Tuna Finally Get Hungry, Provide Feast for Anglers

A week ago, business was so bad in San Diego that Phil Lobred, manager of H&M; Landing, made the comment: “We’re dying on the vine down here.”

And it wasn’t a case of sour grapes.

“It’s just been dead down here,” agreed Dan Sansome, owner of nearby Pt. Loma Sportfishing.

But that was a week ago. The phones are ringing steadily now as the tuna that have been so finicky have turned voracious. And at least some of the fish are making their way north, which means they might be within range of San Diego’s huge overnight fleet any day.

Meanwhile, those aboard the multiday boats are working huge bluefin and bouncing to smaller yellowfin tuna and dorado.

Sansome’s American Angler returned from a four-day trip Sunday with 297 yellowfin averaging about 15 pounds. The 19 passengers were able to land 48 bluefin ranging from 70 to 113 pounds, but they lost hundreds.

“They were using 60- to 100-pound test line and it was just full on for seven hours,” Sansome said. “It was rough, and that didn’t help matters. I would say they probably lost six or seven fish for every one caught.”

It was the same aboard the Vagabond, which brought back 58 bluefin, 22 of which weighed more than 100 pounds.

Sansome said the biggest concentration of tuna is still between 200 and 250 miles southwest of Pt. Loma, but skippers have metered fish as close as 100 miles away. Another 20 or miles north and they will be ripe for the taking by the overnight fleet. Providing they want to eat, that is.

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When Mike Schulz stepped off the Mustang on Saturday, his left arm was hanging limp by his side.

“My left bicep feels like somebody has beaten on it with a hammer,” he said.

But Schulz wasn’t complaining. He and 24 others spent the better part of the day battling big yellowtail off the backside of San Clemente Island.

When it was over, they had put 111 fish on deck, making it the most successful yellowtail trip this year out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro. Schulz landed seven, all weighing more than 20 pounds.

The largest was a 38-pounder by Ken Mook of Whittier.

“It was unbelievable, dude,” Schulz said. “We ran out of bait halfway through the trip. Otherwise we could have caught them all day long.”

But could they have pulled them in?

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Suddenly, little Lake Barrett is in the spotlight.

Bass fishermen by the thousands have expressed interest in fishing the San Diego City-run reservoir, and for good reason. The lake has been closed to angling since 1968.

It will open again Saturday, and fishing is expected to be outstanding. But there are plenty of snags to overcome.

The lake will be open only on weekends, and only 20 boats--none with motors--will be allowed on the lake at a time. Fishing will be limited to catch-and-release.

A lottery system will be used to pick prospective anglers, who can participate by mailing a self-addressed card to San Diego City Lakes, Barrett Lottery, 5540 Kiowa Dr., La Mesa, CA. 91942.

But don’t hold your breath.

“We’ve basically received a couple of thousand cards already,” said Jim Brown, manager of the lakes. “And we’ve already drawn through the last Sunday in August.”

Briefly

BAJA FISHING--Robert Montford last Saturday caught a 484-pound blue marlin aboard the Gaviota II to highlight the past week off Cabo San Lucas. Montford, 48, of Tustin, said hooking the big blue “was like hooking into a train.” Two fishermen from Bakersfield were fishing aboard a boat called Blue Marlin, but caught a 418-pound black marlin, one of only a handful caught this year. An even more unusual catch was a white marlin, again aboard the Gaviota II. Huge tuna--one reported at 210 pounds--and dorado are also being caught. Fishing at the East Cape has been equally good, with tuna to 80 pounds and dorado providing plenty of action. Blue marlin and sailfish are fairly plentiful as well. There were unconfirmed reports of a 690-pound blue, but most have been in the 200- to 300-pound range. Roosterfish are abundant along the beaches, but getting them to bite has been difficult. Farther up the gulf, at Loreto, dorado fishing remains outstanding.

POACHING--It’s becoming a problem at Puddingstone Reservoir. DFG warden Mark Jeter patrolled the lake’s shores three times this month--and has captured poachers each time. Most are throwing nets at night and escaping with hundreds of bluegill, catfish, crappie and bass. The latest to be caught illegally using a throw-net in the lake: Jose L. Bonilla, 36, and Florentino Lopez, 31, both of Pomona. Bonilla was cited and released. Lopez was detained because of outstanding warrants. They were arrested on July 16 at 1 a.m. Using illegal gear is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of $1,000 and six months in jail.

HUNTING--Deer hunters in Zone A figure to have little company for this summer’s hunt. A total of 48,000 tags remain for the coastal zone, which includes much of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The season opens on Aug. 13. An abundance of tags also remain for various hunts beginning later this summer or fall.

CALENDAR--Crowley Lake is one of the most popular trout fisheries in the state, but Sacramento perch will be in the spotlight next week. Crowley Lake Fish Camp’s second annual perch derby will run Monday through Friday, with $10,000 going to anyone who can break the current record of 3 pounds 10 ounces. Many fish topping two pounds have been landed in recent days. Cost is $5 and registration is available at the lake any time before Monday. . . . The Mako del Rey shark fishing tournament--sanctioned by International Gamefish Tournaments, with a first prize of up to $5,000--will be held out of Marina Del Rey Aug. 13-14. Details: (714) 573-1415.