellowtail, try the Farnsworth Bank. Remember, the ‘tails at Farnsworth can get
pretty big so use appropriate tackle.
12-19-00
The halibut and white seabass are going off right now at Catalina. Squid boats are out
off the backside and you can get live squid from them. Several nice halibut came out of
Cat Harbor and the area off Church Rock yesterday and today. Seabass have been hitting the
squid off Church Rock as well. One boat moved in to the shallows yesterday, three squid
hit the water and the result was a triple hookup! They boated 28, 37 and 38 pound fish on
that one stop. The fishing has been best on the low and incoming tides. We are having some
great tidal swings right now and there is a lot of movement in the water, just what is
needed for great fishing. Despite breezy conditions here on the mainland, the water at the
island has been greasy-flat.
The Terrafin Software SST-View temperature charts show an area of cold 54-degree water
right off Newport and centered about 1/3 of the way to Catalina. The water at the island
is about 58 degrees. The Navy swell charts are a beautiful blue, which means 2-4 foot
swells throughout the area. The Coastal Marine Forecast calls for winds of 10 knots or
less with Thursday having the most wind but still right around the 10-knot range. Wind
waves should be 1 foot or less and the tidal movement is close to 4 feet. All in all,
fishing conditions look great.
12-08-00
There is not too much news from Catalina. My main source of information out there has
been down with the flu. However, there are plenty of squid off China Point and that’s
always good news. The best news is that the moon will be full on Monday and the tidal
movement is large…perfect for the seabass, which have been quiet as of late. I have
heard of a few yellows being taken at Farnsworth and the old homeguards there are BIG!
Every so often, someone will tie into one of them and get spooled. If I were going out
there this weekend (instead of working), I would run out to China, pick up some squirts
and then fish deep (90-100 feet) off the "V’s" in the early morning, as in
4:00 to 5:00 AM. The mackerel out there are thick so you may have trouble getting through
them. Hey, look on the bright side…they make great shark bait!
Watch the weather this weekend. The predictions are for scattered showers but the wind
is supposed to blow a little. The Terrafin Software SST-View temperature chart shows a
pretty consistent 60-degree temperature all over the area and the Navy swell predictions
are for 2-4 foot swells inside of the islands and slightly higher outside.
Good luck.
11-30-00
Despite what other sources say, mine say there are fish at the island and they are
biting. There are lots of squid all over the backside but no light boats right now so you
will have to make your own bait. Live or fresh dead squid is required for catching the
fish and for right now, those fish are white seabass. The locals out of Avalon were
limiting last weekend and Scotty limited yesterday. You will have to go out a little early
to make squid before you start fishing. When you have sufficient squid on board, start
fishing in 90-100 feet of water until around 7:00 AM and then start working the beaches.
Most locals are working in the area of "The V’s". The water this morning
was greasy flat calm out there but predictions do indicate some large swells might be
rolling in later toward the weekend. The water temperature this morning was 59.2 degrees
and that should hold until at least the middle of next week when a strong weather front is
scheduled to arrive. The weather is great right now but this may be the last good weekend
for a while. Better go fishing!
11-08-00
The seabass and yellowtail opened up mid-week on the backside of Catalina. There are
plenty of squid off "The V’s" and the action in that area was heavy from
around 3:30 AM until mid-morning. Most of the seabass were the smaller fish, in the 15 to
20 pound range but one 41# fish was taken. There are lots of fat yellowtail prowling the
area as well and they are biting around daybreak. The yellowtail are all quality fish and
are hitting slow-trolled squid. Have an Iron Man #5 handy for yo-yo action. Best colors
are the blue and white and scrambled egg. Use an all-white jig pinned with two live squid
for the seabass. The Farnsworth Bank would also be a good bet.
The swells should be a little higher this weekend, probably in the 4-6 foot range.
There is a weather front predicted to hit the area from Thursday until Saturday so check
the weather carefully before heading out. The Terrafin Software SST-View temperature chart
shows that the water is all 62.5 to 63.5 degrees with a couple of small patches that might
hit 64. I don’t see any breaks at all. The temperatures are fairly level all over the
inner waters.
11-02-00
Like Mark reported on 10-28-00, the island was wide open…last week. Unfortunately,
the weather shut almost everything down and the islands are quiet again. Even though the
bite has slowed, it’s still a good bet. The fish are there but they are just not in
the wide-open mode. The halibut are beginning to pick up their bite and big calicos are
smacking plastics all around the islands. A 60# white seabass was taken at China Point and
a 50# yellowtail came from Farnsworth. The yellowtail are all big and fat right now and
are averaging around 25 pounds. When I talked to Scotty at High Tide Traders in Avalon
this morning, he suggested trying Orange Rock at "The V’s" for seabass and
yellowtail or San Clemente Island near the radar dome.
The weather that was threatening earlier in the week has improved and shouldn’t be
a problem for boaters this weekend. The forecast is for partly cloudy skies with winds of
10 knots or less. The swells inside the islands are running 2-4 feet and are predicted to
decrease slightly. The Terrafin Software SST-View temperature chart shows 65 degree water
at Catalina and 63.5 degree water at San Clemente Island. There is a large ball of 65 to
65.5 degree water from the Coronado Islands to the Butterfly. This same warm water runs
north from the Nine Mile Bank and parallels the coastline to north of Newport Beach. The
water will drop to 63 about five miles off the beach except for the area between Newport
and Catalina where the water reads 64-65 all the way across the Catalina channel.
10/28/00
Jerry's been in San Francisco with family the past couple of weeks. Catalina
picked this time to go off. There have been some very good scores on quality
yellowtail from the island. As well, squid are available to be made if you've got
the time. There have been some good size white seabass taken as well. The
fronts moving through may change things for a bit, but the island is a dandy destination
at this time.
10/12/00
There’s not too much to report this week due to the weather. Very few boats have
been out but the fishing shouldn’t have changed very much. The yellowfin and dorado
are still out there. Whether or not they bite is up for grabs. The last “best”
area before the weather set in was the water between the “277” and the
“209”. Bring live bait and fish the paddies and schooling fish once you locate
them.
I will be out of town again next week and possibly for the following week as well. Good
fishing and watch the weather.
10/05/00
Barbara at “High Tide Traders” in Avalon reports excellent fishing around the
island. The marlin tournaments are finished so the big boys are not churning up the waters
any more and the fishing has returned to targeting the yellowfin and dorado.
According to the Terrafin Software SST-View temperature charts, the waters around the
island are in the 70-71 degree range. Most of the islanders that are ranging out away from
Catalina are heading down towards the “277” and the “209” although one
boat picked up three nice fish in the 25# range this morning off China Point. The numbers
were 33-17.426 and 118-27.248. The navy swell predictions are for slightly decreasing
swells in the four-foot range from the southwest with two-foot swells in the lee of both
Catalina and San Clemente Islands. The excellent fishing should continue throughout the
weekend. The winds have been almost non-existent in the mornings and less than 10 knots in
the afternoons.
The best suggestion I have is to troll a cedar plug and a purple Rapala in your spread
while looking for porpoise or paddies. If trolling through the porpoise doesn’t
produce, try stopping ahead of the pod and soaking a sardine or large anchovy and see if
that doesn’t work. I would also have an Iron Man #3 in blue and white and a siwash
hook tied on to a light jig outfit in case you run across a school of feeders. They are
available through Charkbait for $6.49. If you do order some, I would also get a few in
scrambled egg and dorado colors as well. The yellowfin and dorado are feeding on the
smaller baits right now so the #3 size is definitely appropriate. Get the one with the
siwash hook.
The Avalon bait barge is always an unknown for bait so I would plan on bringing bait
across with you and refilling if necessary. Right now, Nick has sardines but there are
reports of squid on the backside and he is going out this afternoon on a squid hunt. They
monitor VHF 11 and sell bait for $25 a scoop. The barge will be in place for the next two
weeks and will then be pulled in for maintenance and winter storage.
09/29/00
The fishing at Catalina is “AWSOME” AND “CRAZY”. Marlin and
yellowfin are everywhere. Scotty was standing out in front of High Tide Traders this
morning watching two jumpers just outside Avalon Harbor. Most of the fish are just a mile
out and boats are getting double, triple and even quadruple hookups. You could even catch
a marlin using one of the rental skiffs if you wanted to.
If your desires shade more for the yellowfin, Scotty’s suggestion is to run down
to the “181” and the “209”. There are big schools of fish cruising
those areas. They haven’t been in the wide-open bite mode but there are enough biters
to make it worthwhile. Try trolling a zucchini and either a purple and black or green and
black feather. When you find the fish, an Iron Man #6 in Dorado, Scramble Egg or Blue and
White should do well.
The water is in the 71-72 degree range according to the Terrafin Software SST-View
temperature chart. The Navy swell predictions are for four foot seas from the west all
weekend and the winds should be in the 10-15 knot range. Incidentally, those of you who do
run offshore with some regularity ought to look at the Terrafin Software web site at www.terrafin.com . The SST-View program allows you to
download current water temperature charts right to your home computer. Chart areas cover
from Morro Bay to Cabo San Lucas. It’s an invaluable fishing tool and well worth the
$75 per year cost. Almost all the good captains I know of rely on the program. After all,
it’s their livelihood and they make it or break it on good fishing. Our long-range
boats here at Helgren’s Sportfishing in Oceanside always have the latest charts
before they go out.
09/14/00
For the islands, the word is "MARLIN". Most sightings last week were at San
Clemente Island around the radar dome, but they now seem to be moving toward the western
(or "north", if you prefer) end of the island. The fish are smacking some jigs
but the better bets are the giant squid followed by mackerel. Expect a lot of the big boys
to be out the next couple of weeks. The "Zane Grey" will be fished on
Monday/Tuesday, the 18th and 19th and the "Classic" will be the following
Monday/Tuesday, the 25th and 26th.
The recording for the Avalon bait barge is "stale". I think Nick is still on
vacation. The recording still says they have good-sized sardines, but it still mentions a
"tournament" which was weeks ago. Give him a call at home at (310) 521-9795
before you go out. If you can get through, you’ll get the latest info.
There are still reports of nice yellowtail at the Farnsworth. This one you’ll have
to play by ear. If there’s no current, live bait or a yo-yo iron is recommended. I
still like the Iron Man #6 in scrambled egg or dorado. If there is a current, you can add
"soaking a giant squid" to the mix. Lacking the giants, use frozen. I personally
like to add an egg sinker held with a Carolina Keeper about four feet up from the hook.
The bait swims better without the weight sitting right on it. The fish on the Farnsworth
are usually very quick on crashing bait…they just don’t seem to spend much time
"up" before they sink out so, if you are doing the "run and gun"
thing, keep the motor running and get on them quickly.
Reports of the yellowfin from the "267" to the "209" keep trickling
in. I know that the Dana Wharf boats are in this area and they have been bringing some
nice fish back to the landing. This is right at the top of the warm water band mentioned
below in the swell and temperature section.
The swell predictions look good. Two to four foot swells are predicted all weekend, the
only changes being a change in direction from the south to the southwest. Terrafin
Software SST-View temperature charts indicate 68-degree water around Catalina and San
Clemente Islands with a warmer 72-degree patch from the "14", down to Del Mar,
out to the "182", up to the "289" and back to the "14". The
"277" reads 69 degrees. There is a break in the temperature picture due to
overcast but it looks like there is a nice warm band of water running from Ensenada to the
"14" from the shore out to about 40 miles.
09/07/00
Barbara, from "High Tide Traders" in Avalon reports "weird" weather
today…sort of "monsoonal" winds. We are getting lightening, thunder and
rain here on the mainland, but the forecast for tomorrow is for clearing, better weather.
Scotty is out fishing right now so I will tack on his report later tonight. The Avalon
bait barge recording reports they have sardines. Nick and his wife are out of town on
vacation and I can’t confirm that report so don’t throw rocks at me if their
nets are empty.
The Terrafin Software SST-View temperature chart shows a warm circle of water bounded
by the "14", "267", "209", "289", "152"
and back to the "14". The "267" and the "277" have both been
hot lately, both for yellowfin and for dorado. Slow-trolling the giant squid has been the
most productive method of putting fish in the boat. For those of you venturing out a
little further, the waters cool considerably west of Santa Barbara Island, even down to
the 62-63 degree range. The Cortez and the area west of it were really hot for the
albacore this past week and that’s right in that cooler water.
The current swell report indicates 6-8 foot swells west of Santa Barbara Island, but
the longer-range prediction is for the swells to decrease.
The biggest action this past week was a huge concentration of marlin off the radar dome
on San Clemente Island. If you can get out before the weekend, the giant squid are in off
Oceanside and Dana Point. A supply of them almost guarantees marlin on the boat. Besides,
calamari sandwiches are hard to beat while you’re fishing (or anytime for that
matter!).
Scotty reports there are marlin everywhere and they are hitting the jigs but the giant
squid are the best bet. Most hook-ups are coming off the slow-trolled squirts. He also
reports that 20-30 pound yellowtail are hitting at Farnsworth and, again, squid is what
they want. If you can’t find any giants, use frozen. If you find yourself without any
squid at all, yo-yo an Iron Man #6 in scrambled egg or dorado colors. While you are right
here, look at Mark’s selection of lures and other "stuff". He has the best
prices in town and you’ll get them in one or two days.
Good fishing!
08/31/00
Most of the information coming from the island this week is limited because of the
Churchmouse Marlin Tournament. A lot of the boats were chasing marlin rather than the
yellowtail, dorado and yellowfin. Doug Oudin, the Harbormaster at the Isthmus, reports
there are a lot of marlin scattered everywhere but getting them to bite is the problem.
Seven were boated for the tournament and seven were released. That’s low numbers!
Everyone saw a lot of fish. Half the fish came from the area around the "494". A
few boats picked up some dorado, yellowtail and yellowfin. The dorado were all taken on
blind jig strikes, both in the open water and around paddies. None were taken on bait. The
same information applies to yellowtail and yellowfin. Only about a dozen yellowfin were
taken over the weekend. The bigger ones (to 43#) were found down by "The Worm".
The island itself has been quiet due to not many boats being out. With school starting
up, fewer boats have been out chasing fish. There are a lot of yellowtail and barracuda
cruising around but no one has really been fishing them. The same applies to the white
seabass. They are there, but no one has been out this week.
The Avalon bait barge has good sardines available right now at $25 a scoop. Another
load is coming in later today so there should be plenty of good bait available for the
weekend. They are located just outside of Avalon Harbor and can be reached on VHF 11. They
will be open from 5:00 am Friday to 5:00 pm on Monday. If you have any questions, call
Nick at home at (310) 521-9795 or on the boat at (310) 962-5842.
08/24/00
Great news from the island! The yellowtail are everywhere. Major concentrations are
being found at Frog Rock, just west of Descanso Beach, and at Italian Gardens. Live bait
is available at the Avalon Bait Company live bait barge right outside of Avalon for $25 a
scoop.
Hungry yellowfin, dorado and yellowtail are being found in really good numbers
southeast of the "277" under paddies. Lots of boats are concentrating on this
area and are hammering the fish. The yellowfin are running 30-35 pounds and they are not
picky. They are hitting hard and fast. The yellowfin have been hanging out from 60 to 150
feet below the paddies so you might have to chunk them up, but when they do come up, they
hit everything. One fish had a giant squid in its stomach.
Conditions should be good this weekend. The water temperature is favorable and swell
predictions are normal for this time of year, four feet. The monsoon conditions over the
mountains shouldn’t affect the fishing at all. The fishing for the
"exotics" seems to really be on an upswing. Now is the time to get out there.
08/17/00
Catalina has been quiet according to Barbara at High Tide Traders in Avalon. There are
some marlin around, mostly off the East End and the quarry. Conditions are great at the
Mackerel Bank for marlin as well. The Captain Hook pulled in six yellowfin
from just NW of the "277" yesterday, reportedly to 60#. I don’t know what
they were pulling but the fish came from under a school of porpoise. Avalon supposedly
got a load of bait yesterday but I have no information other than that right now.
The Terrafin SST-View temperature chart shows that most of the water over the entire
islands-to-mainland stretch is all around 72 degrees. There is one stretch of
"hot" water from the "14" to the "267" and one stretch of
"cold" water from the "152" to below the "277". This is
where the Hook got the yellowfin yesterday. The water is about one degree colder than the
rest and runs parallel to the 152/277 line and about 1-2 miles inside (northwest) of the
line between the two. The swell predictions for all areas around the islands are for four
foot swells from the southwest.
08/09/00
Catalina is still producing good numbers of yellowtail. The best reports are coming
from the quarry and Italian Gardens areas. Slow-trolled live baits are working best, but
have that Blue and White Iron Man #5 handy for the fish working the bait schools.
There are two reports of huge schools of Dorado and yellowtail between the
"267" and the "209" as well as near the "277" so that
triangle, the 267, 209 and 277 might just be a great place to start out on the way over to
Catalina. While you’re there, don’t forget about the white seabass bite at the
quarry in the evenings. Good luck!
08/02/00
Catalina Island is producing a true mixed-bag of fishing. White seabass are still being
taken at night off the quarry and at Ship Rock, Eagle Reef and Isthmus Reef. Yellowtail
are everywhere and Dorado are biting off the East End. Dave Long, the manager of the
Isthmus Dive Center, scored on a pair of Dorado off the East End and says they are THICK
under the paddies. The Dorado are taking both live bait and feathers. The best colors are
still zucchini, green/black and purple/black.
The Terrafin Software SST-View temperature chart is not too clear due to cloud cover
but it does show an area of warmer water (to 72 degrees) northwest of the island. The Navy
Wave Height Forecast shows 4-6 foot swells from the south so conditions should be
excellent this weekend. The area around the "286" is loaded with huge paddies
and a lot of small mako’s right now. I did hear an unconfirmed report of a boat
taking over 100 Dorado just three miles off Newport
Best bet? Hit the East End early for Dorado and yellowtail under kelp paddies. Later
on, move in close to the island and slow-troll live sardines for yellowtail around the
quarry or Italian Gardens. In the evening, fish a BIG sardine or a small
"gulper" mack or palm-sized Blacksmith just off the bottom at the quarry for
seabass. If you are spending the night at the Isthmus, anchor up on the south side of
Eagle Reef or on the "High Spot" in Isthmus Cove. After fishing, be sure to have
a "Shoreboat Coffee" at the Harbor Reef bar, especially if Carly is behind the
bar.
072700
The albacore around the islands have been coming from the area south of San
Clemente.
We took 117 from an area about 20 SW of Pyramid Cove last week and this still looks like
the "hot" area. Looking at the SST temperature chart (www.terrafin.com), I see a nice temperature break 30 miles
SW of the island, just before the Cortez. If you are going offshore, I would start out
around 32-40 x 118-50 and move southwest. The zucchini and Mexican Flag colors have been
working best but I would also stick in a purple/black and something with green in it, if
you have the room in your spread. The fish are around 20# so the lighter lines will work
fine, especially in a small boat.
The best shot at fish at Catalina is for yellowtail. They are all over the island and
in good numbers. Dave Long, the manager of the Dive Shop at Two Harbors got two good size
fish this morning at Isthmus Reef and Barbara, the manager of High Tide Traders in Avalon
reports lots of yellows coming in there. Most fish are being taken right off the quarry. I
would slow-troll a nose hooked sardine from Lovers Cove to Seal Rocks, staying just
outside the kelp beds or 100 feet off the island if there’s no kelp. Go inside the
buoys at the quarry. If you want to play further west, start at Long Point and work it up
to Empire Landing. Have a jig stick with a blue and white Iron Man #5 ready to go at all
times.
There have been some white seabass coming in on the evening bite. Fish the rock quarry
east of Avalon. The best time is from sunset until 10:00 pm. The first marlin was landed
this week…186#. Nice fish!
07/11/00
Catalina is looking good! I just pulled up the latest satellite picture from Jeff
Gammon’s web site
