Net Update

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & San Diego Sportfishing Council

May 23, 2011

“On Our Way Home”

“We finished up our trip last night,” wrote Excel skipper Justin Fleck May 24, “and are now on our way home. Not only was tuna fishing again good in the morning, but the afternoon was steady as well. The final well in the center was topped off at dark so we broke down gear and called it a trip. Big fish for the day were Roland Reesby with a 203, his first cow, Gary Gillingham of Accurate Reels with a 206 pounder, and Jim Carlisle boated his second cow of the trip at 217 pounds. All three fish were caught just before dark. What a great trip! There were tons of wahoo and lots of big tuna for everyone.”

Day At The Rocks

“Good evening from the Independence,” said the report for May 24. “Today was pretty much like yesterday, as we had good fishing for yellowtail, but another no-show for the tuna. We did catch one lonesome tuna. Conditions were not the best, as the wind is really blowing out here. We are going to give this another try tomorrow. We hope the wind dies, and the fishing picks up.”

Red Rooster III Co-Owner Passes

Guy L. Halpain of Granite Hills, co-owner of the 105-foot Red Rooster III long range sportfisher with his wife Linda Palm, has died. He had been struggling with some heart problems for several years, but cancer was the cause of death, according to his longtime wife and partner Linda Palm-Halpain.

With a great many local friends, Guy was well-known to anglers on the Rooster, and Linda said he had been familiar with the workings of the boat since it was launched. He had many skills, including carpentry, mechanics and roping. He was the proud owner of a 1940 Willys coupe, one of the last remaining steel-bodied versions of that model, very popular in the 60s and 70s as a drag racing “gasser.”

Born in Indio on December 20, 1938, Halpain was also a highly skilled pool player. He often met the boat at the dock on its return from fishing, to talk with anglers aboard about how they enjoyed the trip and the boat.

According to the Red Rooster III office and Christina Braaten, there will be a memorial service for Guy on Friday, June 3rd at the El Cajon Mortuary at 2 PM. The address is 684 South Mollison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92020 (619) 440-8033. The cross streets are East Washington & South Mollison Ave.

Yellowtail Wakeup Call

A great fish count of 103 yellowtail for 29 anglers was scored by a Seaforth boat yesterday, likely signaling the start of the long-awaited summer inshore bite.

The San Diego, running a ¾ day trip with skipper Ryan Bostian, fished at the Rockpile for 16 to 22 pound yellowtail, reported landing manager John Yamate, who noted that fishing was “…good for small handful of jig fishermen but most fished with bait.”

The bite went on most of the time the boat remained on location. The water temperatures recently have been 63 to 65 degrees, said Yamate.

Seaforth wasn’t the only landing to cash in on the bonanza. H&M counterperson Martha said yesterday the Malihini fished at the Coronados yesterday on ¾ day trip scored 20 ‘tails by 11 in the morning, and ended up with 26 yellows for seven anglers.

“The weather was beautiful, and the fish, up to 25 pounds, bit on bait. The skipper was Clay Williams. The next day the boat left with 48 people,” said Martha to dock reporter Bill Roecker.

Net Update

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & San Diego Sportfishing Council

May 23, 2011

Indy’s Fishing On Alijos Eight-Day

“After a long annual maintenance session we are out on our first trip of the year,” said the report from Independence May 21. “I must say the boat is in the best shape ever, as we installed two new John Deere generators, and did countless cosmetic upgrades to make things even more enjoyable for our passengers. The crew is just outstanding this year. So here we go, we departed on the Purfield’s Pro Tackle eight-day trip yesterday with a nice supply of sardines, and a boatload of eager fisherman. The weather is ok, and we have high hopes for finding something today in our travels. We should be down to The Rocks in the morning to begin our trip. Please wish us luck, Jeff, the Indy crew and us.

The next day’s report said: “I can say for sure that the reality is they will be necessary on any of our 5 to 7 day trips starting with trip 11 on 7/23/11. I would also highly recommend having a passport on any of the long trips as well, we have had times in the past when a medical emergency has put us in at the nearest Mexican port for assistance and a passport is a must in that type of scenario. Thank you for understanding this need in the future and lets all hope for good conditions and lots of fish. Mark, Paul and the entire Indy staff.

On May 23, the report noted, “Here is what we know so far. Yesterday we covered lots of good country with good conditions for no fish and no sign of fish. Today we arrived around 1100 hours, and had good fishing for yellowtail, and poor sign of tuna. The weather is up, and we are going to give it another try for tomorrow.”

Passport Costs

This is the latest from Celia Condit of the Searcher (posted May 21), and should answer some of the questions that have surfaced recently, after the announcement that Guadalupe Island will open this year to anglers with passports:

“If you are faced with applying for a passport, you might consider the passport card. It’s less expensive and sufficient for our Guadalupe Island trips. It is not accepted for air travel, however.

“Thanks to a sharp-minded customer (Michael Townes) for that one!”

The new passport rulings have caused at least one owner-operator to revamp his boat’s fishing schedule for the summer. Mike Keating of the Spirit of Adventure said he couldn’t make four-day trips to the island with a half-day stop included, so he would adjust his planned trips.

Yellowtail Derby Winner

First results come from organizer John Campbell, sent Monday night at 10:30 PM:

Tom Keus caught a 39.5 California yellowtail to beat second place by 9 pounds.

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & San Diego Sportfishing Council

May 18, 2011

Got On ‘Em Late

“We had a very long day looking for some action today,” reported the American Angle4r May 19, “checking out all of our Yellowtail spots with Gold Stars next to them, only finding cold water, cold, dirty water or cold, dirty, smutzy water. (‘Smutz’ is the term used by skippers to describe meter readings that are heavily marked, flecked with minute organisms or objects like plankton.)

“Sometime in the late afternoon we found the right conditions; warmer clean blue water and can you believe it… fish. We are going to go out on a limb and hope conditions stay the same here and go to work a little earlier in the day tomorrow.

“The photo of the day is Ms. Tammie and her personal Capt. Taro with a sample of the grade fish we enjoyed today. We have another day to fish the shallows before we make the run offshore (weather permitting).”

Boatwork Report

“What’s going on aboard the Royal Polaris…First, the engineers: The engineer team is Billy, Eddie, Jonathan, and Evan. First thing is they took out the port and starboard gearboxes and did major work on them, installed new sump-tank on starboard side, and then installed new plumbing to the heads downstairs.

“Then there’s the paint crew (Roy, Kenny, Ralph, and Chris). There has been sanding, bounding, painting, you name it,  they have been hard at work. Chris has installed new electrical outlets on the celling in the galley. That brings me to “Big D”. Dharyl has been hard at work, sanding and varnishing. Believe me when I say ‘The Crew Works Hard For Their Money’. We will keep you informed and updated on our daily events. The phone has been on the blink, that’s why no reports, but we are back in action.”

Ekstrom On Guadalupe Island

Tim Ekstrom of the Royal Star posted this report May 19: “The guys will be arriving in San Diego this evening after a run up the hill featuring both the best and worst side of what the temptress has to offer. Today’s arrival will be followed by a final week at the dock where preparations will be made for the upcoming season that begins on Friday, May 27th. Meanwhile a few positive items to emphasize include falling fuel costs and details finalizing our access to Guadalupe this season coming together. The falling fuel costs translate into a smaller impact on our angler’s resources while the Guadalupe access provides opportunity at the magical outside island for the larger class yellowfin tuna less extended travel times necessary to reach Alijos rocks and beyond.

“In reference to Guadalupe it does appear that anglers must carry U.S. Passports (or a Passport from your country of citizenship) and we will be required to travel through Ensenada and U.S. customs upon return. All voyages will originate and return to San Diego with anglers remaining on board Royal Star the entire time. No disembarkation is required or necessary. There are still some final details being worked out but the main news is that Guadalupe will be among our list of options during our summer and fall voyages. We will keep everyone posted as additional details become available. The main component is that anglers on voyages that may access Guadalupe, more specifically voyages from the middle of July through October in the four to seven day range, should carry a U.S. Passport. Depending on fishing circumstances it is not certain that any given voyage will travel to Guadalupe, but a voyage carrying anglers without passports will not be permitted access. If you do not have a Passport we strongly encourage you to submit an application now so you will have the option of fishing at Guadalupe Island.

“In the meantime reports and photos will continue during the upcoming week as the boat arrives with a new stock of full resolution shots today. Also Capt. Sims will be back at the video side posting a few new clips from the last two tagging voyages on the Royal Star Facebook page. Don Franks gets top billing today as this full resolution shot, with a magnificent Cape Pearce providing the backdrop is well worth a repeat. In contrast to the smaller rigs I heralded yesterday, Don’s use of the big 80-class reels produces awesome results. The cranking power, the giant drag surface, the torque, the pure dominance of such equipment once a fish is hooked is unmistakable. Fishing with a sardine for an extended period of time toting one of these beasts around is definitely less than attractive however. It is that classic trade off that boils down to personal preference, to how one best likes to do their thing. There are many ways to get the job done.

“Finally, I suspect that the information regarding Guadalupe will generate a host of questions that we are glad to answer. Tracy, Randy, Brian, and I will be available tomorrow and throughout next week to do just that. It is a perfect opportunity for one and all to get the information direct from the source; and I encourage everyone to do so rather than depend on the trusty rumor mill that predictably leads the majority of individuals seeking valid information astray.”

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & the San Diego Sportfishing Council – Net Update January 6, 2011

West Coast Anglers Return (WestCoastAngler.com)

Joe D’Acquisto docked the Red Rooster III at H&M Landing January 6 after the WestCoastAngler.com ten-day trip with 18 anglers aboard. One of them was TJ Ponder of Encinitas, and nine-year-old angler who’s been pictured in several fishing publications. He got his best fish on this trip, a 146-pounder tuna. TJ goes to El Camino Creek Elementary School.

Albert Zilske of Riverside won second place for a 164-pound tuna. Karl Bornemann of Hemet won third place for a 159.9-pounder, barely escaping the charge of Michael Rosenthal of Phoenix, who presented a 159.8-pound tuna to take fourth place and the coveted Red Rooster III jacket. The group posed with their fish.

West Coast Angler would like to thank Chartermaster/Bartender Robert Peterson and our awesome sponsors, Salas Jigs, 5-Star Fish Processing, VMC Hooks, Jimi Jigs, Lakeside Bait & Tackle, Hobie Sunglasses, BHP Tackle, FishingVideos.com & Jim Trelikes custom rods.

Year’s First Three Tuna Sweep JP

Jeff DeBuys docked Independence at Pt. Loma Sportfishing January 6 after a good ten-day trip into southern waters. The trip, with 30 anglers, was sponsored by Baja Fish Gear and owner Ed Tschernoscha was chartermaster.

“We connected with big tuna on all of our fishing days,” remarked DeBuys. “They bit on bait and 100-pound line, and some bit early in the morning on jigs like the Salas PL 68 and the Tady 15. When the jig stopped on the way down, you were on!”

Vladmir Kustudic won first place for a 180-pound tuna. He bagged that one, the third to bite in the pre-dawn of New Year’s Day, on a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Mustad Demon hook tied to 100-pound fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar rod.

Kerry Iwanaga of Placentia won second place for a 177-pound jig-biter, the second fish to come aboard that morning. The iron was a chrome Tady PLQ, tied to 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Penn 50 SW reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 7465 XH rod.

“It was a pretty quick fight,” said Kerry. “He bit in the dark, went up and down and I got him in a half-hour.”

Ivan Fujunaka of San Francisco won third place for the first tuna of 2011. The 167.6-pounder came on a sardine and a 6/0 ringed Super Nautilus Gamakatsu hook. Ivan fished with 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 100-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate ATD 30 T reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Josiah Chaminade of West Hills is 16. He got a 171.4-pounder in an hour. He plays football and wrestles and pulls a 4.0 average at West Hills High.

“Good Fishing Offshore”

“We had a good trip,” said Excel skipper Justin Fleck at Fisherman’s Landing January 6. He had just come back from a ten-day trip with 29 anglers. “It was good fishing offshore. The warm water pushed south,” he added.

Andy Papworth of White City, OR won first place on the trip, for a 157-pound tuna he got with a sardine on a ringed 4/0 Mustad Demon circle hook. He said he used 80-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a TLD 30 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Jason House of Reno, NV won second place for a 154-pounder, and Chris Kumai of Berkeley won third place for a 136-pound yellowfin tuna.

Calstar Trip Returns

Sam Patella brought his American Angler home to Pt. Loma Sportfishing with 22 anglers aboard after the ten-day Calstar trip with chartermaster Glenn Kuromi, Calstar pro-staffer.

“We gave away seven rods and four blanks,” said Kuromi.

Jor Gigliotti of Coto de Caza won first place for the trip’s cow, a 239.5-pound tuna he got with a sardine on a 7/0 Mustad ringed Demon offset circle hook.

“The toughest fish I ever fought,” said Gigliotti, “and the longest fight, too. He bit about six AM and stayed outside through the whole fight, then came up in the starboard corner.”

Joe said he used 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate ATD 12 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod.

Bill Hennigh of Garden Grove won second place for his best fish ever, a 186-pounder. Chris Cruger of Scripps Ranch won third place for a 161- pound tuna.

“We had a great time,” he told dock reporter Bill Roecker. Calstar loaned us all rods, and I really enjoyed that.”

Lady Tops The Boys

Intrepid docked under Mike Pritchard’s hand January 6 at Pt. Loma Sportfishing after a ten-day trip with 22 passengers, an Accurate/Izorline trip with co-chartermasters David Choate and Shauna Barton.

“We brought 40 loaner outfits,” noted Choate. “All the guys got Izorline fill-ups, Spectra scissors and Owner hooks, too. We gave away two Seeker rods and an Accurate BX-600 reel.”

Skipper Pritchard said, “I’ve never been down there on a ten-day before. It was good fishing. One evening we had 84 tuna, and they bit into the dark. And we had a 90-year-old gentleman, Norm Moltar, win the sportsman’s award.”

Marilyn Reece of Fresno would have won the jackpot for her 229-pound tuna, but it came on the kite and the rotation wasn’t completed, so her fish was ineligible. Still, she really enjoyed the experience.

“He went after my flying fish,” she said, “and he missed it. He tried again, and missed. On the third time, he got it!”

Todd Burkdoll of Visalia won first place for a 196-pounder. He said it came on a sardine and a ringed Owner Super Mutu hook tied to 60-pound Yo-Zuri Hybrid and 80-pound Line One Spectra. He used an Avet 30 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Chartermaster David Choate won second place for a 177.2-pounder, and Craig Smith of Brooklyn, NY won third place for a 175-pound tuna.

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

Net Update December 6, 2010

Next Day At The Stones

“We stayed the night at the stones,” reported American Angler December 4, “and once again awoke to a flat calm, no wind, beautiful morning. As soon as it was light enough to see – there was just enough bird life to get us in the right country. We had scratch fishing for a few hours where we kept one or two going but they were all decent grade. We pulled the anchor, made a move and found a zone that wanted to bite. We had several fish going for a few hours and we were really busy but as fast as it started, it shut off sometime during midafternoon. We ended up the day with 80 tuna and a couple or three handfuls of yellows. Most of the tuna were 25 to 35 pounds, but we had a fair share of 45 to 90-pound fish in the mix to keep us on our toes. Mark Crampton had one of the larger fish boated for the day.

Bird Schools Producing
All-Time Tuna Record: Hail To The Bull!

The record books have been waiting for this event for decades, but it may have surprised some to see the smallest boat in the long range fleet, Mike Lackey’s 80-foot Vagabond, come home with the biggest yellowfin tuna ever caught by a sport angler on hook and line. That’s what happened December 6, when the 405.2-pound tuna caught by Mike Livingston was hoisted on the certified scales at Pt. Loma Sportfishing.

Lackey, a modest sort when it comes to skippers, had estimated the weight of the fish at 390 pounds when he taped aboard the boat. When it dangled from the scales and the weight soared over 400 pounds to settle at 405.2 pounds, a roar went up from a crowd on onlookers, photographers and cameramen pushing in to see. Local news and national organizations had their representatives on the scene. Even the Australian outfit Bluewater was being repped by Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly.

Two-hundred-pound tuna have long been referred to as “cows,” since they’re mighty hard to budge on the line and even tougher to hump over the rail. Three-hundred-pounders have been dubbed “supercows,” and now there’s a need for a new category, since there’s a bull for the herd. If the fish is accepted by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) as an official record, it will be the all-time, all-tackle tuna for the yellowfin species.

It will be accepted by Bill Roecker’s All-Time Top Tuna list, since it was eligible by jackpot rules, no matter what. Skipper Lackey was certain the equipment was proper and legal, and that no one touched the angler’s rod or line during the fight. So the fish should qualify.

“You’ve printed my picture and name before,” Mike Livingston said to dock reporter Roecker, but you spelled my name Nike.”

“I promise I’ll get it right this time,” said Roecker to start the interview.

“I got him on a sardine,” said Mike, “and a 9/0 Owner Super Mutu hook. I used 100-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 100-pound Power Pro Spectra on my Penn 30 reel, which was a gift from a buddy and was blueprinted by Cal Sheets. I custom-wrapped the rod myself, It’s a five and a half-footer, a no-name. After all those years, since 1974, I’ve been out fishing on many boats, and I get this one on a no-name rod! My best one before was about a 100-pounder.

“He fought for two hours and 40 minutes,” continued Livingston. “I only had a topshot of about 100 feet of mono and it had just gone into the water when he bit. He was a cooperative fish. He went from the port corner to the starboard corner quite a few times, and one he took me up the port side to the bow. When he came back he never left the stern again.

“When he struck I had 26 pounds of drag pressure on the reel. I’ve never had a big one hooked before, so I listened when (crewman) Timmy DePhilippis said to put the lever all the way up to full drag. Boy, that took me to my toes! I used all that the reel had and my fingers. The reel got real hot on that first run, but it cooled down again. When I finally got all my line back it was packed way down on the spool.”

Skipper Lackey said, “These 17 guys, the Cows Or Bust group, stayed and the rail and fished for three straight days. Even if they didn’t get a bite all day, they were right back there fishing the first thing the next day.

“This fish is the culmination of all that came before. It’s my dream. It was made possible by all the development and the new gear that’s come about over the last 10 or 20 years.”

After a 400-pound fish some found it hard to get excited about 300-pounders, but there were two of those supercows weighed after the bull, and taking pictures of those was no problem.

Jim Pea of San Diego put in two hours and 45 minutes of hard labor to deck his 334.8-pounder. He said he baited a sardine on a 7/0 Owner Offshore hook, tied to 100-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 100-pound Power Pro Spectra. He used a Tiagra 30 W reel and a Tiburon six-foot rod.

Steve Meinster of Van Nuys bagged a 324.4-pound yellowfin with a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon tied to 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 760 H rod.

“I had to catch him twice,” said Steve. “After two hours he got into a tangle and I had to freespool him until they got it worked out. That took about 15 minutes. Then I fought him again for another hour and 15 minutes to get him in. He took 650 yards of Spectra! It’s my third trip on the Vagabond.”

Bill Rinkes of 29 Palms caught a 272.8-pounder on a sardine and an 8/0 Aki Owner hook. He used 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One Spectra, a Penn 50 S reel modified by Cofe, and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod to beat the fish in an hour.

Greg McCloud of Seal Beach, a Vagabond regular, took a 245.4-pounder on a mackerel pinned on a 6/0 Owner Gorilla hook. He used 80-pound P-Line fluorocarbon, 100-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 80-pound Izorline Spectra on a 16 S Tiagra reel and a 660 H Calstar rod. His best previous fish was a 167-pounder.

Kirk Drickman, another regular from Westlake Village, reeled in a 241-pounder in two hours and 36 minutes. He said he fished a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 100-pound Jin Kai line and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra on a Tiagra 16 S reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Roger Williams of Laguna Beach got a 234.4-pound tuna with a sardine on an 8/0 Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound unknown line and 130-pound unknown Spectra. He used a Penn 50 W reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Dave Uradomo of Torrance, a Blackwater pro-staffer, caught a 205-pound tuna with a sardine on a 5/0 Super Mutu hook on 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 100-pound Blackwater Spectra backing. He used a Penn 16 VSX reel treated by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 700 XH rod to finish his fish in an hour.

Everyone at the dock wanted to pose with the world’s first 400-pound tuna. At the end, the size of the great fish was shown when four-year-old Kona Wasano stood next to it. Next stop for the world’s biggest yellowfin tuna: Lyons & O’Haver, for mounting.

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

Net Update

April 26, 2010
Mikkelsen-Poole Memorial Returns

The annual Ralph Mikkelsen Big Fish trip shared titles and honors with the late Bill Poole this year, and there were big tuna aplenty for the 25 anglers on the 17-day adventure. Most of the fish came from the Hurricane Bank, said skipper Justin Fleck after docking the Excel at Fisherman’s Landing April 26.
“Tuna fishing was good,” he said, “and wahoo fishing was excellent. We took a look at Cedros Island on the way home. The water there really looked good, and there was good fishing for bigger yellows.”
There were 11 cows, or tuna over 200 pounds, on the Excel, along with many fish from 100 to 200 pounds. Anglers had about ten around on the wahoo.

Bill Lynd of Green Calley, AZ won first place for a 231-pound yellowfin. He got it with the kite and a flying fish on a 10/ Mustad 7691 hook attached to 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar Baja Boomer rod.
“I had a live flyer for bait,” said Bill, “and he got boiled on as he was swimming out. Then he took off and flew about 25 feet, and when he went back in the fish ate him. I got the fish close pretty fast but then he took off so fast and far we got the backup rig ready.
“Skipper Justin though he was tail-wrapped for sure. Then he stopped, dead on the bottom. All the crew and passengers cooperated to get him back up. I was reeling him close to the boat when a shark came after him, but it turned away and didn’t bite.”

Joann Ciciliano of Las Vegas won second place and the high roller jackpot for her 227-pounder. Her fish ate a double sardine rig under the kite, with the ‘dines hanging on 8/0 Eagle Claw hooks. She said she used 130-poudn Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Seeker Black steel 6463 XXXH rod, to beat her prize in 40 minutes.
Janie Massion of Calabasas won third place for a 226-pound tuna he got in just seven minutes, he told Roecker.
“It was that new reel, that Accurate 80 with special high speed gears,” he said, “it has unbelievable speed and power.”
Massion baited a brace of mackerel on 9/0 Eagle Claw hooks tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One Spectra on his Accurate 80 and a Calstar 755 XXH rod.

Andy Marcum of Oceanside got a 220-pounder on a flying fish under the kite. He said he used a 20/0 Mustad circle hook and a 12/0 Mustad 7691 tied to 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 80 ST reel modified by Cofe, along with a Calstar 755 XXH rod by Peabod.
“It took an hour and 45 minutes,” said Andy. “He kicked my butt. I saw a huge boil, and he was on. He took me around the boat four times, and we ended it up on the bow.”
Patrick Gallagher of Ventura caught a 215-pounder with a flyer under the kite. He said the bait was on a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7655 XXH rod.
George Meigs of Seal Beach bagged a brace of tuna at 210 and 215 pounds. He fished with sardines for the smaller one and a flyer on the other. The sardine was baited on a new Mustad 6/0 Demon ringed hook, and the flyer on a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook. He used the same 130-pound Basil topshot and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 80 W reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod on both fish.
Auggie Roberts of Hermosa Beach had a 211-pounder and a tip. He got the fish in 30 minutes, on a flying fish under the kite on a

10/0 7691 hook and a 20/0 Mustad circle. He used a Basil topshot of 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 80 S reel by Sheets and a Calstar 6465 XXXH rod.
“I got fouled,” he said, “so I was skipping the thing back in when I got bit. He got hooked on the circle, right in the corner of the mouth. “I put a Turk’s Head on my reel butt,” he said, just above the gimbal so the rod won’t slip out of somebody’s hand when I need to pass it off in a tangle.”
Ralph Mikkelsen caught a 211-pounder. He now has over 50 tuna that weighed more than 200 pounds, and five over 300 pounds.
“This one came on a Yummee Flyer under the kite,” he said. “It was on a Mustad 16/0 circle, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra. I used a Penn 80 VSW reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod, and got the fish in 15 minutes. I take no prisoners.”
Bob Buckland of Simi Valley took a 207-pound tuna in 20 minutes. He’s been averaging one cow per trip for many years, he said, and makes about three trips per year. His tuna came on the double sardine rig, on 5/0 Hayabusa hooks, 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with an 80 Avet reel and a Seeker 6364 XXXXH rod.
Bob Orth of Moreno Valley got the only baitfish of the trip, a 203-pound yellowfin. It bit his sardine pinned on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 130-pound pink Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 50 T reel by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 760 H rod.
World record holder Curt Wiesenhutter didn’t get a cow this trip, but he said he did score 13 wahoo on bait and one on a bomb.
Tag ‘Em Up, Head ‘Em Out
“Today we borrowed a page from the old Revillagigedo playbook,” wrote Royal Star skipper Tim Ekstrom April 25, “dropping the anchor in the early a.m. and remaining stationary for the duration. Thirteen hours later we had accumulated sixty of the “stock” grade 100 to 175-pound yellowfin tuna with another four or five just under one hundred pounds. By the end of the day we were doing battle with a pretty good gathering of grinners so a new zone was sought to finish on a high note. It took a few attempts to find the right one; and we added another five tuna to the day’s tally for a total of seventy.
“What a pleasure, to take what felt like a step back in time enjoying an entire day of fishing while stationary, scratching away steady on the sardine tackle and kites, is an option completely unique to these Revillagigedo tagging voyages. With the lee side of the island presently the zone of choice, the entire day was spent in calm conditions under the surveillance of the local military garrison on the hillside that was close enough to the action to enjoy the show.
“So with our final day pending, we will finish up our tagging tomorrow and bid my beloved Clarion farewell until the next Revillagigedo tagging voyage in February 2011. I am already looking forward to it. Before I get that far ahead though we have plenty of work to complete tomorrow. I have to say that the indications of fish were fantastic at times today, and pushing into the full moon is traditionally a very consistent period, so my optimism for tomorrow is very high.
“Photo of the day features another dedicated tagging veteran in the process of releasing one of his many big yellowfin during this voyage. By Doug Taylor’s standard’s the 175 in the photo is a dwarf relative to the giant 324 (that was really more like 340) that he released at Roca Partida two years prior. The shot is of Doug’s lucky tuna on it’s way to freedom.”
Still Going
Royal Polaris is headed south on her latest trip. The report from April 25 indicated a brief stop at Alijos that produced “…wet lines.” Fishing reports should commence in another day or two.

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

Net Update

March 30, 2010

Yellowfin In March: Amazing

Finding yellowtail at Alijos Rocks in March isn’t surprising. Discovering biting yellowfin tuna of the sort the long range fleet pursues during summer is revelatory. It may have happened before in March, but I don’t recall it. Often the water at The Rocks doesn’t warm up to tuna temperatures (say above 66 or 67 degrees) before May or June. Even then, the fish may not be there. But skipper Norman Kagawa on the Shogun found ’em biting shortly after scoping back on the anchor line yesterday. Here’s the first report.
“The anchor went down at Alijos Rocks this morning,” said the report for March 29 and within half an hour we had a decent tuna bite developing, the fish averaging 35 to 45 pounds, with a handful of fish twice that size. Capt. Norm hustled to get both kites in the air and tuna came aboard on fly lined and kite fished sardines.
“A big heart breaker was lost at color estimated at 125 pounds that bit a chunk bait. The tuna bite slowed this afternoon but the yellowtail picked up the slack. We fished all day under clear skies and fair seas. This evening the Shogun is anchored up at Alijos Bank, perhaps there will be a night bite on the yellows. Tomorrow we’ll return early to the tuna grounds. It’s been a great first day.”

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & the San Diego Sportfishing Council
Net Update
March 29, 2010

Spring Has Sprung

With two long range boats heading for home and another enroute to Alijos Rocks, the spring season is underway. The homeward bound sportfishers have cows aboard. Intrepid will dock Wednesday, March 31, after the Wahoodad/Willy trip, and the Royal Polaris is scheduled to tie up at Fisherman’s Landing the next day, April 1, following the Jerry Brown Line One Spectra expedition. Shogun added to her many early-season laurels with the year’s first bluefin tuna, caught on a meter mark. Here are their latest reports.
Flat Rolling For The Barn
“As we head home in beautiful seas,” wrote skipper Kevin Osborne March 27,
“with a great atmosphere here on the Intrepid, everyone is talking about the fantastic Wahoo fishing we encountered on this trip. We have full limits on the skin, to go along with a good catch of Yellowfin to 220 pounds for 13 anglers.
“It was the best Wahoo fishing seen in a long time. If you are thinking of this trip for next year we would like to let you know that the two weeks before the full moon in March all the way through the full moon in April, has, is, and will continue to be the best Wahoo fishing of the year. We have been blessed with outstanding weather for the length of our trip so far and hope it continues for the next few days.

“The weather remains very nice as we make our way up the line,” he wrote March 28. “We came across a pod of Orcas that seemed to be showing a young calf the way around. The Killer Whales allowed us to get very close and get some snapshots of them as we watched them casually swim around the vessel. There were two large Whales and one younger calf.”
A Sunny Outlook
“Our weather continues to be beautiful, with lots of sunshine,” said the report from Royal Polaris March 27.
“We had another great day of fishing on Wahoo and Yellowfin. The best bite came at sunset with Yellowfin in the 140 to 160-pound range, on the kite and flylined Sardines. The largest fish caught today was by John Jeffreys. John’s fish came in at 212 pounds. This is our third fish over 200 pounds this trip. We will fish until noon tomorrow, then head for home.
“Weather is just gorgeous,” stated the report from March 28, “with clear skies, a slight breeze, and all the sunshine you could ask for. We ended our trip with another 200-plus-pound Yellowfin tuna.

“The lucky angler was Ron Lewis, and it was his first Yellowfin over 200 pounds. Ron’s fish came in at 237 pounds. The fishing cooled off some, but I think it was due to lack of participation.
“We are now headed for home, with a group of happy anglers.”
Shogun Gets Year’s First Bluefin
“This morning the Shogun is once again fishing long range,” said Shogun’s report for March 27, “clearing Pt. Loma by 10 am, headed toward Alijos Rocks. We hope to find favorable sea temps and biting tuna and yellowtail. South of the Coronado Islands there were yellows boiling under the birds and a few Bonito jumped on the trolling plugs, 2010 could shape up to a good fishing season both local and long range, Monday will find us at The Rocks.
On March 28, the encouraging report from Shogun noted, “Our new Furuno sonar marked a small school and a jig strike came a few

seconds later. Surprise, surprise, the Shogun puts the first bluefin tuna of 2010 on the deck!
“This is another hopeful sign for the local tuna season. Tomorrow morning we’ll be on site at The Rocks, looking for tuna and yellows. In years past Alijos Bank has produced a great night bite on big yellows; that’s 24-hour fishing action!”

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

Net Update

March 15, 2010

Rooster’s In Cow Country Again
After a brief hiatus, San Diego’s long range fleet is beginning to fish in cow country during the early spring season. Royal Polaris departed from Fisherman’s Landing March 14 on the annual Jerry Brown/Line One Spectra trip. Her first reports should come around mid-week.
Andy Cates has the Red Rooster III on the southern fishing grounds, after reporting 75-degree air and water temperatures Friday while still enroute. One Saturday, March 13, he wrote:
“Our first day of fishing brought great action with a nice sundown finisher. Most of the fish were 60 to 100 pounds with a couple of standouts. Biggest fish went 225 pounds, caught right before dark.
“Tomorrow looks promising. After doing a lot of legwork today I think now we know where to be, But that we will find out at the end of the day tomorrow. The weather is nice and we are looking forward to another day.”

New Book
Bill Roecker and Paul Sweeney are well into production of a new book of photos, stories and right-on information about long range fishing. They are looking at a large format with colorful location, action shots and history, the kind of book to show your friends who want to know why you’d go so far to go fishing. The book will feature stories of discovery of the Toussaint Bank and the 125-pound wahoo caught there, about the legends of the sport like Bill Poole, Carl Newell, Frank LoPreste, Jack Nilsen, Ralph Mikkelsen and all the boats and skippers of the fleet, as well as recent events like the three 300-pounders hooked by Charlie Iwashita and the 364-pound giant just caught by Rob McAdams of San Francisco.
New DVD Coming Soon
Roecker’s next video is about fishing big tuna and wahoo on the Hurricane Bank, the prequel to “300-Pound Tuna,” a popular previous release. The ‘Cane is famous for wahoo fishing, and the skins are biting for the boys on this Accurate charter with Jack Nilsen. Wahoo and tuna bite on iron jigs and sardine, flying fish and skipjack baits.
Kite fishing is featured, and one scene shows a wahoo jumping out of the water repeatedly to get at a double sardine rig. Gary Teraoka gets a big tuna on a flying fish and a 12/0 Mustad 7691 forged J hook under the kite. See giant yellowfin surfing in the waves right at the Qualifier 105!
This is one for the fisherman, with lots of tips on fishing for the wahoo and the big boys. There’s plenty of tackle talk, and you’ll see how to straighten out kinked wire leaders, pin a flyer on the kite rig. Fish ‘em straight up or on the rail, but fish ‘em hard on the Hurricane!
2010 Izorline Knot Tying Contest (Information provided by Howard Hada)
The Izorline Knot Tying Contest was a popular event again at the annual Fred Hall Show in Long Beach. The two line testing machines at the Izorline main booth were kept very busy. Contestants were asked to tie their best fishing knot. After completing the knot, it was tested on one of the two machines provided by Izorline. There were four categories.
The Small Fry Category were for children 9 years of age or younger, the Junior Anglers were from 10 to 15 years of age, the Pro Division were in the fishing industry or media, and Adult Division was comprised of folks that did not fit in the preceding categories.
Hundreds of show attendees lined up to try their favorite fishing knots competing with others to win great prizes donated by those in the fishing industry. The Small Fry tied 25-pound line, the Junior Anglers and Adults tied 60-pound and the Pro Division used 100-pound test monofilament. All entry fees were equally shared by two organizations, The Friends of Rollo and United Anglers.
Daily winners in each division were notified to return for the final tie-off which was scheduled on the last day of the show. The finals were held on the main stage with a very large audience. Prize bags this year were overflowing with goodies such as free fishing trips on the San Diego sportfishing boats, rods and reels, lures, hook packs and clothing. The grand prize for the Pro Division this year was a three-day, two-night stay at the Treasure Cay Hotel Resort and Marina in the Bahamas. The Adult winner’s bag contained an Accurate Reel. All contestants to make the finals were awarded a gift bag and an Izorline trophy for their accomplishments.
The results for this year’s event are as follows:
SMALL FRY DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Nick Yoro Double San Diego Jam knot that broke at 30.6 pounds
SECOND PLACE
Jordan Burton Palomar knot that broke at 30.0 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Noah Kim San Diego jam knot that broke at 24.7 pounds
JUNIOR DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Victor Chavarria double SD jam knot that broke at 101.3 poundss
SECOND PLACE
Hunter Denette double SD jam knot that broke at 100.8 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Vasili Buhos 3 turn double Uni knot that broke at 91.6 pounds
FOURTH PLACE
Eddie Moreno (little) Double SD jam knot broke at 78.8 pounds
ADULT DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Victor Manzo Double SD Jam knot broke at 99.8 pounds
SECOND PLACE
Dean Martin Miller knot broke at 97.9 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Carlo Lapalca Custom knot broke at 96.5 pounds
FOURTH PLACE
Michael Harp Double Improved Clinch knot broke at 88.5 pounds
FIFTH PLACE
Mark Poplawski Unknown knot broke at 57 pounds
PRO DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Justin Greenberg Double SD Jam knot broke at 138.5 pounds
SECOND PLACE
Mike Meredith Unknown knot broke at 137 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Captain Eddie Moreno Double SD Jam knot broke at 136.0 pounds
FOURTH PLACE
Dan Barrios San Diego Jam knot broke at 135.5 pounds
FIFTH PLACE
Dan Anderson Double SD Jam knot broke at 121.5 pounds

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

Net Update

February 28, 2010

Izorline Trip Back With A Blue Moon Story

Red Rooster III arrived at H&M Landing February 28 after a 16-day Izorline trip with a fly back option. Andy Cates skippered the trip, which garnered four tuna over 200 pounds.
“We had nice days until the end of the trip,” said Cates, “when the wind came up. Most of our fishing was drifting, after we found ‘em on bird schools.”
Izorline rep Ernie Seko fished aboard, winning the jacket given by the boat for the biggest fish caught on the troll. In Ernie’s case, it was a 59.7-pound yellowfin that beat out Nick Montilepre’s 48-pound wahoo. Both fish took trolled Marauders.
The trip’s best fish was ineligible, as it proved to be a toughie, hooked by Jin S. Chang of Koreatown in Los Angeles. Jin said the 258.8-pound yellowfin bit a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar Baby Boomer rod.  “It fought for about an hour and 45 minutes,” said Chang, and it went around the boat three times. Two other people helped me to land it.”
Chang stood in with the winners as honorable mention, and gave Bill Roecker a written report of the adventure, portions of which will follow this report.

Joe Cho of Fontana and Cosmos Sports of LAA Tackle Store won first place for a 245.6-pound tuna he bagged with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he used 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon, 130-pound Izorline mono and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Boomer Jr. rod.
Joe, a regular on fly back trips, said he brought the big tuna to gaff in about 30 minutes.
Mike Zakar of San Diego won second place for a 206.6-pounder that stayed up on the surface and fought him for about 20 minutes. Mike said he got it with a sardine on 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon, 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel and a Boomer Jr. rod.
Isto Pollanen of San Diego won third place for a 202.1-pound tuna. He hooked it after a long soak on a sardine and a rig borrowed from the boat: 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and Spectra on an Accurate 80 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.
Bill Wirth of Bonsall was awarded the Izorline Sportsman’s Trophy.
Joe Cho told Roecker that next year’s trip will run from February 11 to 27, and will be sponsored by Cosmos Sports of LA. It will be limited to 23 anglers. The first 16 to book with full payment will each receive a new Penn 50 VSW reel.
The following is extracted from Jin S. Chang’s account of the trip, which he provided at the dock:
“While my friend Joe was fishing, his line became entangled. A deckhand helped him untangle his line. But as the deckhand was handing back Joe’s rod, Joe’s hand slipped off and let go of it. As it fell into the ocean Joe’s quick hands grabbed the line. But since his reel was in freespool, Joe had to keep pulling until it reached the end of the reel. He was then able to get his rod back, after a lot of hard work and effort.
“Among the Korean community Joe is the leading long range angler. He rounds up anglers within the community to encourage us to go fishing. His skills are superior and his knowledge is vast. This was evidenced by the fact he won the jackpot.
“Here is a once in a blue moon story. Bong hooked a fish. As he put on his harness, his rod and reel went overboard. Bong’s lost fishing gear probably cost well over a thousand dollars. But there’s no crying in fishing, and the show must go on.
“About 20 minutes later, Bruce hooked something. He thought it was a fish. When he finally pulled his catch up, lo and behold, Bruce’s two-ounce weight was caught on Bong’s reel. Bruce not only caught Bong’s rig but also the fish that was still attached.
“Bruce, a former NFL player, got a two for one special. Bong was so happy to get his gear back he bought a round of drinks for all.”
Jin Chang’s story ended with a hearty thank you to the Red Rooster III, its helpful crew and skipper Andy Cates, “…for his tireless effort in making sure we had a good time and a great catch!”