Northern California Bluefin & Other Rare Fish for This Area

Started by foakes, October 14, 2021, 07:20:18 PM

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foakes

Reports of Bluefin at 6 miles off of Davenport Fingers and Big Sur.

Even a 145 pound Opah!

And many others.

Reports are numerous —

MONTEREY/SANTA CRUZ Salmon 2 Bluefin tuna 3 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3 Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, "Weather conditions are holding, and the big bluefin bite of 2021 is still on! If anything, it is getting better as local anglers take advantage and learn from their mistakes. This week saw constant and consistent reports of boats finding, hooking, and landing multiple tuna from a widespread area. The key spots are located off of Point Sur or near the Finger Canyons 10 miles west of Davenport. In the Sur area, the giant tuna are as close as 6 miles from the beach! At the Fingers, the distance offshore is more like 10 to 12 miles. Both locations take some travel time from port, but so far, no one is complaining. There are temperature breaks out there, but they key factor seems to be getting to the canyon edges and just looking for feeding fish, jumpers, and breezers. Last week we were calling this bite "epic." We are moving rapidly towards "historical" status. Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine is a noted tuna hunter in our area. On Saturday he said, "This is all time fishing here in Santa Cruz. The anglers are using 60- to 80-pound Seaguar and live bait hooks on the mackerel. There have been some fish caught trolling Rapalas, Nomads, or Cedar Plugs as well. Numerous fish have been caught and lost. There was even a 145-pound Opah caught on a mackerel near Davenport today." Friday's weather was a bit more uncomfortable, but tuna anglers were able to get offshore and score, according to Fraser. "Bluefin were caught today at the Davenport Fingers and down near Big Sur. The fish are here and they are in the 70- to 180-pound class. The key is to find the water temperature break and look for the bluefin. The wind was not bad in the morning but it did blow 15 in the afternoon," he reported. NOAA weather forecasts look good for the coming week. If it holds, we should continue to enjoy this amazing fishery. Captain Steve Gutierrez took out a crew on a venture last week, and he started off at Big Sur, only to find no boats plying the region. He searched around and looked for the warm water break, and they were rewarded after a four-mile run with a hook up on a huge bluefin estimated at 170 pounds on an 'old school' Rapala with a metal bill. After a 40-minute fight, Gutierrez took control for the final half-hour to bring the huge fish to the gaff. Inshore, things are holding steady for regular fall-type fishing. In Capitola the rockfishing is still great. Lingcod catches are on the rise for fish from 6 to 20 pounds on local reefs. A few white sea bass are biting for anglers fishing near the Cement Ship. Halibut remain active in the Capitola area from 30 out to 80 feet of water. There are still a few undersized flatties in the mix, but most are keepers ranging from nine pounds up to the mid-twenties. Both the lings and halibut are biting like crazy on live bait. There's plenty of bait to jig in the area including Spanish and Pacific mackerel, jack smelt, kingfish, and anchovies. Anglers are finding success trolling lures or bait with a three-way rig or drifting with a short-leader three-ways and Carolina rigs. This time of year, fishing for big halibut is usually best up the coast. The sandy areas between rocky points of Three-Mile and Four-Mile Beaches are classic spots for fall halibut fishing. The bull kelp in that area grows out to 70-foot depths. Anglers trolling or using live bait find big flatties just beyond the kelp beds out to 90-to 100-feet of water." Call: Chris' Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell – Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/outdoors/hunting-fishing/article254887727.html#storylink=cpy

Best, Fred
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The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
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Hardy Boy

They catch the odd blue fin here off of Northern Vancouver island mixed in with the albacore and the odd yellowtail as well. My buddy had a bft this year. African pompano as well some years.


Cheers:

Todd
Todd

jurelometer

The launch ramps must be a zoo right now.  Normally the quiet time of year.

alantani

i've gotta get ready for the SOA 10-day, and that's AFTER i catch up with everything else......   :-\
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Gfish

Wow! Great for Nor-Cal. Actually wish I was there. The wind is keeping me off the water here.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

Brokeass Boater

Its been awhile since I dropped in here, but yes,,absolutly been a awesome year for us norcal boys. My wife and I caught a 95lb a few weeks ago out of Monterey. This past tuesday I and a couple buddies caught a 195lb out of Santa Cruz. Both fish came on  live Mackerel we caught early am for bait. Pinned to a DR and sent 100' and 50' down otw, with a 350' setbacks. Its been a bucket list check off for me, I've caught peanuts while Albacore fishing but catching bigger grade BF from my own boat, check,,  take it off the list.. Sure beats driving to Socal for 7 hrs, we are all hopeing for a yearly event with these bigger models,,,gregg

Brokeass Boater


Dominick

I guess global warming has its silver lining.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

Ron Jones

Quote from: Dominick on November 05, 2021, 11:05:01 PM
I guess global warming has its silver lining.  Dominick
The reduction in gill nets helps as well I'd bet. Tuna eats lots of what used to be kept down as bycatch.
The Man
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"