Yellowfin tuna make a splash in the Southland

This is fast materializing into an ordinary summer to put El Niño summers to shame.

Last week it was dorado dashing so colorfully -- and acrobatically -- into the Southland spotlight.

This week, as anticipated, it is meatier, stronger and equally prized yellowfin tuna.

Anglers aboard the Freedom out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro, as of late this morning, had boated 90 yellowfin weighing 25 to 30 pounds, plus 10 dorado and six albacore.

The Islander out of San Diego had 60-plus fish aboard with lines still in the water.

This makes today the best yet for a yellowfin season that has just begun.

"We're just taking advantage of what's here," said Freedom Capt. Tom Lee, via satellite phone, from an area just below the 43-fathom spot, about 70 miles offshore.

With two months remaining in the warm-water season, the late summer and early fall bites could be epic. But it remains to be seen whether these tropical and sub-tropical species continue to push north, and how many of the tuna are wrapped by commercial seiners.

Already, pickings are slim immediately to the south and west. In fact, a few San Diego multiday boats are fishing the 43-fathom spot rather than venturing into Mexico.

That's worrisome, but only for the short term.

"It's still early," said Don Ashley, owner of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach.

Ashley said readings have been as high as 76 degrees, but his captains have been doing best in 69- and 70-degree water. On Sunday, 30 anglers aboard the landing's Toronado, fishing near the Freedom, caught 38 yellowfin, 22 dorado, nine albacore and seven yellowtail.

Both vessels are running overnight trips today, and the Freedom has a 1 1/2 -day trip scheduled to depart Tuesday night. Pierpoint: (562) 983-9300. San Pedro's 22nd Street Landing: (310) 832-8304.

Meanwhile, three-quarter-day boats out of Newport Landing, Davey’s Locker and Dana Wharf Sportfishing continue to pluck small dorado from beneath floating kelp paddies.

A Laker in paradise

Brian Shaw, former guard and now a Lakers coach, is at Palmas de Cortez in the East Cape region of Baja California, hunting marlin.

He's fishing with his 8-year-old son, B.J., in a friendly competition with 976-tuna.com founder Philip Friedman and his two sons, Philip and Patrick.

Unfortunately, fishing has slowed dramatically offshore in the Sea of Cortez, and on Sunday, only one billfish had been caught: a 185-pounder by 13-year-old Patrick, a freshman at Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance.

Of the 40-minute battle, Friedman said via satellite phone this morning: "It was way worse than football conditioning."

Philip Jr., 17, a senior at Bishop Montgomery, today caught and released a large sailfish.