Skipper Mike Ramirez called in with this report on the day’s fishing (May 15) aboard the Excel: "For the last two days we have been fishing the Lower Zone. Yesterday we had really good Wahoo fishing throughout the day. So we decided to move to another area and focus on Tuna today. We scratched out the day today and we ended up with a handful of quality Tuna. Big fish honors went to "Big Al Scow," he ended up with a 236. We also had a handful of high 190s, just a good quality of fish. We'll be here again tomorrow, we'll check back to let you know how we did."



Back From The Canal Zone

From the Intrepid office: “The Intrepid will be back at Point Loma Sportfishing on Wednesday May 16th from our Incredible Panama Sportfishing Adventure! Guests and friends alike are welcome to come down to the Vessel on Wed 5-16 through Sat 5-19 from 8:00am to 4:00pm for pick-up of personal gear. Any questions please call Steve @ 619-778-3110.”



East Cape Marlin Thick

“We are experiencing the most amazing weather at the moment,” noted Rancho Leonero foreman Gary Barnes-Webb. “Very calm seas and mild spring days, just a hint of the 
summer ahead. The water temps have touched on 80 degrees this week which seems a little warm, a little early.
 
All this said the fishing was a bit disappointing with all the high expectations and good conditions.
 
Striped Marlin are plentiful, with boats baiting anything from 5 to 15 fish daily and seeing many jumpers all over.
 Boats are landing one to two fish per day. Most fish taken on dead ballyhoo or live Forrelito. The fish seem to be reluctant
 to hit lures at the moment. Best area was off La Ribera three to four miles out.

 

“Yesterday a huge Dorado bull hit the cleaning table. Its been that way, a few good sized fish but no schoolies yet.
 
We are experiencing one of the best Mako bites I can remember. I don't recall this being a game fish we target much,
 but right now you can do so. The average fish released about three and a half feet long.
 
There are skipjack around but no tuna yet.



”We have a lot of fly fishermen in the resort and they are mostly working the inshore. Tons of roosters around close in, all sizes, not as aggressive as last week. Mostly the panga fleet is heading north to take advantage of the sardines that 
are plentiful up there. Along the way they pick off good-sized Jack Crevalle and Lady fish.
 Still a few Pompano coming in, but that bite is South, where bait was scarce this week.
 
All the usual Pargo and Cabrilla off the bottom, best right out front of Leonero.”

The phone number for the Ranch is (760) 438-2905.

I fished with Eric Bergan several times on long range boats, including the Red Rooster III and the Excel. I met him back in the 1990s on the big X at Guadalupe Island, and took his photo as he learned to use the surface iron. He told me he was a wireman aboard marlin cruisers, and wanted to be called Eric The Wireman. I saw him many times coming off boats at the docks and he told me stories about what had happened. He was a good fisherman.

After he passed away April 27 at the age of 50, Eric was mourned by his friend Dave Berutich in the May 11 edition of Western Outdoor News.

“In the late ‘80s,” wrote Berutich, Bergan “…moved to St. Croix, again fishing in all the top marlin tournaments, including the Boy Scout Tournament. Returning to Kona in the early ‘90s, he fished both commercial and sport, again fishing with the elite boats and captains in Kona.

“In recent years Eric had returned to his greatest love, long range fishing, frequently fishing the most successful boats out of San Diego, the Royal Star, the Red Rooster III and Intrepid...I hope you can find some time to remember him.”

La Paz, Las Arenas Going Hard

Tuna are showing up, roosterfish and pargo are biting. Reporting for the week of My 6 to 13, Jonathan Roldan wrote on his Tailhunter (http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/) post, “Roosterfish and pargo really kicked it into a higher gear this past week. As air and water temperatures ratchet up bit by bit and everyone is anticipating the incoming warm-water species, some days it seems like the roosters and pargo just dog-piled onto each other!

“The roosters were in their normal spots along the sandy areas literally terrorizing schools of bait right up to and onto the sand! However, we were also getting them around the rocky areas of the islands as well as over reefs and high spots where we were fishing for pargo and cabrilla! The faster and more mobile roosters often hit the baits before the pargo or cabrilla could get to them and some of the roosters would blow up in spectacular fashion out of the water. We were even hooking some roosters just offshore in deeper water!

“As I said last week, everything just looks primed to blow up any day. Signs of roosters are just one indication, but there’s a ton of sargasso out there floating around and flurries of dorado have been seen under them. As well, schools of fast moving tuna have eluded the pangas and marlin are just starting to wake up and we had several hook ups and break offs this week…”

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Roy Rose docked Royal Polaris at Fisherman’s Landing May 14 after a fine long trip into southern waters that produced 31 tuna over 200 pounds. Long-time RP regular Clyde Smith, 79, of Scottsdale, AZ accounted for five of those big boys. He told dock reporter Bill Roecker his fish tied his personal record. They weighed 245, 236, 221, 205 and 201 pounds. Wahoo in the area remained thick enough to be pesky, and anglers got all they wanted with bait on mono.

Chris Petersen won first place for his 245-pounder. He also got one at 225, on the kite with a “giant squid.” His winning fish took a sardine on an 8/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook. He fished with 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline spectra.

Ron Jew made it into a tie for second place with a 243-pounder that took his sardine on a 6/0 Super Mutu on 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. He was not present at the offloading for an interview. Thanks to skipper Roy Rose for collecting much of the information on the trip’s catch.

Mike Ashford cut off one cow near the trip’s end. He was the other half of the tie with Jew, taking a 243-pounder and another at 218 pounds. He baited a mackerel on a 7/0 Super Mutu hook on 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Kanzen spectra from Seaguar, on a Shimano 50 LRS reel and a Calstar 7465 XH rod.

Clyde Smith’s quintuplet catch was made with sardines on the new Mustad Demon 4X circle hooks. He used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 765 XXH rod, along with a Super Seeker 2 X 4. The big one came in 40 minutes.

“I pull hard,” said Clyde.

Frank "the Crank" Fink with a 243-pounder.

Gary Cotter of Santa Barbara got cows of 235 and 205 pounds. He said he fished sardines on 7/0 Mustad Demon hooks tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound ine One spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod.

Seaforth Sportfishing manager John Yamate bagged a brace at 234 and 202 pounds. The big one was on the kite with a squid. For the other one he baited a sardine on 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Blackwater spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

John Natsume kited up a 234-pounder with a mackerel on a 9/0 Super Mutu hook and 130-pound Blackwater spectra.

Jim Travis had his personal best at 232 pounds. He got a rope on it by way of a 16/0 Mustad circle hook under the kite.

Bill Nakaki caught a 229-pounder with a salami mackerel on a 12/0 Super Mutu hook 130-pound Izorline, a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

Jack Gruschus of Corrales, NM had two cows at 228 and 208 pounds. His rig had to go into the water with a float, he said, but he got the fish. He used 130-pound Seaguar and 130-pound Izorline spectra.

Rick Tyrer had three tuna over 200 pounds on his first long range adventure, at 227, 222 and 203 pounds. The big one came on a whole squid, and he used an Accurate ATD 50 W reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.

Marc Calder, a first timer from Westminister, had a 225-pound yellowfin on a sardine and a 6/0 hook on one of the boat’s rigs.
“It was on the first day,” he remarked. “It was my first tuna ever.”

Mike Hieshima had three cows at 218, 207 and 206 pounds. He fished sardines on 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks tied to 100-pound Blackwater and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate 30 ATD reel and a Super Seeker 2 X 4 rod.

Bill Golder of Chula Vista had a 214-pound tuna that fought him for an hour. He said he baited a salami on a 9/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Blackwater spectra on a Cal Sheets-treated Penn 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod. Bill won the Friends of Rollo jackpot for his bomb-caught 72-pound wahoo.

Another first-timer, Warren Hamachi, got two fish at 209 and 207 pounds. He flylined sardines on 9/0 Super Mutu hooks. He fished with 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon, an Okuma Makira 30 reel and a 770 XH Calstar rod.

Sue Beck of San Clemente had a 202, courtesy of a salami on a 9/0 Super Mutu hook and 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. She fished with a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 6460 XH rod.

Roy Rose won the crew fishing tourney with his personal best of 204 pounds. He said he used a Blue Water 8/0 hook, 130-pound running gear and a Seeker rod.

“We have had a very pleasant ride up toward Cabo,” said the Royal Polaris report for May 10. “Most of the passengers spent the day packing and relaxing. Poker, cribbage, books and movies were the main activities of the day. We had a phenomenal prime rib dinner with all the fixings. Everyone aboard truly deserved a quiet day and nice dinner to recharge before heading home...

“The trip was outstanding and exceeded any of our long range trips prior. The boat totals for the trip were 220 tuna and 259 wahoo. In addition, we released more than 150 tuna in the 80 to 190-pound range and a few that were likely over 200 pounds. The boat ended up with 31 tuna over 200 pounds. The 200-Pound Club for the trip are as follows:”

Clyde "the Glide" Smith tied his best trip with 5 tuna at 201, 205, 224, 234 & 235 pounds
Frank "the Crank" Fink with a 243
Jim "Chopper" Travis had his personal best at 232
Marc "I'm having soooo much fun" Calder a first timer had a 225
Jack "Babyface" Gruschus had 2 tuna at 228 & 208
John "the Best of the Best" Yamate had 2 at 202 & 232
John "I need a backup" Natsume had his personal best at 234
Ron "Maybe I have the Flu" Jew tied for 2nd in the jackpot at 243
Mike" Your humble guest author" Hieshima had 3 at 218, 207 & 206
Chris "I can't stop talking" Peterson had 2 fish at 225 and won jackpot with a 245
Billy "The tuna slayer" Boulder had a 214
Sue "Another one hits the deck" Beck had a 202
Gary " Welcome back" Cotter had 2 at 234 &205
Mike "I'm not that guy" Ashford tied for the 2nd largest at 243
Rick "East Cape" Tyrer had 3 on his first adventure fishing long range at 227, 222 & 203
Warren "Please no wasabi on my" Hamachi, another first timer had 2 at 209 & 207
Bill "Where's Tsuj" Nakaki had a 229
Roy "Bring on the hose" Rose won the crew fishing tourney with his personal best of 204



The Çure

Got yellow fever? Never fear, the cure is here. Bill Roecker has finished a new video with some of the best action you’d ever want to see on the decks of the Independence. “Yellow Fever” was shot last summer on a trip to The Ridge and The 23 Spot, where yellows from 18 to 40 pounds bit like crazy. They bit bait and surface and yoyo jigs like it was the last chance to eat for the next 300 miles. After anglers were nearly limited out, some enjoyed watching the crazed jacks fight with one another to smash a hookless surface jig. It makes a big wow factor for this new video. Dorado and yellowfin tuna also provide entertainment and great eating on the way back north. Don’t miss “Yellow Fever,” soon to appear here and in tackle stores that carry Oceanic Productions and FishingVideos.com products. Here’s what the disc looks like right now. When the cover’s ready this one goes on sale!

“Once the crew rearranged the fish last night,” said the report from Royal Polaris May 9, “it appeared we could fit two more of the larger models in the remaining space before departing at noon for Cabo. We did just that adding two more 200s to the boat total of 31 tuna over 200 pounds. Mike Hieshima (me) caught his third over 200 early in the morning at 206 and Roy caught a 204-pounder. Let me tell the story of Roy's fish...

“Earlier in the morning, Bill Nakaki and a few of us devised a fishing tourney for the crew. The basic rules were simple, we would give the entire crew 30 minutes to catch the largest fish while worked the deck. At exactly 10 a.m. we called the crew (including Bill Golder and John Yamate designated anglers for Anthony and James) to the back of the boat and asked them to choose a rod and reel. Surprisingly, almost all of them chose 100-pound outfits except Roy stuck with the 130 Blackwater and 8/0 circle hook (instead of 130-pound covered in the seminar). In addition, most chose 5/0 hooks instead of the requested 6/0s. Just before the start, we added a little twist and cut off all of their hooks adding a bit of pressure and testing their knot tying skill. Once the buzzer sounded, Ron Jew and John Natsume each sent a full scoop of bait flying and the wahoo were quick to react. It took about a minute to get a hook and bait. Talk about rude, they were pushing, shoving and stealing bait from each other.

“Speaking of bait, the importance of selection (also covered in the seminar) was pretty much out the window, 3 of them hooked salami mackerel onto 6/0 hooks (another no-no). The first volley of casts were hysterical with no "low bridge", "going out" or other pleasantries. During the first round, all contestants received an accidental spray down (payback gentlemen). It was like a spider web of spectra with casts flying in every direction. There was no "following of baits" (tsk, tsk) and every bait was picked or wahoo'd immediately with a 3-way tangle in the corner.

“The result of the first few minute, 0 fish and 1 tangle. From there the crew settled in and started hooking fish with Eddie hooking a wahoo and running to the bow. The back was bedlam with fish darting every which way and half the guys getting picked again. There was no calm in this storm as they had the fever as bad as any 3/4 day boat reaching the albacore grounds. From this point, it got a bit blurry as guys were crossing lines, wahoo ripping thru the corner and scoops of baiting being crushed right on the stern. By the halfway mark, there were 6 wahoo on board with Big D in the lead.

“That's when the Tuna decided to show. John Yamate hooked one and was blocked from passing around the corner by Dharyl, Terrence and his son. He squeezed by finally as the fish was 3/4 up the starboard side of the boat. His fish came to gaff and was a 75-pounder taking the lead over Big D's nice wahoo. Just as John's came aboard, a couple nice tuna showed up and were inhaling everything that hit the water. By now, there were only a few minutes remaining to officially hook a fish. Bill Golder did just that and went screaming up the port side.

“A minute remaining and Roy hooked the big one letting everyone know in his giggling Roy voice saying ‘just hooked the big one, yeah.’. A minute remaining with Bill and Roy hooked up and not following their fish. One last bait and just after the buzzer, Terrence hooks a nice one but was disqualified. Big D reached over his shoulder and flipped the reel into free-spool hoping to saw off Captain Roy's fish.

“The deck hose was used to distract Roy but as he was being hosed down, all he could say was "It's working, it's working". A few minutes later Roy's was gaffed by first timers Cliff & Ted from Arizona along with a third gaff as backup by Sue Beck. The gate was pulled and the gaffing team slid aboard the 204-pounder. In 30 minutes of fishing, the crew landed six wahoo and three tuna with one over 200. Pretty impressive if you ask me. The event was captured on video and Big D intends to put it on You Tube next week.”



Fish, Bait & Temp Coming Up

Water temperatures are rising and the bite won’t be far behind, thinks Shawn Steward, former Excel skipper and now owner of the Aloha Spirit. He fishes the Channel Islands like nobody else. Here’s what Shawn said May 9 (the real May 9, Wednesday.)

“The weather lately has been pretty nice and our water is starting to warm up. 
We have seen water as warm as 61 degrees and we are seeing sign of squid.
 We are starting to catch the occasional halibut and the shallow water is starting to show some signs of life so we will be spending a portion of each day looking for some surface fish in the shallow water so make sure to bring a light outfit when you come out with us.
If you would like to make a reservation please call 805-382-1612 
We will see you on the water.”

Line Size At The Rocks

“Hi Bill: I made a purchase yesterday of three new Accurate reels, and my boy and I now have total of 12 to use. Below I will list the reels we have, and please give us advice on what size line to use for a 7-day trip from 7-21 to 7-28 (I know we do plan to fish Alijos Rocks).”
Thanks, Ernie M. (by email May 10)

Bill’s Answer

OK—here's what I'd use—you have an excellent selection here and should be well-prepared for all events at AR:

2 > 270s (1-speeds) 25-pound line
2 > 870s (1-speeds) 30-pound
2 > 870s (2-speeds) 40
2 > 665s (1-speeds) 40 or 50
2 > 665W (2-speed) 50
1 > B30 (Dawg) Regular size 50 or 60 (could go to 80 if needed)
1 > B30N (Dawg) Narrow 50 or 60

After Big Biscuits

“The Fortune is a for sure go, leaving Thursday(tomorrow) night at 8pm from 22nd street landing, returning on Friday evening. We still have six spots available. Price is $190. If you would like to join us for this ultra limited load trip give me a call at (619) 972-9161.

Big White Sea Bass Happen,"
Bruce Smith, Owner-Operator

Independence is in LA at 22nd St. Landing for some spring fishing. She just returned from a trip that was more than successful for her anglers,who found some large bottom grabbers and a salmon. The photo sent in makes both the weather and the fishing look very good. Here’s the report for May 7:

“The Independence had fantastic fishing at San Clemente during our recent 2.5 day trip. A red rockfish was gaffed weighed 11.5 pounds. We also had over 35 lingcod, averaging 18 to 25 pounds. We also caught a king salmon.”



Outta Here

“Leaving Acapulco,” said the report from Intrepid May 8, “our halfway point. Our travel north continued, after spending the night in the Acapulco harbor. We have been lucky to make good time to the one stop made during our trip home. This morning we cleared customs and immigration, put some fuel on the boat, and got back on course. The weather this afternoon is beautiful with calm seas, and little to no breeze. Projects around the boat are getting worked on everyday, and the checklist is diminishing. We should be passing Cabo San Lucas in a few days and the final stretch will be in sight.”



To The Brim

“We had another great day,” noted the Royal Polaris report for May 8, “and filled the RSW tank early this morning with several nice fish over 200 pounds. Jim "Chopper" Travis caught his personal best, a 232-pounder. Jack "Baby face" Gruschus caught his second at 208. Gary " Welcome Back" Cotter caught his second over 200 at 205. Clyde "The Glide" Smith matched his record of 5 over 200 with a 207-pound beauty. We had 20 wahoo that filled the remaining voids. From that point on, we cut off all tuna including several that were likely right at 200. Officially, we are now at 29 fish over 200 pounds.

“The entire group is exhausted but has found energy to catch mackerel for the morning bite. While I use the word exhausted, it is the type of fatigue that only arises from having 9 days of truly amazing fishing days in a row. Veteran and first timer alike agree that it would be difficult to make the trip any better.”



Stuck At The Beach

It’s halibut time again. The big flatfish are moving into the shallows to spawn, where shore anglers and divers can reach them. Many seafood lovers think halibut are among the very best fish for eating available on the coast of southern CA. This morning, a photo and a note came in from the heavily populated Carlsbad area, sent by television producer and licensed skipper Dan Walsh. Dan wrote,

“George Mironoff, my neighbor across the street, speared this 41.2-pound Halibut around six p.m. last night at his favorite Carlsbad spot to skin dive. He got a smaller but legal 30" flattie last night at the same Carlsbad flattie hot spot.

“The fish was one of five he saw, three about this size, one larger, one smaller. He had already shot this one, which was 44 1/2 inches long, when he saw one about 4 inches larger, but George was already quite busy landing this one.”