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Yellowtail fishing heating up
October 3, 2002
SALTWATER REPORT
Ventura coast: Anglers are hooking some of the meanest, toughest fish they'll likely encounter this season at Santa Barbara Island.
The yellowtail are cruising about the island in good numbers and they seem in the mood to bite when the current is right.
The Mirage out of Port Hueneme has done particularly well, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22, when the 19 anglers on board boated 37 yellowtail. On Wednesday, when the current subsided, the number fell to four. But action picked up again on Thursday when 15 anglers caught 32.
On the Mirage's trip to the island on Monday, 22 anglers caught 58 yellowtail. Skipper Joe Villareal's groups caught 35, 45 and 32 on previous trips.
These yellowtail aren't a bit line shy. Anglers are using 40- and 50-pound-test line with 61/2- to 7-foot rods, and when they hook one of the big bruisers they are thankful for that extra strength.
On Wed-nesday, the biggest yellowtail caught was about 28-30 pounds. The angler who caught it almost ran out of gas before bringing it to gaff.
These fish are very strong. If there are rocks on the bottom, they will invariably head for the structure so they can saw you off. If they reach the rocks, you are likely doomed. Turning the head of one of these yellowtail in the 25-30 pound range before they reach rocks takes some muscle and tackle that is in tip-top shape. Anglers are setting their drags on the tight side.
At first, most of the yellowtail caught were on squid -- fresh or frozen. The trend over the last several trips is toward sardines. "It was about 2-to-1 in favor of sardines the last time," reported Richard Guevara of Port Hueneme.
He said both the Mirage and Pacific Eagle plan trips this week, with both scheduled to fish today.
The Mirage isn't the only boat scoring at Santa Barbara.
Skipper Bob Valney of the Seabiscuit out of CISCO Sportfishing had the top total of the week on Sunday when 16 anglers caught 62 yellowtail. On Sunday, the Sea Jay (31 yellowtail) and Island Tak (42 yellowtail) had very good days on overnight trips.
John Fuqua, skipper of the Cat Special, has also found consistent fishing, averaging in double figures.
"When the conditions are right, the fishing is real good," Fuqua said. "When they're not, the fishing is tough."
He expects the yellowtail success to continue. "This looks like it is just the start of it. I think we'll have good fishing through the month" he said.
Fuqua took an overnight trip to Santa Barbara Wednesday night. He will run charters over the weekend and plans open-party trips next week.
Fuqua said he will soon leave Cisco. "I plan to do a little light commercial fishing," he said. "My last day here will probably be sometime in early November."
He said he is also considering joining Villareal on the Mirage.
Fishermen going out of Port Hueneme will see pickets by the West Coast dockworkers' union. "Don't worry if you're going fishing," Guevara said. "You can go right on through."
The local fishing off the coast and at Santa Cruz and Anacapa islands is OK. Anglers are still picking up a few sand bass on the coastal ship wrecks and shallow-water rockfish and whitefish at Anacapa and Santa Cruz.
John Woods, skipper of the New Bluefin out of Capt. Hook's, has had good luck fishing for lingcod. On Friday, 21 anglers caught 13 and on Saturday 12 anglers caught 16 lingcod.
Some nice fish have been caught. Richard Pena of El Monte caught a 28-pound yellowtail aboard the Mirage at Santa Barbara fishing with live squid. Tony Ranallo of Newbury Park caught an 11-pound barracuda on a Tady 45 aboard the Pacific Eagle. Steve Fleischer of Oxnard caught an 11-pound barracuda aboard the Erna B at Santa Cruz Island. Kimberley Pluchino, 9, of Reseda caught a 7-pound, 9-ounce sand bass on an anchovy aboard the Jeanne. Robert Lemay of Ventura caught a 12-pound lingcod aboard the New Bluefin.
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