BAIT and FISH REPORT for 8/3/07

This is our bait and fish report for Friday 8/3.

Our receiver is currently loaded with perfect size anchovies and great sardines!The anchovies are about 80% hooksize bait with about 20% smaller chum sized baits mixed in. This bait is perfect for the barracuda and bass that are biting right now. As usual, Martin will be on the receiver all weekend and you can call him on Channel 11 or at (562) 455- 9928. He will be able to give you the lastest bait and fishing information when you talk to him.

The Long Beach Carnage is at Catalina and has some live squid. They plan to be there as long as there is some bait to catch, so if you're heading across give Richie a call on Channel 11 or at (562) 714- 8103.

Now to the fish report...

Offshore

The albacore bite in the local waters has dropped off significantly, but the yellows and dorado have started to build up on the patties inside and around San Clemente Island. There have been some spotty catches of yellows that are large for the most part with fish from 25-35 lbs not uncommon. The boats fishing offshore are seeing more dorado than they are catching, but several free-divers have gotten nice dorado under the local patties. If you are interested in giving this a try, I would look for patties off the inside east end of San Clemente island and down towards the Butterfly bank. Hopefully this early sign of fish on patties is a harbinger of good things to come.

Catalina

Live Squid, Seabass, Yellowtail and the bite that just won't quit.[/B] Yesterday, I spoke to a friend who is the consumate seabass aficionado, normally spending at least a couple of days a week targetting the seabass at Catalina. When I asked him how fishing has been, he told me that he was tired of catching croaker and that he was hoping that something else would start biting... I think that this statement accurately sums up the incredible bite that has been going on at Catalina this year. [B]This season has been the best and most consistent bite on big seabass in the last 20 years.[/B] If you haven't been out there yet, check some of my previous posts for information. If you have been out there already, you need to get back out there before this bite dries up!

There is still a bite happening early on the squid grounds just outside the V's. If the morning bite doesn't pan out or if you get to the island after dawn, I would head to the west. The seabas that have been caught have been coming off the beaches and kelp lines tight to the island. I would start looking at Salta Verde and points west. This is your standard Catalina seabass fishing. Look for conditions (current, junk, structure) and fish the tides (incoming, full slack, outgoing and low slack) for your best chance at a croaker.

If you head across and want to catch these croaker, you need to have squid. It doesn't need to be live, so if you've got a couple bags in the freezer from earlier trips, that will work fine.
If you are heading across make sure and bring some dines and chovies for the yellows on the front side. The bigger yellowtail are showing up along the front side with lots of 20-30 lb fish in the mix. The yellows are showing (and sometimes biting) on all of the usual spots along the front side of the island. Along with the yellows, there is steady fishing on calicos that are readily eating the sardines, swimbaits and iron. Most of the spots from the Isthmus to the west end have been biting well, so check out your favorite kelpline or reef. Most of the better scores on yellowtail have come from the areas to the west. The yellows on the front side tend to cruise up and down the island following the deeper ridges that run along the frontside of the island, so remember to check some of the deeper ridges in 70-90 feet of water before anchoring too close to the kelp. If the fish are in the deeper water, you should meter them when you are checking out the spot. If not, they will sometimes find your chumline. The most productive method to catch fish at this time of year is by flylining (sardine, anchovy or squid).

San Clemente

The yellowtail are still biting at Clemente[/B] The bite has been up and down the last few days due to heavy boat traffic and seal problems. If you're heading across, I would check out the area from Purse Seine Rock up to White Rock. The thing to remember is to try and stay away from the fleet during a picky bite. The seals tend to stick to the fleet and will eat you alive if you do get bit. There are several ridges running along the front side of the island at different depths. If the fleet is all bunched up in one area, I would drive up (or down) the island staying at the approximate depth that the boats are anchored in. While driving, you should watch the meter for schools of yellows cruising around. If you find a spot of fish, drop your anchor and start a chumline. If you meter lots of scattered fish, I would slow troll a mackeral and/or a sardine while you cruise around at 2-3 knots. You can refer to any of my reports in the last month for more info on the bite at Clemente.

Coastal

Palos Verdes Penninsula

The calicos are biting really well on the major reefs and hardbottom spots up the line. There have also been some smaller yellows caught up there in the last week. If I was heading up, I'd take some anchovies for chum and some sardines to use as hook bait. The bass are also readily striking the iron and swimbaits. Please refer to my report from 6/22 for more information on how to fish this area.

Horseshoe Kelp

The barracuda have been biting well in the mornings over the last few days and there has been good fishing on calico bass and sand bass. If you head out there, I would spend the morning looking for spots of barracuda that are moving around the shoe. When you find them, chum with your anchovies and fish the iron (mint and white has been the hot color). The barracuda are good size with lots of 6-8 lb fish to be caught. While you are looking for the cuda, keep an eye on your fish finder for any rocks or reefs that you run over. If you are marking bass on the spots, it is worth your while to anchor up and start a chumline. If you need help finding spots on the shoe, you should pick up a spot locator book at your local tackle store. Once you find and anchor on a spot (position your boat about a hundred feet upcurrent of the spot), start a chumline of chovies and fish the sardines, swimbaits and iron. If you are on a spot that is holding fish, you should immediately start to get bit. The bite will get better and better as you sit there. If you carry a chum bucket, this is a situation where it works well.

Huntington Flats

The sand bass are finally starting to muster and the twighlight boats have started to post big scores. None of the sportboats have been spending a lot of time looking in the mud during the day, but several private boaters have reported good scores on the bass in the mud. I would look around for meter marks in 70-90 feet of water and drift over them to see if they bite. If you catch fish, drop your anchor and start a chumline of anchovies. The sandbass will bite the chovies, small sardines, swimbaits and whams, so don't be afraid to try different techniques to get bit. If you are in the mud and can't get bit, try moving inside to the rocks and hard bottom areas near the inside Huntington Beach rigs. Check out Barge Rock, West Rock, Minature Rock, the Bubble Hole or Ribbon Kelp (see your spot locator book for more info). If you fish these inside rocks and see calicos up boiling around, don't be afraid to fish the surface iron as the bigger bass will often bite it in these areas.

That's about it for this week.
Now get out there and catch som fish!
See you on the water...