NOTES / PETE THOMAS : Albacore Making a Splash Once More

Steve Giffin, skipper of the Holiday out of Point Loma Sportfishing in San Diego, issued this bulletin via fax: “New fish coming in and building up . . . it’s getting better and better out here!”

Sorry, Steve, but the attention among Southland anglers has shifted from the yellowfin tuna south of the border to the albacore tuna off the Central California coast.

Everybody has been waiting for the reappearance of albacore, which until they decided to stop showing locally 10 years ago--possibly, experts say, because of a series of El Ninos that changed oceanic temperatures--were by far the most popular game fish around.

The fish were located a few weeks ago about 60 miles off Point Conception but until Saturday were protected by high winds and rough seas.

The Cat Special out of Cisco Sportfishing in Oxnard was the first to take advantage of calmer weather on Saturday, its anglers catching 80 fish of 20-40 pounds.

Since then, landings from Port Hueneme to Morro Bay have been sending vessels out, and judging from the success of the fleet, it appears a genuine albacore season has finally become a reality.

John Shull, skipper of the Pacific Dawn out of Cisco, said it felt like old times during a sizzling Sunday, when his 13 anglers picked up 125 albacore.

“There was a time when everybody out there was shut down and we had a full sundown ripper,” he said.

That means all the boats were stopped and everybody was hooked up at the same time, as the sun set over the Pacific.

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It was frustrating for everybody trying to get to the albacore when the weather was rough, but for Russ Harmon, owner of Cisco and of the vessel Cat Special, the frustration continues.

Having been the first to score a big count on the fish, the boat was making another run Sunday night, but it got only about 20 miles out when it hit something and sprang a leak.

“And the anchor line somehow got through the hole and wrapped around the port prop, and then around the rudder, and we were dead in the water,” Harmon said, adding that the boat was towed in without any problems.

Asked what the boat might have hit, Harmon said he had no clue.

“There are some weather buoys out there. Maybe a cargo ship dropped some cargo. I don’t know, it was a total fluke,” he said.

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As for fishing south of the border, Giffin’s count from 80 miles out Monday typified the situation: 120 yellowfin and one yellowtail.

Boats from L.A. Harbor to Newport Beach, meanwhile, have had success at the outer banks, catching some yellowfin and a whole lot of skipjack tuna.

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Cabo San Lucas is still cleaning up after Hurricane Henriette, which slammed into the tip of the Baja Peninsula a week ago.

Winds to 100 m.p.h. and torrential rains caused mostly minor damage, closing the airport and knocking out power and telephone lines for more than a day, and sinking a few pangas.

Victor Gutierrez, owner of a panga fleet in San Jose Del Cabo, told U.S. representative Larry Burson at Jig Stop Tours in Dana Point that satellite antennas “were flying around like flocks of birds and they’re still looking for most of them.”

Meanwhile, the water is clearing and marlin fishing is slowly beginning to improve off Land’s End.

Briefly

HUNTING--The general buck seasons for zones X12 in northern Mono County, and X9A in south Mono County begin Saturday and, despite an increase in deer numbers, hunters will probably find it difficult to fill their tags. Deer are expected to be scattered because of last winter’s heavy snow, which has “produced ample water, forage and cover for deer” throughout the back country, a Department of Fish and Game news release said. Also, the increased run-off has washed out many of the hunter access routes.

MISCELLANY--The San Fernando Valley chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is holding its first banquet-membership drive Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Knights of Columbus Hall in Canoga Park. Cost is $50 for a single, $75 for a couple. Proceeds go to various conservation projects. Details: (818) 892-9890. . . . The Long Beach Casting Club is offering a five-course rod-building class beginning Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Recreation Park in Long Beach. Details: (310) 322-9476.