Cabo, Mexico Fishing Reports

Cabo San Lucas Fishing:

3 Different Current Cabo Fishing Reports Directly Below.

I have been fishing down in cabo for about 20 years, and let me tell you, there is nothing better than getting down there in the middle of the summer when its hotter than hell, and being out on a panga with a nice amigo, sipping some Mexican beer, and catching some tuna or dorado with live sardines.  You simply can’t beat it.

y fiancé and I booked a charter to fish with RenegadeMike for 8/9/2009. We were aware that the temperatures in Cabo during the month of August make it a bit difficult to land the same quality of fish during the winter months; however this was the only time we were able to take vacation.

We headed for the marina bright and early (6am) on 8/9 eagerly excited to begin our daylong charter. We were greeted by RenegadeMike in the marina parking lot who immediately made us feel very comfortable. I should mention that he was proudly sporting his BloodyDecks T-shirt. He recommended Senor Sweets (in front of the dock) which had a killer breakfast burrito for $5 USD. As we were eating breakfast, we sat with the locals and discussed our charter itinerary. Everyone, including the other local charters had nothing but great things to say about RenegadeMike. They had said we will “definitely come back with fish” if we were going out with Mike!” I thought to myself, how the heck did this guy build up his reputation after only 2 years in Cabo!!! What a great way to start off the morning, wouldn’t you say?

We boarded RenegadeMike’s 31ft. Bertram and were very impressed with the vessel, the friendliness of the crew, and the quality of tackle he had aboard. All of his trolling gear consisted of Calstar or Seeker trolling rods with Penn International 2-speed reels and a couple of Shimano TLD-2 Speed reels. We made our bait stop to pick up some fresh Caballito and headed out to sea. Mike immediately called me up to sit with him to inform me of the “game plan” for the day. He had said that most boats were staying local within a few miles of shore as the Dorado and Marlin bite had been somewhat consistent in the smaller weight class. Mike had said on his last couple trips he had heard reports of larger tuna (100+ lbs.) had been seen about 30-40 miles offshore. He informed us that these large tuna would be our target for the day. I was thoroughly impressed that he was willing to take us 30-40 miles offshore while other boats were staying closer to shore to conserve fuel and fish the smaller weight class of fish.

We made several stops while Mike was utilizing his electronics as well as visual indicators (porpoise schools) and caught several tuna in the 20-40# class. He made sure that we brought these fish in as quickly as possible therefore we could jump on the next school of fish. Damn, does this guy fish hard or what? I imagine some captains would be happy putting their anglers on a couple of fish then calling it a day. After a couple of these small producing stops, Mike made a split decision to move (10 miles) elsewhere he anticipated the tuna would travel. Boy, did that decision pay off….we ended up getting a several tuna which produced a 60# and 80# Yellowfin Tuna. Mike was even able to get in on the action since we were all hooked up and landed a 120# Yellow Fin Tuna. It was really great to see a long range pro in action! We trolled this same area and had another jig strike which produced a 25# Yellow Fin Tuna that my fiancé was able to tackle. During this jig strike, we tossed out some live bait and managed to land a 150# Yellow Fin Tuna. I was very impressed how Mike’s captain maneuvered the boat during the 45 min. fight to back-down on the fish to assure I was able to bring to the boat. We ended up getting back to the marina about an hour later than a normal 8 hour charter since we were so far offshore. We just couldn’t leave with the hot bite on these good sized Yellow Fin Tuna. Mike’s main concern was getting us on fish, and he accomplished this mission. In total, we caught 8 Yellow Fin Tuna ranging from 20# to 150#.

November 30 – December 6th

WEATHER:  I think that the season’s change is upon us.  This week the low was down to 61 degrees, cold enough for me to be wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a sweater on top of it when we went to the marina in the mornings.  Our daytime highs were up to 89 degrees a couple of days but for the most part remained in the low 80’s.  We had mostly cloudy skies for most of the days this week but there was no rain with the clouds, at least in our area.  We had a couple of days of blustery weather at the end of the week but by Saturday things had really calmed down.

WATER: Surface conditions on both sides of the Cape were very nice most of the week with the exception of the Pacific side on Monday and Tuesday as the wind blew fairly strong in the afternoons on both of those days, and on the Cortez side on Friday as the wind switched direction and came from the southeast.  The swells were not bad anywhere but there was some fair sized surface chop accompanying those winds.  On the surface the water on the Sea of Cortez averaged 80 degrees well offshore and a cooler 78 degrees within 10 miles of the shoreline.  On the Pacific side the water to the north of the San Jaime stayed cool at an average of 76 degrees, while the water on the San Jaime and to the south of there was a warmer 78 degrees.

BAIT:  There was a full moon this week that made it a bit more difficult for the bait boats to catch the Caballito.  There seemed to be plenty of Mackerel around though and all the larger baits were at the normal $3 per bait.  I heard that there were Sardinas at the Palmilla area but can only assume that they were the normal $25 per scoop since I did not buy any myself.

FISHING:

BILLFISH: The high note for the week on the billfish front was the capture (and non-release) of a Blue Marlin that weighed over 850 pounds.  The fish was caught on the Pacific side within a mile of the beach just to the inside of the Golden Gate Bank.  This area had been providing some action the week before on fish to 400 pounds or so.  The amount of bait in the form of young Dorado kept these large fish in the area much longer than normal.  When weighed, this Marlin had two Dorado in the 12-pound class in its stomach.  Other than this one large fish there were few other Blues or Blacks reported this week.  There were plenty of Striped Marlin; however getting them to eat was a problem.  Many boats were seeing groups of a dozen or more feeding on bait balls off of the area known as Los Arcos and were able to get an occasional fish to bite.  A good catch for the week was two or three Striped Marlin released for the day, but most boats were lucky to get one.

YELLOWFIN TUNA:  Once again the Yellowfin action remained slow as the few fish that were found on a regular basis seemed to have been fished so hard that it was difficult to get anything going.  The Gorda Banks bite slowed quite a bit and there were occasional schools of fish moving through directly south of the Cape, mostly in the 20-pound class and associated with Dolphin that provided action once in a while.

DORADO: The water continues to cool down and the bite continues to drop off, not that it has gotten bad, mind you, but not the numbers were had been spoiled with a month ago.  Boats were averaging 4-8 fish per trip with an occasional limit load.  Most of the fish remained in the warmer water on the Pacific side and around the structure of the 95 spot on the Cortez side.  The fish were averaging 12 pounds with a few large fish in the pick, but no big numbers of them.  Live bait seemed to do the trick on them this week, slow trolled in areas where Frigate Birds were seen to be working.

WAHOO: Once again we had a good week for Wahoo.  While never a common fish in our area, the past couple of months have really been good.  The fish have not been large, with an average weight of 20 pounds once again, but there have been many more than normal come in on the boats.  Perhaps one in 10 boats came in flying Wahoo flags this week, about double the norm for this time of year.  Working areas just off the beach around the rocky points in water ranging from 50 to 250 feet in depth with dark colored lures that work below the surface, or with live bait dropped deep and slow trolled on wire leader has provided most of the action.

INSHORE:  Inshore has been a decent mix of Sierra, small Roosterfish and Dorado.  Most of the activity has been taking place on the Pacific side of the Cape and you did not have to go very far to get into the action.

NOTES:  More whales continue to arrive in our area, providing a break from watching lures behind the boat most days.  I am off to the beach with the dog in a few minutes; she needs a few more boogie-board lessons and some exercise (as well as a bath).  This weeks report was written to the Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection of blues, released in 1991.  Until next week, tight lines!

August 31- Sept. 6, 2009

WEATHER: Those of you who have been watching our area this past week are already aware that we managed to dodge a bullet once again. Hurricane Jimena was expected to pass almost on top of us, perhaps just a little to the west on Tuesday as a Category 4 Hurricane with winds at 155 mph and higher gusts. With nature and lady luck on our side she shifted just a bit to the west and all we got were three to four days of clouds, about an inch of rain and winds that may have gusted at times as high as 70 mph. It knocked down palm fronds and kicked up some big seas, but it also brought in some cooler weather as well. At the end of the week our nighttime lows were in the low 80’s and our daytime highs had finally gotten back up to the high 90’s, but the humidity at the end of the week was a bit lower than it had been so it did not feel quite as hot as that.

How to Catch Fish in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Fishing:
Here is a report on some other Las Vegas Areas: .

Sept 23rd:
LAKE MEAD: Stripers fair over much of the lake, with Hemenway, Boulder Bay, Gypsum Wash, the 33 Hole, and dam all producing fish on cut anchovies or live shad, but the bite has been off a little over the past few days. Night fishing under lights as been the best bet. Fair catfish action reported on anchovies or shrimp. The largemouth bass action is fair off the points, with some surface action early in the mornings.

June 7 FISHING REPORT

LAKE MEAD
— Boating and shore anglers have been catching stripers at Boulder Beach using anchovies and live shad. Fishing for stripers in the Vegas Arm has been good for anglers using top-water lures. Anglers have reported success in the upper basins for largemouth and smallmouth bass. The best time for stripers has been in the morning before the winds come or late afternoon.

LAKE MOHAVE
— Fishing out of Cottonwood Cove has become fair to poor, with many anglers coming home skunked. There are reports of stripers and catfish taking anchovies, but those are spotty. Consider throwing jigs and worms into cover for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Near Willow Beach, trout fishing has slowed, though morning hours after trout plants are generally a good time to fish. Trout have been hitting on PowerBait, spinners, jigs and Super Dupers. Striper and largemouth bass fishing continues to be slow.

LAS VEGAS URBAN PONDS
— For the recent plants of catfish, night crawlers, chicken liver and stink baits fished on the bottom should produce fish. Sunfish and bass fishing should be good throughout the summer.

KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
— Persistent anglers are catching largemouth bass out of weeds. One angler recently netted an 8-pound largemouth.

EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR
— Weeds have become a nuisance for those fishing off the bottom. The technique is to use a long leader attached to a bobber to sink just above the weeds. Successful baits have been PowerBait, worms, lures and flies.

ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR
— PowerBait, worms, lures and flies suspended or retrieved above the weeds are baits of choice for rainbow trout. Multicolored buggers are producing good-sized crappie.

Guy Gets a Gator at Lake Las Vegas??????

Fisherman reels in alligator at Las Vegas lake Associated Press
Posted: 07/07/2009 11:38:26 AM PDT
LAS VEGAS Ñ Animal control officials say a man angling for catfish at a Sunset Park lake instead reeled in a 3 1/2-foot-long alligator. The healthy juvenile reptile was euthanized, and Clark County Animal Control Supervisor Dave March says it was probably released recently into the man-made lake. March says it couldn’t have gone unnoticed for long. The fisherman secured the alligator with fishing line until authorities arrived. Doug Nielsen, a Nevada Wildlife Department spokesman, says the alligator’s appearance at the lake fits a pattern. Nielsen says people may go on vacation, see a small alligator and bring it back as a pet. But the animal can get big and aggressive Ñ that’s when it ends up in local waters. Importing and owning alligators is illegal in Nevada. ÑÑÑ
Information from: Las Vegas Sun Las Vegas Fish Report

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An overview of some of the Las Vegas area’s best fishing spots.

LAKE MOHAVE — One lucky angler reportedly reeled in a 28-pound striped bass while trolling with whole anchovies near Owl’s Point. Trolling with anchovies at depths of 30 to 50 feet has been producing stripers, and catfish have been taking baits fished on the bottom.

The Dec. 1 trout plant was postponed because of transportation issues, but NDOW should deliver trout at Placer, Powerline and Cottonwood coves no later than today. The federal hatchery at Willow Beach should plant trout in that area Friday.

• URBAN PONDS — Success for trout has diminished between stocking sessions.

Regardless of the technique used, anglers caught few fish over the holiday weekend. Leaving your bait and flies still, while looking for subtle takes, has been most productive.

NDOW planted trout Tuesday at Floyd Lamb Park, Lorenzi Park, Sunset Park, Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City and Hafen Park in Mesquite.

• KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA — Road conditions are still good, but ice forming on the reservoirs has restricted fishermen to only a few areas with open water.

Some waterfowl hunters have been breaking up the ice while launching boats, but this is becoming more difficult. However, with plenty of waterfowl, hunters have been hunting in the meadow portions of the reservoirs.

It is recommended to call the management area at (775) 238-0240 before visiting.

• EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR — Ice is forming in the northern part of the reservoir, but skim ice around the southern portion is melting by midday, making fishing off the dam or dock a good choice.

• ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR — There is no ice on Echo, with good water flow coming from the stream above the reservoir.

Action for rainbows continues to be good, though chilly weather is keeping anglers away.

Although Las Vegas, Nevada is known worldwide as a gambling and entertainment mecca, Vegas is also a great base for the fishermen in the family.

The city is located within an easy day trip’s drive of Lake Mead, the largest lake in the United States with more than 110,00 surface acres. Lake Mead is just one of a number of fishing opportunities to be found in and around the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Pack your lucky shoes along with your favorite tackle to enjoy everything found in the state. If you’ve gambled enough to suit or if you prefer open water to some of the Vegas shows, head out for angler’s paradise. Created from the Colorado River and Hoover Dam, Lake Mead stretches for miles. Home to some of the nation’s top sport fishing, Lake Mead teems with fish. Species include large mouth and striped bass, rainbow trout, channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill. All are favored by fishermen – and women. Even some carp are often caught in this major, mega sized lake. The entire Lake Mead National Recreation Area is 1.5 million acres – more than the entire state of Rhode Island! Plus, just thirty-five miles away from the neon lit Vegas Strip, Lake Mead attracts fishermen as well as sailors.

There is a $5 per vehicle fee for each private vehicle entering the recreation area. With shoreline and easy boat access, Lake Mead is the most popular Vegas area fishing spot but there are others. Cruises aboard a paddle wheeler on the lake are a way for mom and the kids to occupy their time while dad wets a line. Nearby Lake Mohave is another favorite of fishermen. Extending 67 miles from Hoover Dam to Davis Dam, Mohave has everything from boat launch ramps, concessions, and boat rentals to overnight accommodations. Urban ponds within the city of Las Vegas are convenient for a quick fishing expedition without leaving the bright lights and casinos behind. Other urban ponds – an oasis of nature within a city setting – can be found at Boulder City and Mesquite. Bring your rod and reel with your tackle box to cast a line and relax before returning to the gaming tables. Up at the Eagle Valley reservoir, both rainbow and brown trout are caught by anglers. The Trail Canyon Reservoir at Chiatovitch Creek northwest of Vegas is another noted spot where the fish are often biting. Don’t miss the Echo Canyon Reservoir or the untamed Colorado River.

Fishing licenses are required. An out of state permit for one year for visitors 16 and older is $69.00. Junior fishermen can get a year long license for $21.00. One day passes are just $18.00 and you can add another day for just $7 more. If you’re after trout, be sure to purchase a trout stamp for $10.00 and if you’re fishing along the Colorado River, you’ll need a special use stamp for $3.00. For additional information about fishing opportunities, check with the Nevada Division of Wildlife at nevadadivisionofwildlife.org.

Author: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy About Author: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy is a freelance writer who has visited Las Vegas as well as area lakes/rivers.

Here is a story below from a fellow named Brent:
It is a rare sight to travel past the fishing pond at Veterans Memorial Park and not find someone along the shore hoping to get a bite.

The lake is stocked with everything from a trout, catfish, blue gill and bass.

Boulder City resident Tony Haller and Las Vegan Rick Campbell are two of the regulars at the pond and have become fishing buddies.

“It’s a very clean pond with nice people here. It’s well kept and they do a great job of stocking it,” Haller said.

Campbell said he found the pond by accident. He was in Boulder City and driving on Buchanan Boulevard when he noticed some people fishing.

“I always keep my gear with me, so I pulled into the parking lot and started fishing,” he said. “I caught two that day.”

The job of stocking the pond falls to the Nevada Department of Wildlife, which stocks the pond twice a week between November and March, and once a month between April and October.

Each restocking brings in approximately 1,200 fish, or 2,300 pounds. The trout are brought from the Mason Valley hatchery in Northern Nevada because the Las Vegas Hatchery is closed because of the quagga mussel infestation.

Blaine Merrell, a game warden for the wildlife department, said the department carefully measures each stocking.

“The one thing you don’t want is to overpopulate the pond with too many fish. We try and keep it a healthy aquatic system,” he said.

The pond was constructed in 2001 as a joint project between Boulder City and the wildlife department. It was part of the master plan for Veterans Memorial Park, which also included two soccer fields, four baseball fields and the model boat pond. The pond is approximately 3.5 acres in size with a maximum depth of 15 feet.

“Veterans Memorial Park is the flagship of our parks system. A lot of people come here, and we’re quite proud of what we provide,” Hall said.

A Nevada fishing license is required to fish at the pond and there is a limit of three fish per day.

The pond is taken care of by the city’s Public Works department, which checks the pumps on a daily basis and uses a fish-friendly dye to prevent algae growth, Parks and Recreation director Roger Hall said.

Hall said the pond is a minimal cost to the city and doesn’t foresee any changes taking place.

“The majority of the infrastructure is in place, so it’s just the cost of running the pumps, and the water cost and occasional maintenance,” Hall said. “Besides, a lot of people would be mad if we got rid of it.”

That’s a relief to the fishermen like Campbell and Haller.

“It doesn’t matter if we catch anything or not. You can’t beat coming out here and relaxing and fishing,” Campbell said.

Brent Hinckley

San Diego

The Report is Broken down by location:

Sept. 26, 2009
BARRETT: Very good bass fishing. This past week there were 35 anglers checked and they reported catching 497 bass. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619)668-2050 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.

EL CAPITAN: The 192 anglers checked reported catching 204 bass, 387 bluegill, four crappie, and 21 catfish. The lake is open Thursday through Saturday and Monday for fishing. There are no boat rentals during June, July, and August. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619)668-2050 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
LOWER OTAY: There were 145 anglers checked who reported catching 84 bass, 206 bluegill, and 17 catfish. Dallas Wailon, San Diego, landed a 10.7-pound largemouth on a mealworm. Lance Dixon, San Diego, caught a stringer of catfish totaling 35 pounds with fish to 12.5 pounds on mackerel. The lake is open on a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday schedule. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
UPPER OTAY: Fair to good bass action. The 15 anglers checked reported landing 23 bass to 3.8 pounds. The lake is open on a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday for fishing, sunrise to sunset. The road to Upper Otay is open. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
MURRAY: The 61 anglers checked reported catching 47 bass, 117 bluegill, and two catfish. The lake is open for fishing and boating seven days a week. Boat rentals are available Saturday and Sunday only. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
MIRAMAR: There were 44 anglers checked and they reported catching 10 bass, 56 bluegill, and nine catfish. The lake is open for fishing seven days a week. Boat rentals are available on Saturday and Sunday only. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
SUTHERLAND: No report. The lake is open on weekends only, but will not have rental boats available. Water level is very low and boat launch is allowed at your own risk. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or www.sandiego.gov/water/recreation/. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
WOHLFORD: The catfish action slowed a bit once again this past week but some fish are still showing. Mackerel and chicken liver are the top baits and the top spots are the buoy line areas. The last catfish plant of the season went in over a month ago. The bass fishing was slow this past week with the best action on live bait or dark colored plastics. Aramis Medina, Escondido, caught a 3-15 Bass off the south shore rock pile on a Roboworm. Bluegill and crappie are fair. Trout are slow with only a few showing in deep water at the mouth of the canal or along the west buoy line. Carp action has been good on dough baits. The lake is now closed weekdays and will only be open Saturday and Sunday each week. There are four new bass boat-type rentals available. Quagga mussel fears still have a private boating ban. Information: 760-839-4346 or www.wohlfordlake.com.
DOANE POND: No DFG plants in over a month.
DIXON LAKE: The catfish bite is slow to fair with the last plant of the season over a month ago. There is a fair bass bite with some topwater activity. Fair to good blue action with mealworms or redworms fished at any of the fishing piers working well. Lake information: 760-839-4345 or www.dixonlake.com.
POWAY: Bass action was very good this past week with shad all over the lake. The catfish bite was fair to good. Jeff Kopischke, Chula Vista, caught a 15-pound limit of catfish on mackerel at the Log Boom. Jason Hendrex, Poway, landed a seven-pound catfish on mackerel. The last catfish plant of the season went in over a month ago. Some bluegill are still showing in Hidden Bay. Trout action slow. Lake information: 858-668-4770, tackle shop 858-486-1234.
JENNINGS: Catfish action was hit or miss again this past week. Shore anglers had very little success while anglers fishing from boat near the main buoyline were scoring limits. The last catfish plant of the season went in over a month ago. Nightcrawlers or mackerel with scent have been working best. The bass bite is still mostly slow. Anglers have had some success using Rapalas, TD Minnows, and spoons on boils. Creature baits have also started to work for bass. Some redear are still showing on mealworms and wax worms but the fish have moved deeper and become more difficult to locate. Upcoming events: Free fishing class on catfish fishing 1 p.m. Sunday hosted by Ranger Hugh Marx. For information call 619-443-2510. Lake information: 619-390-1300 or www.lakejennings.org.
MORENA: The catfish bite is fair on mackerel, chicken liver, and nightcrawlers. There is a good carp bite for those targeting them. Bass, bluegill, and crappie are slow. Anglers are requested to release any blue catfish they catch under five pounds. Price of boats and permits has been reduced Monday through Thursday. Permits are $3.50 and boat rentals just $20 for the whole day. Information: 24-hour fishing update line 619-478-5473, ranger station 619-579-4101.
CUYAMACA: Continued fair to good trout action with Power Bait and nightcrawlers working best. The hot spots have been the dam buoy line and the willows. The largemouth bass bite is fair with a few nice fish reported this week. The crappie action is good for those targeting them, but they are small. The occasional catfish is also showing. A plant of 1,700 pounds of rainbows are slated for this week. Upcoming events: This Saturday the lake is hosting it’s annual “Fishin’ in the Pines” free kids derby. Kids ages 4 to 15 can fish for free and prizes are awarded for top fish. Supervising ranger Willard Lepley offers a free fishing class every Saturday at 10 a.m., however, there will be no fishing class this Saturday due to the derby. Private boats are allowed on the lake again, but the boats must be sprayed for quagga mussels by a high-pressure heated wash prior to entering the lake. The cost is $10 for the spraying and it lasts for multiple trips to Cuyamaca as long as the boat is not used in another reservoir. The decontamination wash down station is for all craft and items used in the water, including boats, motors, kayak, canoes, float tubes and waders. Information: 760-765-0515 or www.lakecuyamaca.org.
HENSHAW: Good catfish action. The best bite has been all along the shoreline using shrimp, chicken liver, and mackerel. The bluegill bite has been good near the dock. The crappie action is also good with fish averaging around a pound each and some bigger. There is also a fair bass bite. Fair to good carp action. Information: 760-782-3501.

Barrett: 141 anglers checked caught 1,357 bass (all released), 66 bluegill and 5 crappie. Open to catch-and-release fishing and barbless hooks only every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Reservations for September available through Ticketmaster (619) 220-8497 or www.ticketmaster.com at 7 p.m. Aug. 11.

Chollas: Open daily to youngsters 15 and under. San Diego Fly Fishers sponsors a Lend-A-Rod program on Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and it includes free bait and tackle and fishing tips.

Cuyamaca: Fish have gone deep in the heat. Fish in deeper water for better success. Joseph Reyes Smith, Morena Valley, 2½-pound trout, between the Jetty and the Dam. Andy and Cody Estrada and Tanner Holt, El Centro, 40 bluegill and 23 crappie. Chase Tilliel, 4, Valley Center, first fish, bluegill, wax worm, T-Dock. Cameron Walton, 10, Chula Vista, 3 trout and 5 bluegill, night crawlers, Lone Pine. Catfish and crappie fest going on right now. Free Fishing Class: Saturday at 10 a.m., Charlie Taylor, Launch Ramp. All boats entering the lake must be spray washed for quagga mussels. Charge is $10 per boat. Open daily.

Diamond Valley Lake: Bass fishing continues to be very good here, with some of the better fish being found at 35 feet. Stephanie Reschke, 7-pound bass, drop-shotting a Margarita Mutilator Roboworm, Southwest Corner. Trout fishing is fair, with an occasional holdover rainbow biting. Bass anglers picking up some by-catch now and then. Rawson Cove, the Rock Quarry, best bets. Juan Miranda, Hemet, 12.55-pound striped bass, swimbait, East End. Open daily. Launch ramp closed until further notice.

Dixon: Lake will get 500 pounds of channel catfish tomorrow, so that should improve the fishing here. Catfish still the best bet here, with most of the fish in the 1 to 3-pound range. But don’t forget the lunker bass early in the day and late. Bluegill action has been good for the kids off the piers. The fish are on the small side but the kids don’t mind. Night fishing every Thursday and Friday. Stocked regularly with channel catfish. Night fishing is permitted on Thursday and Friday nights only. Shoreline fishing is permitted until 11:45. Night boats may be rented starting at 5 p.m., but must be returned to the dock by 10:45 p.m. Boats are half price. There will be a limited amount of shoreline to fish after the park closes. Open daily.

El Capitan: 50 anglers checked caught 55 bass (50 released), 15 blue gill and 3 channel catfish. Fishing and water activities permitted Thursdays through Saturdays, with Sundays reserved for water contact only. Fishing only on Mondays. Water contact activities include water-skiing, wake-boarding, Jet Skis, towing inflatables. All persons entering reservoir property must purchase a day use permit.

Henshaw: Catfish action remains the top ticket here. Carlos Diaz, Chula Vista, 4-0 catfish. J.D Schweitzer caught and released twenty catfish, with his best estimated at 5 pounds. Michael Pruett and Faben Rodriguez, Escondido, 5 catfish, with a 7-pounder. Open daily, Friday and Saturday for night fishing.

Hodges: 120 anglers checked caught 51 bass (all released), 3 bluegill, 1 crappie and 5 channel catfish (largest 5 pounds). All private boats must be inspected for quagga mussels prior to being launched. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Jennings: Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Friday and Saturday until 11:30 p.m. for night fishing. Check www.lakejennings.org for more information.

Loveland: Open daily to hike-in fishing only on a limited area of shoreline. No permits required. Fishing license is required. New 140-foot fishing pier open on the west side of the fishing cove.

Miramar: 59 anglers checked caught 24 bass (14 released, 27 bluegill and 1 channel catfish. Open daily to fishing and boating. Pay fees at iron ranger or electronic pay station near the concession building.

Morena: Open daily.

Murray: 63 anglers checked caught 40 bass (37 released) and 70 bluegill. Open daily to fishing and boating. Pay fees at iron rangers near the abandoned concession building or at key access points.

Otay, Lower: 231 anglers checked caught 116 bass (104 released; largest 6 pounds); 336 bluegill (largest 1.8 pounds), 19 channel catfish (1.3 pounds), 2 blue catfish (24.80) and 2 carp (17.0). Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Pay fees at iron rangers near the boat launch and abandoned concession building. Boat rentals available.

Otay, Upper: Nine anglers checked caugh 19 bass (all released; largest 2.95 pounds). Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday for fishing, sunrise to sunset. Upper Otay is a catch and release only fishery. Bait is not permitted, only artificial lures with barbless hooks. Boats are not permitted on Upper Otay, only shore fishing, waders and float tubes.

Poway: Big catfish showing in various areas around the lake. The Log Boom, and shoreline in Boulder Bay the better spots. Another 1,500 pounds of channel catfish due this week. Marion Seitz, Poway, 8-0 channel catfish, mackerel, Log Boom. Alexendr Yermakuv, San Diego, 5.4-pound channel catfish, mackerel, Boulder Bay. Bass slowing down, but bluegill coming on. Lake is full and will stay that way all summer. Night fishing has been extended through Aug. 22. Night fishing is offered every Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. for boaters, 11:30 p.m. for shoreline anglers. The lake’s popular Midnight Catfish Craze is set for July 31 from 4 p.m. to midnight. Tickets available at Lake Poway Grill and Tackle. Cost is $10 for adults (in addition to your daily permit) and $5 for youths 15 years old and younger (in addition to your daily permit). Motorboat sales will start at 3 p.m. Friday on a first-come, first-served basis. Fishing starts at 4 p.m. The Lake will be closed for boating and fishing July 31 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. to allow the lake staff to prepare for the event. Open Wednesday through Sunday. In order to prevent the introduction and infestation of quagga mussels, the following items are prohibited at Lake Poway: float tubes, private motors and anchors, live bait containers, fish finders, floating catch baskets, live bait from any source other than the Lake Poway concession, any items the staff considers to be potential contaminants.

Santee Lakes: Check www.santeelakes.com . Open daily.

San Vicente: Closed. For construction schedules and information on the Emergency Storage Project, go to the San Diego County Water Authority’s web site at www.sdcwa.org and click on San Vicente Dam Raise.

Sutherland: 49 anglers checked caught 94 bass (all released), 26 bluegill, 9 channel catfish and 1 blue catfish (24.10 pounds). Jake Keyser, 12, Ramona caught a 14.25 pound carp. Doug Vang of San Diego caught a 24.10 pound blue channel catfish on mackerel. Willy Head, 5, Ramona, caught a 5.60 pound blue channel catfish on bread. All boats must be inspected for quagga mussels prior to entering the lake. Open Saturday and Sunday for fishing and boating, Monday for shoreline fishing only.

Sweetwater: Open Saturday, Sunday and Monday to limited shoreline fishing only.

Wohlford: For more information, call the Ranger Station at (760) 839-4346 or visit www.wohlfordlake.com . Rental boats available. Open daily.

Catfish stocking schedule: Poway, 1,500 pounds.

Pt. Loma Sportfishing, H&M Landing, Fisherman’s Landing: 176 anglers, eight overnight boats: 2 albacore, 325 yellowtail, 2 bluefin tuna, 1 yellowfin tuna, 92 dorado. 128 anglers, four half-day boats: 315 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 5 barracuda, 8 rockfish. 74 anlgers, two three-quarter-day boats: 300 sand bass, 40 barracuda, 2 sheepshead, 18 rockfish, 121 sculpin.

Seaforth: 38 anglers, one 1½ -day boat: 2 bluefin tuna, 41 dorado, 162 yellowtail. 22 anglers, one one-day boat: 1 dorado, 24 yellowtail. 41 anglers, two three-quarter-day boats: 1 dorado, 3 yellowtail, 11 barracuda, 3 calico bass, 185 sand bass. 120 anglers, four half-day boats: 1 bonito, 11 barracuda, 245 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 25 rockfish, 1 sheepshead. 42 anglers, one twilight boat: 12 barracuda, 24 calico bass, 16 rockfish, 7 mackerel.

Oceanside: 13 anglers, one three-quarter-day boat: 130 sand bass, 50 barracuda. 46 anglers, two half-day boats: 238 sand bass, 65 barracuda. Seven anglers, one twilight boat: 60 sand bass, 7 barracuda.

Red Rooster III: Captain Andy Cates reports a three-day trip, 180 miles out, caught 74 albacore, 45 yellowtail, 10 bluefin tuna, 6 yellowfin tuna and 4 dorado. Ralph Hughes, San Diego, caught a 29.3 pound bluefin tuna; Jeff Bracy, Newport Beach, caught a 27.7 albacore; Tommy Escalante, Camarillo, caught a 24.6 pound albacore.

East Cape: Blue marlin showing just in time for the East Cape Bisbee Tournament, set to begin tomorrow. John Ireland, owner of East Cape’s Rancho Leonero Resort, said he’s never seen so many blue marlin in the area. He released three last week, with the fish ranging in the 100-to 400-pound range. Sailfish also showing and dorado to 60 pounds being caught. Smaller yellowfin and schooling dorado also showing and plentiful north of Punta Pescadero. Inshore action on roosterfish, pompano and pargo remains outstanding.

La Paz: Fishing slowed here after a month of incredible action on tuna, wahoo, dorado and billfish. Dorado action stayed fair, but fewer bulls joined the party, according to Jonathan Roldan of Tailhunter International.

Cabo San Lucas: One in two boats getting a billfish in what has been a very strange summer, according to veteran captains and Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters in Lemon Grove. Fishing is lagging for this time of year. The Gaviota VIII, skippered by Captain Juan Dominguez, was high boat for the week with three billfish for three days fished.

Noteworthy: Special Deer Hunt: For the sixth straight year the California Deer Association (CDA) is sponsoring its “Sharing the Tradition Junior Deer Hunt.†It’s open to 25 junior deer hunters who will get a free, fully-guided antlerless deer hunt on the famous Tejon Ranch. Junior hunters will be selected in a free, random drawing open to any junior hunter with a 2009 California junior hunting license and an unfilled deer tag. In addition, the following sponsors will supply the 25 lucky juniors with ammunition from Federal Premium Ammunition and Barnes Bullets, binoculars from Alpen Optics, and hunting gear from Hunter’s Specialties and Birchwood Casey. A total of 90 juniors have already participated in the prior year hunts, and over 90 percent of them had never taken a deer before. Yet, the success rate on these hunts has been an incredible 98.8 percent. Entry applications must be received by October 14, 2009. Hunts will take place in the second half of December. The applications and rules may be found at the California Deer Association: www.caldeer.com/tejon-hunts.htm or the California Department of Fish and Game: www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting /docs/SharingtheTradition.pdf.

Marine Life Protection Act: The California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group meets Monday, Aug. 3 at 9 a.m. at the Holiday Inn, 850 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, Calif., 92008. The public is invited to attend and participate by providing public comment at approximately 3:30 pm. Speaker cards are requested and may be found at the entrance to the room. Time allotted for public comment is determined by the number of requests and can range from one to three minutes per comment; submitting written comments that can be easily summarized in one to two minutes is encouraged. Note that the public comment period is for comments specific to the SCRSG; comments related to the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force, science advisory team, or other MLPA Initiative activities should be directed to those bodies or MLPA staff. Meeting materials will not be provided at the meeting but will be posted to the MLPA website as soon as they are available. This agenda may be found on the MLPA website at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa /meetings_sc.asp.

Barrett: The 137 anglers checked reported 1,566 bass, 43 bluegill and 11 crappie. Open to catch-and-release fishing and barbless hooks only every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Reservations for August available through Ticketmaster tonight at 7 by calling (619) 220-8497 or www.ticketmaster.com . Chollas: Open daily to youngsters 15 and under. San Diego Fly Fishers sponsors a Lend-A-Rod program on Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and it includes free bait and tackle and fishing tips.

Cuyamaca: Open daily.

Diamond Valley Lake: Still getting reports from bass anglers about 30-bass days. And striped bass action has been good for bigger fish. Russell Nievar, Anza, 20-pound striped bass, swimbait. John Balderson, Sage, 20-0 striped bass, swimbait. George Delgado, Temecula, 18-pound striper, swimbait. Eddie Martinez, Fontana, 12.5-pound striped bass, Fish Taco lure, East Dam. Trout fishing has been slow, with most of the fish being caught in water 20 to 30 feet deep. Michael Wolf, Redondo Beach, two trout, with a 5-pounder topping the catch. Open daily. Launch ramp closed until further notice.

Dixon: Night fishing here every Thursday and Friday. Another 1,000 pounds of channel catfish added this week. Shoreline fishing is permitted until 11:45 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Night boats may be rented starting at 5 p.m., but must be returned to the dock by 10:45 p.m. Boats are half price. There will be a limited amount of shoreline to fish after the park closes. Open daily.

El Capitan: Anglers reported catching and releasing 42 bass, keeping one bass, 28 bluegill, 3 blue catfish and 1 channel catfish. Fishing and water activities permitted Thursdays through Saturdays, with Sundays reserved for water contact only. Fishing only on Mondays. Water contact activities include water-skiing, wake-boarding, Jet Skis, towing inflatables. All persons entering reservoir property must purchase a day use permit.

Henshaw: Catfish action best here, but there is plenty of other good fishing for largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill. Lance Molina, La Jolla Indian Reservation, 5-pound channel catfish, shrimp, Rocky Point. Bluegill action also picking up. John Lowell and his son, Jared, Temecula, 25 bluegill, best a 1-pounder, and John also caught a 4-pound largemouth bass. Bill Meyers, San Diego, 12 bluegill, most a half-pound. Crappie also active. Lee Doss, San Diego, 12, most in the half-pound range. Darrel Langley, Mesa Grande, two bass, a 6.25-pounder and a 5.5-pounder. Open daily, Friday and Saturday for night fishing.

Hodges: The 227 anglers checked reported 1 bass kept (288 bass released), 25 channel catfish, 7 crappie and 1 blue catfish. Tim O’Connor, Santee, 8.20 blue catfish and 5.05 bass (released), crawdads, Boat Dock. Tom Leedom and Brian Kowalski, 5 bass (released), 11.30 with a 4.07, spinnerbaits, all over. All private boats must be inspected for quagga mussels prior to being launched. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Jennings: Best catfish action in Hermit Cove on Friday and then moved to the Floating Boathouse on Saturday. Redear sunfish being caught on meal worms, wax worms and most in 15 feet of water. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Friday and Saturday until 11:30 p.m. for night fishing. Check www.lakejennings.org for more information.

Loveland: The 86 fishermen reported 9 bass (all released), 64 bluegill, 7 carp and 4 channel catfish. Open daily to hike-in fishing only on a limited area of shoreline. No permits required. Fishing license is required. New 140-foot fishing pier open on the west side of the fishing cove.

Miramar: The 104 anglers checked reported 45 bass (all released), 36 bluegill, 5 channel catfish and 6 carp. Open daily to fishing and boating. Pay fees at iron ranger or electronic pay station near the concession building.

Morena: Open daily.

Murray: The 66 anglers checked reported 1 bass kept (23 bass released), 7 bluegill and 3 channel catfish. Open daily to fishing and boating. Pay fees at iron rangers near the abandoned concession building or at key access points.

Otay, Lower: The 214 anglers checked reported 8 bass kept (174 bass released), 583 bluegill, 11 channel catfish. Lonnie Wheaton, Lakeside, 9.20 bass (released), crawdad, Otay Arm. Cecil L. Brookins, San Diego, 2.30 bluegill, wax worm, Harvey Arm. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Pay fees at iron rangers near the boat launch and abandoned concession building. Boat rentals available.

Otay, Upper: The 7 anglers checked reported 26 bass (all released). Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday for fishing, sunrise to sunset. Upper Otay is a catch and release only fishery. Bait is not permitted, only artificial lures with barbless hooks. Boats are not permitted on Upper Otay, only shore fishing, waders and float tubes.

Poway: Fair bass fishing, with bigger ones still showing and chasing shad. Catfish action good at night. Aida Brown, 11-0 channel catfish, mackerel, Log Boom. Danielle Washington, San Diego, 8-0 channel catfish. Robert Bosco, El Cajon, 1.25 redear sunfish, micro jig, Hidden Bay. Night fishing here every Friday and Saturday. The Lake Poway Midnight Catfish Craze is Friday, July 31, 4 p.m. to midnight. Tickets available soon at the Lake Poway Grill & Tackle. Motorboat sales will start at 3 p.m. Friday, July 31 on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Lake will be closed for boating and fishing Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. to allow the staff to prepare for the event. Open Wednesday through Sunday. In order to prevent the introduction and infestation of quagga mussels, the following items are prohibited at Lake Poway: float tubes, private motors and anchors, live bait containers, fish finders, floating catch baskets, live bait from any source other than the Lake Poway concession, any items the staff considers to be potential contaminants.

Santee Lakes: Cameron Balough, 16, Santee, 9-4 bass, night crawler, Lake 4. Kenny Heier, 15, Santee, 5-8 bass, night crawler, Lake 4. Nice, early morning bite on catfish in Lakes 2, 3 and 4. Next night fishing event set for Thursday. Lakes 1 through 4 open until 11:30 p.m. Check www.santeelakes.com . Open daily.

San Vicente: Closed. For construction schedules and information on the Emergency Storage Project, go to the San Diego County Water Authority’s web site at www.sdcwa.org and click on San Vicente Dam Raise.

Skinner: Very good catfish action here, with fish up to 8 pounds reported. Stripers still hitting and most active near the dam and inlet. Bluegill bite is steady, with afternoon fishing best from a bobber and with small pieces of night crawlers, meal worms or wax worms doing the trick. Vic Lawrence, Moreno Valley, 6 channel catfish, best a 8-pounder, chicken liver, Ramp No. 2.

Sutherland: The 54 anglers checked reported 2 bass kept (84 bass released), 30 crappie, 14 channel catfish and 18 carp. Vic Williams, Ramona, 21.10 blue catfish (released), jig. Zack Balcone, 8, Mesa Grande, 2 carp, 19.20 with a 10.55. Sydney Honadle, 7, Ramona, 12.50 carp, bread. Kenny Morytko, Ramona, 10.70 carp, bread. Mark Dodson, San Diego, 7.00 bass (released), crawdad. Greg LeRoy, Ramona, 6.25 bass (released), shiner. Del Lambert, Ramona, 5.45 bass (released). All boats must be inspected for quagga mussels prior to entering the lake. Open Saturday and Sunday for fishing and boating, Monday for shoreline fishing only.

Sweetwater: The 31 anglers reported 4 bass (all released), 1 carp. Open Saturday, Sunday and Monday to limited shoreline fishing only.

Wohlford: Due for another 1,000 pounds of channel catfish tomorrow. And will get catfish stocked every other week until mid-August. Be sure to drop by the Ranger Station for the dougbait recipe that works great for catfish and carp. Good bass fishing early and late. Catfishing has been very good. Robert Adams, Escondido, limit of channel catfish, with a best at 2-15, chicken liver, Oakvale Cove. Crappie fishing also fair. Each month Whopper Contest winners in 4 categories are awarded a free fishing and boating permit. Check www.wohlfordlake.com . Whopper Contest winners for June were: Promoane Souvannakhot, 10-10 bass; Homer Gray, 1-14 crappie; Alan Solis, 4-4 channel catfish. Felix Lopez leads the July Whopper Contest for trout with a 2-10 rainbow. Open daily. Ban on private boats remains in place due to the threat of quagga mussels. Other banned equipment include canoes, kayaks, float tubes, trolling motors, fish finders, anchors, etc. Rental boats available. Open daily.

Catfish stocking schedule: Wohlford and Dixon, each with 1,000 pounds. Poway, 1,000 pounds.

Pt. Loma Sportfishing, H&M Landing, Fisherman’s Landing: 100 anglers, five 1-½-day boats: 138 albacore, 22 yellowtail, 8 bluefin; 41 anglers, two three-quarter day boats: 83 calico bass, 200 sand bass, 2 white seabass, 8 barracuda, 31 sculpin; 119 anglers, three half-day boats: 282 calico bass, 5 sand bass, 4 barracuda, 20 rockfish.

Seaforth: 16 anglers, one 1-½-day boat: 6 albacore, 1 yellowtail. 3 anglers, one three-quarter day boat: 1 white seabass, 15 barracuda, 14 sand bass. 116 anglers, five half-day boats: 165 barracuda, 291 calico bass, 2 sand bass, 34 rockfish, 1 sculpin. 28 anglers, one twilight boat: 21 calico bass, 28 rockfish, 37 mackerel.

Oceanside: 19 anglers, one three-quarter day boat: 5 sand bass, 17 calico bass, 1 sheephead, 10 rockfish; 20 anglers, one half-day boat: 2 sand bass, 24 calico bass; 8 anglers, one charter boat: 4 blue sharks, 1 mako shark.

Overview: Good action for calicos, sand bass, with halibut and white seabass also showing locally. Jumbo squid popping up in La Jolla. Here’s a report from Larry Laumann: “It’s not often that you get to play with live Humboldt squid and watch them gliding around in a tidepool! Each year, we may see a couple of them washed up (dead) on the beach in the spring/summer, but, this is a rare event to capture them alive from the beach. Well . . . at least I’ve never done it before, and I’ve spent the last 30 years around California’s beaches. I believe that a large school of them just got trapped in our warm water after that very cold upwelling current from La Jolla canyon last week. Normally they live 500-to 2,000 feet deep in the ocean canyons. They get weak and disoriented in the shallows where the water is too warm for them to survive, and they end up drifting in eventually, usually dead. I caught these ten live Humboldt squid in the shallows near Windansea beach and carried them to a big tidepool nearby to watch them swim. They were in various states of health, but all were alive. These things can be vicious if they get hold of you. I was goofing around swimming with them, and ended up with some cheesegrated areas on my legs and feet where they latched a tentacle and I pulled them off – apparently they have tiny hooks in their suction cups! Now I know. This happened in summer 2009 about a block from my place.â€

Now a little line on teasers when trolling:

What type of teaser works best?

All teasers tend to help attract fish. Some have different methods of doing it. A mirror teaser creates a huge flashing through the entire water column that can cause a fish to be attracted to the spread. On certain bright days, this can be a very effective method of getting them to look at your lures.
Extremely large lures also make great teasers, especially the ones that have a very erratic action and tend to look like an excited fish. Other predators are going to be in a hurry to get in on the “frenzy”. Pull large teasers hookless and on the lightest leader that you feel comfortable with in order to get the most of the action that was designed into that lure.
Strings of small flashing spinners or small lures all in a row look very much like a school of baitfish. When you mix this with a lot of other activity within a spread, this can look very inviting to a hungry cruising predator looking for a quick lunch.
Artificial “birds” that wobble and splash on the surface tend to tell the fish that something is going on right in the immediate area. They usually determine that it’s worth the effort for them to investigate further.
Large brightly colored boards cut in the shape of a fish and boat fenders painted up to look like a large fish all do one important thing. They tell predators that there is currently “life happening” at this location and it is going to be worth expending the energy to check it out.
I had a friend that twenty years ago actually trolled a giant truck hubcap as a teaser. He still swears that it brought up lots of fish. I even once used a string of coke cans as a teaser and I can tell you that it worked exceptionally well before they shredded into pieces from the force of the water. Anything that will attract attention can be a great teaser.

Santa Barbara Fishing Reports

Santa Barbara Fishing on Sterns wharf is sometimes very good.  Here are some ideas:

Most fishing takes place out toward the end of the pier. Best bets in this section are to try anchovy or squid on the bottom for halibut, bass and rays; try fresh mussels around the pilings for perch; or try spoons, feathers, size 4 Lucky Lura outfits, or strips of squid for mackerel. For the halibut, use a high/low leader baited with cut anchovy, a whole anchovy attached to a sliding sinker rigging, or a small live bait – smelt, shinerperch, very small jack mackerel or sardine – which has been caught by jigging. A high/low leader baited with cut anchovy works well for the bass as do scampi lures. For large bat rays, use heavy tackle and squid for bait and be prepared; several bat rays weighing over 100 pounds have been landed here. If you want to try for large pileperch, blackperch, or rubberlip perch, use mussels or bloodworms and fish right under the pier and around the pilings – using as light a line and small a hook as you feel comfortable with. Kids can try the fish well out near the end of the pier. The small, rectangular spot will often yield an unending number of small perch, primarily shiners, even when other areas are seeing few fish.

This can be a good pier at times for mackerel, bonito and even barracuda (generally at night). For the smaller mackerel, a Lucky Lura or Lucky Joe rigging can result in several fish at a time. When the mackerel are more wary, tie a single hook to the end of the line, attach a small split shot sinker a couple of feet up the line, and bait with a strip of squid or a piece of mackerel. When large mackerel are around, or bonito are also present, try different lures. Shiny lures will often produce – Kastmasters and Krocodiles – or even lures such as Scampi Coasters. Lately, a 1/2 ounce Snapper Zapper has seemed to be a good producer of fish. Barracuda, when present, will also fall for the artificial lures. Finally, most of the year will see fair fishing for white croaker; simply use a high/low leader baited with a small piece of anchovy.

The inshore area is restricted somewhat by shops but there are still some open spaces. Water here is typically shallow but will yield some barred surfperch, yellowfin croaker, corbina, shovelnose guitarfish, thornback rays and a few white croaker and walleye surfperch. Try sand crabs, bloodworms, or fresh mussels if you want the larger perch, croakers and corbina. Try squid or bloody pieces of mackerel if you want sharks or rays.

I’ve also seen some large pileperch and rubberlip seaperch lurking near the pilings, especially where the wye section connects to the main part of the pier. As usual, these species are hard to hook. One local technique is to attach half of a mussel shell to the line with a paper clip. A couple of size 12 hooks on dropper lines are then inserted into the meat of the mussel. When the large perch suck up the meat they get hooked.

Some years will also see quite a few spider crabs caught out toward the end of the pier and some are massive. Do follow the correct laws for crabbing since the game wardens seem to really target the crabbers at this pier. Also make sure that you follow the various laws for the fish species. Although it is true you don’t need a license to fish on the public piers, you do need to follow the rules for size and number of fish. Thus bass must be 12 inches, bonito 24″, barracuda 28″, white seabass 28″, halibut 22″, and salmon 24″. Remember that it is every angler’s duty to help restore our fishery! Always be prepared for the unexpected. On a short visit to the pier in July of 1994, I had experienced what can only be described as a poor fishing trip for myself – two small fish – a kelp bass and a jack mackerel. However, an old-timer stood proudly nearby, displaying a 29-inch, 11-pound silver salmon he had caught on the pier that afternoon. His name was Bill Schenk, he was 90 1/2 years young, and he had fished on the wharf nearly every day since 1969. He, of course, was a regular and one who had his own personal pier name – “Sitting Bill” – since there were four other regulars also with the name of Bill. It was the largest fish “Sitting Bill” had caught on the pier in 25 years. It was also his second salmon after an earlier 3-pounder in 1990. Using light trout-fishing tackle and a heavier-than-normal 8-pound line (because barracuda had been biting through his line) he had his hands full. However, his friend, Mike Katz, owner of the nearby tackle shop, heard his cries, ran out, and netted the fish. The day was a success for “Sitting Bill” and after meeting and talking with him, I deemed my visit also a success.