Long Range Fishing Update – 02/12/10

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & the San Diego Sportfishing Council

Early Albacore

Albacore Fishing in Feb!!

The warm water conditions that have kept good fishing for giant yellowfin tuna going far longer than usual on the southern banks have been felt all the way up the Pacific coast. It could mean an early albacore season this spring. Encounters with longfin have been reported in January and February.
Heading south on a 16-day trip, second skipper Bruce Smith reported the catch of albacore on the boat’s second day of travel.
“We left yesterday on the annual January 16-day and par for the course on the second day out of San Diego (January 3) we came up with the first albacore of the year. Mr. Dave Hensley and the infamous “beer” Bob Dosek were the persistent anglers that had their trolling rigs in the water when we went by the willing tunas.”

Albacore coming to gaff

When Shogun returned to San Diego January 18, owner-skipper Norm Kagawa told dock reporter Bill Roecker that there were four albacore caught that day on the way south, all on the troll and all weighing 18 pounds.Now a second encounter has been reported on 976 TUNA. Skipper Terry Clayton of the Sea Adventure II was commercial fishing for blackgill cod when he saw jumping albies pass by alongside the boat just last week. He described them as 15-pound albacore.When a tuna jumped out of the water, Clayton said he could see its long pectoral fins, its “wings,” perfectly.

Such sightings and catches are unusual but not unheard of. Commercial skippers fishing west of San Clemente Island used to see albacore during the winter season. This latest sighting was said to be only 50 miles from San Diego. If the water remains warm and the fish stay near, albacore season could begin in April or May, as it has sometimes done in the past.

ALBACORE!!!!!!

Heading North To Fish
“It’s a long way to the 17th Parallel,” observed the report from skipper Sam Patella aboard American Angler February 10.
“We have made the Full Tour down here to the Southern Zone and now it’s time to gain some Latitude. The fishing has been fair with a few bigger ones and a mix of others and we are running up to spend the last part of our trip on the beach.
“The photo of the day is “Rain on the windows.” We have been in this Rain Cloud for over 200 miles for the last two days.
“As you can see, it is nice weather to travel in and we will be on the grounds day after tomorrow.”
American Angler is due back in San Diego February 16.
Travel Time’s Over

Royal Polaris Yellowfin Tuna

Frank LoPreste has his Royal Polaris fishing far to the south on a long winter Accurate trip, with chartermaster Jack Nilsen aboard.
“We arrived at our destination in the early morning,” he reported February 11.
“Weather was a bit breezy throughout the day, but laid down nicely about 16:00 hours.
“We managed to pick away at the Wahoo and Yellowfin tuna, mainly on the sardines. Our largest Yellowfin was about 160 pounds, caught by Jonathan Jeffers. Gail Lynch won a beautiful pair of Accurate pliers for landing the first fish in the morning over 100 pounds.”
Fishing Valentines
“Hi Bill,
Thanks for the nice write-up!  Would you be able to send me the full sized photo file of Floyd and me to my email?
Thanks,”
Jan Abbott
This shot was nice enough to put it up for Valentine’s day, so here it is.