Albacore Fishermen Heading for San Miguel Island

Albacore fishermen aboard San Diego-based party boats were on their way to San Miguel Island Thursday afternoon, following reports of albacore being caught there by commercial fishermen in recent days.

Elsewhere, the albacore scene was uneventful. Skippers generally reported albacore are widely scattered or off their feed.

SAN SIMEON--60 anglers (2 boats): 1 ling cod, 63 rock cod, 337 red rock cod, 39 red snapper, 26 assorted bass, 1 halibut.

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--87 anglers (3 boats): 13 ling cod, 370 rock cod, 85 red rock cod, 70 red snapper, 286 assorted bass, 1 king salmon.

AVILA BAY (Port San Luis)--25 anglers (1 boat): 2 ling cod, 72 red rock cod, 102 yellow bass, 11 rock cod.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--85 anglers (5 boats): 127 calico bas, 239 sand bass, 90 red snapper, 221 rockfish, 26 cow cod, 62 whitefish, 3 barracuda.

VENTURA (Ventura Landing)--45 anglers (2 boats): 350 calico bass, 7 halibut, 100 sand bass, 18 barracuda, 1 white sea bass.

OXNARD--169 anglers (5 boats): 380 calico bass, 52 barracuda, 65 whitefish, 34 red snapper, 445 rockfish.

MALIBU--54 anglers (3 boats): 111 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 2 halibut, 1 barracuda, 128 bonito, 41 rockfish.

MARINA DEL REY--127 anglers (5 boats): 4 halibut, 7 barracuda, 32 calico bass, 359 sand bass, 18 bonito, 350 mackerel.

REDONDO--178 anglers (7 boats): 2 yellowtail, 160 bonito, 424 bass, 60 barracuda, 3 halibut, 1 white sea bass, 310 mackerel, 60 rockfish. Barge--11 anglers: 100 bonito, 11 bass, 51 barracuda, 1 halibut, 1 blue shark, 340 mackerel, 30 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (Ports O’ Call)--104 anglers (4 boats): 1 yellowtail, 9 barracuda, 17 calico bass, 679 sand bass, 2 bonito, 37 whitefish, 3 rockfish, 174 mackerel, 19 misc. (22nd St. Landing)--158 anglers (7 boats): 2 bluefin tuna, 1 white sea bass, 402 calico bass, 265 sand bass, 25 bonito, 13 barracuda, 1 halibut, 541 rockfish.

LONG BEACH (Belmont Pier)--71 anglers (3 boats): 680 sand bass, 3 barracuda, 600 mackerel. Barge--60 anglers: 3 perch, 250 mackerel, 1 halibut, 1 bass, 1 bonito. (Queen’s Wharf)--148 anglers (4 boats): 1 yellowtail, 21 barracuda, 121 bonito, 641 sand bass, 2 halibut, 460 rockfish, 1,100 mackerel, 30 whitefish.

SEAL BEACH--98 anglers (3 boats): 977 sand bass, 12 barracuda, 300 mackerel. Barge--25 anglers: 300 mackerel, 12 perch, 10 sand bass, 2 cabazon.

NEWPORT (Newport Landing)--138 anglers (5 boats): 1 yellowtail, 17 barracuda, 1,005 sand bass, 3 bonito, 47 calico bass, 246 mackerel. (Davey’s Locker)--271 anglers (6 boats): 38 barracuda, 25 bonito, 21 yellowtail, 3 halibut, 50 calico bass, 1,815 sand bass, 170 mackerel, 35 rockfish, 1 white sea bass, 26 blue sharks.

DANA WHARF--232 anglers (9 boats): 1,240 bass, 2 barracuda, 152 bonito, 2 halibut, 158 mackerel, 90 rockfish.

OCEANSIDE--93 anglers (4 boats): 213 bonito, 36 calico bass, 217 sand bass, 1 halibut, 26 rockfish, 9 albacore, 1 big eye tuna.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--271 anglers (15 boats): 63 albacore, 1 yellowtail, 3 big eye tuna. (Islandia)--179 anglers (5 boats): 10 barracuda, 162 bonito, 128 sand bass, 96 calico bass, 68 rockfish, 199 mackerel, 157 cabazon. (Seaforth)--193 anglers (7 boats): 6 barracuda, 169 bonito, 246 kelp bass, 2 sand bass, 126 rockfish, 217 mackerel. Multi-day boat--12 anglers: 56 albacore, 1 bluefin tuna, 1 big eye tuna.

Freshwater

Vail Lake in Riverside County had the catfish spotlight all to itself this week. Fishermen pursuing the whiskered species caught stringers weighing more than 65 pounds and individual fish over 15 pounds.

WILLOW BEACH--Very good fishing for stocker-size rainbow trout from resort to 53-mile marker, both trolling, still-fishing. All standard baits, lures effective.

LAKE MEAD--Good to excellent top-water fishing for striped bass all week, mostly mornings, evenings. Top-water fish running 2 to 6 pounds. Success also reported using cut anchovy baits to 50-foot depths. Good catfish results in coves. Largemouth bass slow.

BULLHEAD CITY--Striper fishing inconsistent--hot one day, cold next. Andy Davis, Bullhead City, 13-8 striper from shore at Fort Mohave. Trolling on Lake Mohave productive in very deep water. Good night still-fishing, with lights.

SALTON SEA--Good orangemouth corvina action from Bombay Beach to Red Hill, early mornings, evenings. Emmanuel Knight, Los Angeles, 25-0 corvina with tilapia minnow at Red Hill, still fishing. Tilapia, croaker good.

LAKE CACHUMA--Good trout fishing near dam with standard baits, lures. Catfish productive in backs of bays with cut mackerel. Bass slow.

LAKE CASITAS--Some catfish success in shallows with mackerel baits. Trolling eight or nine colors working for trout by dam or by bait fishing deep water off points.

LAKE PIRU--Trolling best bet for trout, nine colors, or still-fishing 30-50-foot depths. Good catfish results, coves. Bass spotty.

LAKE SKINNER--Bass, catfish best bets. Other species slow.

CASTAIC LAKE--Bass, catfish good.

LAKE ISABELLA--Bass slow, but improving in North, South forks. Catfish fair in Brown’s Cove. Crappie slow.

SAN DIEGO LAKES--Otay: Slow to fair for bass overall. Best bet: Find shad. Bass sure to be near. Miramar: Fair fishing. El Capitan: Slow for bass; catfish, crappie fair. Hodges: Bass fair, but two weighed in at 11-12, 11-4. Good catfish results all week, best of San Diego lakes.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Good shore fishing reports from Gray’s Landing, areas near dam. Good trolling, still-fishing results on trout.

VAIL LAKE--Don Gilchrist, Pomona, Fred Garcia, Ontario, seven catfish weighing 65-14, including 15-0, 12-6, 11-4, from boat in Bayou Bay. M.M. Maryweather, Los Angeles, 15-6, 8-11 catfish with chicken livers in Hunter’s Cove. Good to excellent catfish results all week.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Catfish best bet. Stripers slowing down.

LAKE HENSHAW--Limits of big crappie all week. Fair for bass, catfish.

BISHOP AREA--Improved trolling results in South, Sabrina. Sabrina best at inlets of Blue, George creeks. South Lake best in Glacier Cove. Streams high but clear. Easy limits reported at South, Middle forks, Bishop Creek. Lower Owens flow rate dropped, fair fishing. Back country: Good catches of rainbows at Blue Lake; kamloops to 14 inches at Green Lake.

CONVICT LAKE--Good trolling, shore fishing results. Back country: Limits reported at Lakes Genevieve, Dorothy, Mildred.

JUNE LAKE LOOP--June: Trolling four or five colors best bet, standard lures. Gull: Trolling, still-fishing working with standard gear. Silver: Fly fishing late evenings productive. Rush Creek: Numerous 14-inch rainbows this week.

BRIDGEPORT AREA--Good fishing at Upper, Lower Twin Lakes with standard lures, baits. Robinson Creek producing limits of stockers near outlet, browns to 5-0 in meadow. Bridgeport Reservoir: Fair trolling, good still-fishing with bait in Buckeye Bay. East Walker River: Black-white marabous, pale morning dun, California mosquito, hare’s ear patterns all working. Several hatches underway. Water running medium to high. Browns to 6-0 this week. Hike-in fly fishermen reporting good action in Green Creek Basin with royal coachman patterns. Kirman Lake: Olive matouka, olive woolly buggars best bets.

Trout Plants

A list of waters scheduled to be planted by the Department of Fish and Game, weather and road conditions permitting, by counties:

LOS ANGELES--Big Rock Creek.

SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Gregory Lake, Silverwood Lake.

SAN DIEGO--San Luis Rey River.

KERN--Kern River (Democrat Dam to KR1 powerhouse, Borel powerhouse to Democrat Dam, Isabella Dam to Borel powerhouse, KR3 powerhouse to Lake Isabella).

TULARE--Bone Creek, Dry Meadow Creek, Freeman Creek (Pyles Camp), Kern River (Fairview Dam to KR3 powerhouse, Johnsondale Bridge to Fairview Dam), Nobe Young Creek, Peppermint Creek (Upper, Lower), South Creek, Tule River (Middle, North, South forks of Main Fork, Cedar Slope area).

MADERA--San Joaquin River (Middle Fork), Sotcher Lake, Starkweather Lake.

ALPINE--Blue Lakes (Upper, Lower).

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, South, Intake II), Georges Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Lower Owens River (below Tinemeha), Rock Creek (Rock Creek Lake to end of road), Rock Creek Lake, Shepherds Creek, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinemeha Creek Tuttle Creek.

MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker Lake, Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mamie Lake, Mammoth Creek, Mary Lake, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Upper Owens River (Benton Crossing, Big Springs), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake, Rush Creek, Saddlebag Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Swauger Creek, Tioga Lake, Trumbull Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport (Upper, Lower), Twin Lakes Mammoth Lakes, Virginia Creek (Upper, Lower), Virginia Lakes (Upper, Lower), Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).