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The Log • Aug. 29 - Sept. 11, 2014 • 31


SoCal and Baja’s #1 Source for Fresh and Saltwater Fishing


SALTWATER


OCEAN FISHING REPORT By Terrence Berg 976-TUNA.com


TUNA SPECTACULAR: This is getting redundant, but the tuna action for the Southern California sportfishing fleet has been unbelievably good for so long that all gushing adjectives have been overused. Go! If you’ve even wanted to catch a limit of yellowfin tuna you should book a trip and go now. While the bluefin tuna have sunk out a little on the backside of the full moon, they are still in the mix for the San Diego-base boats running south and west. And that bite should surge back on again during the next moon. Most skippers are taking word-of-mouth promise that bluefin season has been reopened in Mexican water as gospel, but the written confirmation has still not arrived as of Aug. 20 (10 days after it was promised to arrive). Most of the yellowfin are 15 to 25 pounds with some fish to 60 pounds and some as small as 10. Most boats are reporting full limits of yellowfin along with a few dorado and from 10 to 75 yellowtail. The last two days, almost every boat running overnight or longer trips out of Point Loma, Fisherman’s, Seaforth, and H&M landings in San Diego and Helgren’s in Oceanside have returned with full limits of yellowfin. Even the Orange County-based boats running overnight to two-day trips are returning with limits of yel- lowfin. Most also hit Catalina going or coming to add a lit- tle variety. The Thunderbird out of Davey’s Locker has had limits of yellowfin on its last two trips. The Freedom out of 22nd Street Landing had 150 yellowfin, five dorado, and two yellowtail for 32 anglers on Tuesday. The Toronado out of Pierpoint Landing returned from a two-day trip with 38 anglers who landed 135 yellowfin, 54 yellowtail (at Catalina), one white seabass, 65 calicos, 12 bonito, 12 bar- racuda, and 25 perch.


CATLINA ISLAND HOT: Catalina Island has been the desti- nation for the day trips running across the Catalina Channel because the yellowtail action has been so good. While the loss rate has been about 50 percent on most boats, the scores are still good. The Sportking out of Pierpoint Landing was at Catalina on Aug. 19 with just 16 anglers and they had 52 yellowtil, 50 bonito, 45 calico bass released, and even 27 red snapper. The Pursuit out of 22nd Street Landing had 64 anglers at Catalina on Aug. 19 and they landed 100 yellowtail, 30 bonito, 25 calicos (with over 75 released), and 11 barracuda.


HALF-DAY BOATS ARE SCULPIN CITY: The Los Angeles and Orange County half-day boats are seeing excellent sculpin action and a good bite on undersize calico bass with occasional shots at barracuda.


CHANNEL ISLANDS ROCKFISH EXCELLENT: The Ventura and Santa Barbara-based boats are back focusing on the excellent rockfish in the Channel Islands. Far less surface action during the in-between moon phase.


INSTRUCTIONAL CHARTERS: The staff of 976-TUNA is hosting instructional charters throughout the year, offer- ing advice to beginning or veteran anglers and on-the- water teaching of techniques for different saltwater species. The next trip of the season is a two-day island freelance trip on the Thunderbird out of Davey’s Locker leaving June 8. Cost of the trip is $225 and limited to 25 anglers. Check the website for details or call (562) 352- 0012. The website is 976-TUNA.com.


LANDING CONTACTS


Southern California: Virg’s Sportfishing, Morro Bay, (805) 772-1222; Patriot Sportfishing, Avila Beach, (805) 595-7200; Sea Landing, Santa Barbara, (805) 963-3564; Harbor Village Sportfishing, Ventura, (805) 658-1060; Channel Islands Sportfishing, Oxnard, (805) 985-8511; Captain Hook’s Sportfishing, Oxnard, (805) 382-6233; Port Hueneme Sportfishing has merged with Channel Islands Sportfishing; Malibu Pier Sportfishing, (310) 328-8426; Marina del Rey Sportfishing, Marina del Rey, (310) 822- 3625; Redondo Sportfishing, Redondo Beach, (310) 372- 2111; Rocky Point Fuel Dock (skiff rentals for King Harbor), Redondo Beach, (310) 374-9858; 22nd Street Landing, San Pedro, (310) 832-8304; L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, San Pedro, (310) 547-9916; Long Beach Sportfishing, Long Beach, (562) 432-8993; Pierpoint Landing, Long Beach, (562) 983- 9300; Marina Sportfishing, Long Beach, (562) 598-6649; Newport Landing, Newport Beach, (949) 675-0550; Davey’s Locker, Newport Beach, (949) 673-1434; Dana Wharf Sportfishing, Dana Point, (949) 496-5794; Helgren’s Sportfishing, Oceanside, (760) 722-2133; Fisherman’s Landing, San Diego, (619) 221-8500; H&M Landing, San Diego, (619) 222-1144; Seaforth Landing, San Diego, (619) 224-3383; Point Loma Sportfishing, San Diego, (619) 223- 1627; Islandia Sportfishing, San Diego, (619) 222-1164. Mexico: Sergio’s Sportfishing, Ensenada, 011-526-178- 2185; San Quintín Sportfishing, San Quintín, 011-526-162- 1455.


FRESHWATER


Compiled by Jim Matthews OutdoorNewsService.com


FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS


TROUT: Good action throughout the Sierra. Hot spots include (from North to South), Virginia Lakes, Silver Lake, Convict Lake, Lake Crowley, Lake Sabrina, and Bishop Creek. In Southern California, Green Valley Lake is getting planted with brown and rainbow trout this year, and the bite remains good. Big Bear Lake is good with rainbows to three pounds. In the High Desert, Jess Ranch is tough because of the heat.


BLACK BASS: The largemouth bass remain in their sum- mer pattern with the fish going deep during the day and then coming up mornings and evenings to chase baitfish. The topwater and reaction bait bites are fair to good most everywhere, but overall the action is pretty mediocre. Not much change in the top bets with El Capitan, Sutherland, and Lower Otay tops in the San Diego region, and Perris, Skinner, and Diamond Valley best further north. Piru, Pyramid, Castaic, and Casitas all also decent bets and Puddingstone is still a sleeper pick. The Central Coast waters of Santa Margarita and Lopez are also good. On the Colorado River, the smallmouth bass bite had been good in the entire lower river but most of the river is muddy again this week due to monsoon rains. Smallmouth are decent at Big Bear Lake and the lower Kern River. Not a lot of big fish anywhere, but good action on fish to four pounds.


STRIPED BASS: The striper action is fair to good on at most SoCal reservoirs with these fish live (with the glaring exception of Diamond Valley), and there are brief flurries of very good action. Castaic’s topwater bite has been the big news and most fun, but Skinner may still be the better on fish topping four pounds. Silverwood and Pyramid are still pretty good for sheer volume of small fish and the occasional bigger fish. Diamond Valley has been off with the worst fishing on the lot. The California aqueduct near Taft has been fair, but most of the fish are sub-keeper sized. On the Colorado River, both Lake Havasu and the Bullhead City-Laughlin stretches are pretty good in spite of continuing thunderstorms.


PANFISH: The bluegill and redear bites are well into the summer mode with just slow to fair action most of the


World’s best bass anglers to head to Lake Havasu, May 2015


LAKE HAVASU CITY — The Lake


Havasu City Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has announced that a nationally televised Bassmaster Elite Series fishing tournament is coming to Lake Havasu State Park May 7 to 10, 2015. It will be the largest, most presti- gious fishing tournament ever held in the state of Arizona with crowds of 5,000 spectators anticipated each day and a projected local economic impact exceeding $1.5 million. “We can all be proud that our prime


fishery will be put in front of fishing fanatics all over the world,” said Doug Traub, president/CEO of the CVB. “We expect that the entire town will be packed with fans who are here to see the top 100 elite anglers in the world compete for a series-wide top prize of $100,000. We also thank all of our part- ners who came together to bring this world-class event to Lake Havasu for the first time. It’s taken nearly two years of effort to bring the Bassmaster Elite Series back to the western U.S.” The tournament will be covered in a


Pictured left to right, John Galbraith, bass tackle master; Mark Nexsen, Mayor of Lake Havasu City; and Dean Rojas, bassmaster professional angler, join forces at Lake Havasu State Park which will host the Bassmaster Elite Series fishing tournament, May 7-10, 2015.


one-hour program televised on the ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel net- works. Thousands of Bassmaster fans from surrounding states are expected to attend, as California has the third highest number of B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) members


in the country. Weigh- ins will take place at Lake Havasu State Park each day. Entrance to the event will be free. The Elite Series has been absent from the western United States since 2010 (competitors fished California’s Clear Lake and the California Delta). “It’s been more than a decade since a bass- master tournament was held on Lake Havasu, and according to reports we’ve received, the fishing there is bet- ter now than the previ-


ous times we’ve fished the lake,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “In fact, Bassmaster Magazine ranks Havasu No. 20 on this year’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list, so the Elite anglers are in for a treat next year” “We’re also pleased to be taking the


time, but flashes of good action early and late in the day or when you find a school of willing fish. Lake Perris is probably the best bet now, but Lake Skinner and Diamond Valley Lake are also decent bets. There has also been some good action in Casitas. Quality crappie bites are mostly dead.


CATFISH: The flathead catfish bite on the Colorado River remains good, but no reports of monster fish this past week because of very light fishing pressure. Lake Isabella in Kern County is probably the best bet for channel cats in the region. Elsinore, Skinner, Cachuma, Silverwood and Diamond Valley, are the best bets locally for wild fish, in about that order. The best stocked-fish bites are Irvine Lake, Corona Lake, and Santa Ana River Lakes. All of the San Bernardino County Parks are stocking catfish every week and are proving pretty fair action.


SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS


SILVERWOOD: The catfish and stripers have both been good this past week. The stripers are showing on lug worms, anchovies, and a few on swimbaits, around the docks, in Miller Canyon and at the dam. While most are small (under 3 pounds), there have been a few bigger fish caught. The best bite has been in the morning. The catfish are best on shrimp, mackerel and anchovies in Miller and Cleghorn canyons and at the dam. Ernie Carlton, Azusa, landed a 10-pound cat off the dock on a nightcrawler. The largemouth action has picked up over the past week with quite a few fish showing on nightcrawlers and plastics. Tom Bozovich, Hesperia, caught a 6-pounder on a plastic in Outhouse Cove. The bluegill bite improved this past week with a fair bite in Outhouse Cove and off the dock. Jack Picklesimer, Pinon Hills, had six bluegill to a pound fishing meal worms off the docks. Few trout or crappie reports. Anglers should be aware of health warnings for the consumption of fish from this lake because of high PCB and mercury levels in the fish flesh and skin. Dock fishing is allowed for $3 for adults, $2 for kids and seniors. Private boats must be inspected for zebra and quagga mussels. Boats with wet lower units will be turned away. Boats inspected and tagged at Diamond Valley and Perris will be allowed at Silverwood. The park is open seven days a week. Information: marina (760) 389-2299, state park (760) 389-2281, Silverwood Country store (760) 389-2423.


BIG BEAR LAKE: A big catfish — a potential lake record – See FISH REPORT page 34


Bassmaster Elite Series to Arizona for the first time,” Akin added. “The many thousands of B.A.S.S. members and other fans in the region will be able to see the very best anglers in the world compete on a first-rate fishery unlike any they’ve fished on since the Elite Series was launched.” Production of the TV episode will


require the work of nearly 30 broadcast staff members in the field and studio. They will shoot approximately 70 hours of video to produce the one- hour telecast. Footage will be taken on the water, combined with aerial footage and graphic animation. The Bassmasters television show is among the highest rated outdoor programs on air.


The Bassmaster Elite series is the


premier fishing league in the world. It is comprised of eight different tourna- ments held throughout the year in locations around the country. Each invitation-only competition fields more than 100 of the world’s most elite bass anglers who vie for a top prize of $100,000; the top 50 anglers during the tournament will receive at least $10,000 each for their efforts. The series culminates in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship.


Photo courtesy of Lake Havasu City CVB


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