Captain Louie Prieto from the vessel For Reels out of Ensenada is reporting 4 yellowtail to 30-pounds today fishing just north of Todos Santos Island. This is the same area where Captain Mike Slater from the Gamefisher Ensenada reported good schools of barracuda.
""I've heard of another boat with 6 yellowtail today too," said Slater. "The wind is starting to come up down here now but you have to think this is just another great sign that spring is here."
Slater said he will be out until Sunday and will be reporting in to Phil Friedman Outdoors with updates.
Besides the recent catches of barracuda and yellowtail, there has also been some excellent rockfishing.
A wayward dolphin made a wrong turn and now is trapped in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach, California. The dolphin looks to be in good shape as rescuers are attempting to steer the lost mammal back to sea or perhaps net the creature and transport it back to sea.
Many people are gathering along the wetlands trying to get a look as well as shoot photos and video. News helicopters are hovering above adding to the spectacle.
Orcas were spotted yesterday by the Christopher out of Harbor Breeze Cruises in Long Beach. Scott Louie from Harbor Breeze Cruises said that the orcas seemed to be traveling west when the Christopher encountered them.
Killer whale researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger posted the following on her Facebook:
14 KILLER WHALES SPOTTED AT OUR CENSUS TODAY, HEADING WEST - including CHOPFIN (who was around our area nearly three weeks ago). They ate at least one sea lion. They were last seen at 6pm, headed west rapidly, 9 miles off of El Segundo. The Christopher and photographer/naturalist Eric Martin got on a subpod of six; the others still need to be seen and photographed. Keep those cameras ready!
Whale watch boats in Southern California will be on the look out for the Orcas as the weather should be perfect for the weekend.
Video: Shot in January on board the Christopher off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Footage provided by Danny Salas and Harbor Breeze Cruises.
FISHING WITH PHIL on the Toronado departs Saturday Departs this Saturday from Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach at 10pm returning Sunday, 8pm $150 MUST CALL or TEXT 424 237 0250 for a reservation
By the looks of it, this weekends Fishing with Phil Trip has everything. The forecast is for warm and sunny weather, there has been a sign of surface fish, rockfishing has been fabulous and it's ALWAYS a THRILL to go fishing with Phil.
The Big Game 90 had a white seabass at San Clemente Island last weekend, barracuda are biting in Ensenada, Baja California, and water temperatures are above the magic 60 degree mark at SCI.
"I think chances are good for a surface bite," said Don Ashley from Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach. "It's going to be a beautiful weekend and that might get things rolling. In any case, rockfishing has been wide open."
This special FISHING WITH PHIL trip departs at 10pm on Saturday evening and returns Sunday around 8pm. As usual, the FISHING WITH PHIL pro-staffers will be on board, there will be FREE raffle prizes and you will start in the next Phil Friedman Outdoors Production video.
"I am excited," said FWP pro-staffer Captain Larry Moore. "All the stars are colliding for this one. Great weather, surface fish starting to bite and a great group of people," said Moore.
"I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday," said Mike Nixon who jumped on the trip. "I was on the last San Nicolas trip and had a ball."
Make sure you call or text Phil right away as this promise to be another fun trip with great fishing. With any luck, we can make some news on this weekends adventure.
FISHING WITH PHIL on the Toronado Departs this Saturday from Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach at 10pm returning Sunday, 8pm $150 MUST CALL or TEXT 424 237 0250 for a reservation
Captain Mike Slater of the Gamefisher Ensenada reported good barracuda fishing on Saturday just north of Todos Santos Island. "There were birds everywhere; then at 10am, the fish turned on and ate the iron (lures) really well."
Slater and his group of 6 were fishing for rockfish when the toothy critters popped up. They threw on 25 nice barracuda and then decided they had plenty. "We left em biting," said Slater. Best way to take the barracuda is on casted lures with blue and white always a good choice.
"They're on the way," said Don Ashley from Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach. "This is exactly how our spring surface bite is supposed to start. It's very typical to see the fish south of the border right before they show up here."
Conditions appear to be ideal off Southern California for a good barracuda bite. Water temperatures are over 60 degrees in some areas and with a warm weather forecast, look out. This could be the week when it all starts.
Slater said there had also been some bonito taken along with just a few yellowtail. "We metered a lot of fish (barracuda)" said Slater. "It looks like the start of the season is here.
File photo of a barracuda taken in 2011 on board the Toronado out of Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach.
Tony Hifo, 17 couldn't contain himself. "I am excited." So were all the other great boys from the Adventure Crew as we headed out on a great Philip Friedman Outdoors Youth fishing trip on board the City of Long Beach out of Long Beach Marina Sportfishing.
"This is more than a fishing trip," commented Bill Stephens, director of the Adventure Crew. "This is a great opportunity for our kids to see what's available in life and to maybe stumble on to a new path in their lives."
Thanks to Wallace Air Cargo Group and Ned Wallace, the boys, many of them football players from Menifee, CA were about to embark on their first fishing trip.
Great volunteers from Pink Fishing also joined us and were busy on deck teaching knot tying and so much more on our way to the fishing grounds. Joe Davis was giving mini-seminars while Captain Jeff Jones was helping to get the gear ready to go.
It's hard to process all the new things kids see on their first fishing trip. There is a little sensory overload going on. There is the boat itself, the marina, bait, nets, gaffs, sea birds, dolphin, super tankers, oil rigs, rods, reels, sea lions, boat burgers, new and different fish and sea life to name just a few of the new and exiting sights and sounds.
Everyone of the aforementioned new experiences induce questions and learning. There is a certain truth. You can't protect what you don't understand. The hope of Phil Friedman Outdoors and Wallace Air Cargo Group is that the kids who participate in our program will now place a huge value on our environment and ultimately grow up to protect it.
The boys started catching a variety of rockfish including a beautiful threadfin; a bottom dweller that you don't see all that often in Southern California waters. " That's a threadfin (Pronotogrammus multifasciatus)" said Rick Feeney from the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum ." They are rare in Southern California. Last year the Long Beach Aquarium sent me a picture of one. They are probably more common off Mexico and Central America."
The boys struggled to bring their catch up form 260 feet of water to the surface where they would marvell at the brilliantly colored rockfish.
"This i s exactly the kind of experience these boys need," said Stephens. "This can lead these kids in the right direction; can open new doors; can make a difference in their lives."
Besides all the learning that just seems to sneak in to an adventure like this, there is also the fun factor. Everyone seemed to have had a great day; a day that we hope will make a difference in their young lives.
"I can see how this can be a life changing experience," said volunteer Krisma Crowell. "Who knows what new door has just opened up for these boys."
Black Pearl skipper Ricky Perez was scanning the horizon at Pyramid Cove, San Clemente Island on Saturday morning, keeping a close on the dozen kayakers he had ferried over to the Island the night before. The group, organized by Andy Allen from OEX in Sunset Beach makes monthly mother-ship voyages on the Black Pearl to a variety of Southern California fishing hot spots.
Perez had become concerned as three members of his flock had stayed out to sea; about a mile from the island.
"There's no reason to be out there," thought Perez as he tried in vain to contact the threesome on channel 71 by VHF radio.
"They're not answering," said Perez. "Something is up."
Perez launched the Black Pearl's 10 foot zodiac and headed in the direction of the wayward kayakers. "What's up," cried Perez from a distance. "There is nothing to catch out here."
Perez then noticed Anthony Pinner's rod bent over with something very big on the other end of the line towing him out to sea. "He was on Mr. Toads Wild Ride and there was no getting off," said Perez.
"At first I though I had hooked into a yellowtail the way the fish was bobbing and heading towards the bottom. But then it started heading out towards sea towing me and the kayak with it," said Pinner.
By the force of the creature at the other end of Pinner's line, Perez told the angler he was hooked to one of three things. "You either have a thresher shark, a mako shark a a giant black seabass," said Perez.
Pinner told Perez that he had been towed out to sea for the past 45 minutes and that the beast was showing no signs of slowing up. Perez side-tied to Pinner's kayak and tightened the drag on his reel. Pinner was afraid that Perez was putting to much stain on the fish. "It's going to break," Pinner told Perez.
Then 10 minutes later, a giant shadow emerged from the deep blue sea. Pinner yelled that it was the biggest white seabass he had ever seen. "It's a black seabass; 225-250 pounds," said Perez. Since black seabass are a protected species, Perez worked feverishly to extract the hooked monster.
"Once I got the hook out, it bolted back down towards the bottom and looked no worse for the battle," said Perez.
"I'm just glad the guys were safe," said Perez. "And now, they have a heck of a fish story to tell for the rest of their lives."
Great times on another Fishing with Phil weekend on board the Native Sun out of Long Beach Sportfishing. Twilight fishing was excellent on Friday and very slow on Saturday evening. I guess that's just fishing.
The leadhead and squid continues to be the best way to take sand bass, sculpin and other critters at night. A 2-ounce banana leadhead tipped with squid has been a tremendous way to catch fish.
Six month pregnant Brittany isn't about to give up fishing and she showed the guys how it's done by catching a huge sand bass; the biggest by far of Friday evening.
On the way out of the harbor, we saw two United States Navy Vessels docked up and 3 Navy patrol boats making sure nobody go too close.
Friday night was also a night to see a variety of different creatures. Dragonflies, attack of the moths, tiny squid, crabs, octopus, flocks of noisy birds made for an interesting evening.
Free rods and reels and lots more were given away in the FREE Fishing with Phil raffle as we all came back a lot closer friends than when we left the docks just a few hours before.
More twilight adventures this weekend as the forecast is for great weather. To join us, please call 562 432 8993 or 424 237 0250.
Great weather this week promises to get things rolling as conditions are coming around. Remember, water temperatures are so important to a consistent bite. 60 degree's is the temp when many surface species turn on.
The front side of San Clemente Island registered 60 degree water this morning. That's a good signal for the future; perhaps even the weekend. Maybe some yellowtail and seabass in Pyramid Cove. The calico bass bite should also start to come on.
One missing piece is the absence of live squid. The Pacific Star looked Catalina Island over last night and didn't find any mollusks; not even the smaller market squid sometimes called gum-drops.
More and more white seabass have been speared by free-divers around the Palos Verdes area, La Jolla as well as a few other areas. That's a great sign as we know the croaker are here. We just need them to start biting something with a hook in it.
A few yellowtail continue to zoom around La Jolla. The local boats have been picking off a few of the hard fighting jacks most everyday but still no great shakes.
Rockfishing remains excellent most everywhere and the forecast for summer like weather this week is not going to hurt. This will be a great weekend to head offshore to one of the Channel Islands. The rockfish should be a given and you'll have a shot at some surface action too.
Excellent sand bass fishing was the case on Saturday's Fishing with Phil Twilight trip on the Native Sun. Twenty one anglers on board had over 70 fat bass along with a dozen sculpin. That was in 53 degree water and windy conditions. With a week of hot weather, the bass may be more than eager for this weekend. Trips depart Friday and Saturday at 6:30pm and return around midnight. A 2-ounce banana leadhead tipped with squid and 20-pound test has been killer. Reservations at 562-432-8993.
Look for more updates on a regular basis on Phil Friedman Outdoors.
Crews are working to rescue a gray whale entangled in fishing line off the California coast.
According to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, the 40-foot whale is towing about 50 to 100 feet of line on one of its fins and in its mouth.
Rescue teams attached buoys to the whale to help track it as they try to get into a good position to cut the line.
Last month, two California gray whales were tangled in netting or fishing gear off the Orange County coast and were later rescued, though one of the whales may have later died.
The first wave of northbound whales passed by Southern California in March and continue to filter through and up the coast. Now, a second wave of these incredible creatures is making their way up the coast and should continue to delight Southern California whale watchers for weeks to come.
The northbound gray whales pass by some of the largest cities in the world. That brings with it some inherent dangers such as ship traffic. Another major obstacle for cow/calf pairs is predation from killer whales. Gray whales are an important food source for killer whale. One calf can feed up to 30 killer whales, serving as an important supplement to the orca's more regular diet of sea lions and other smaller mammals.
Fishing nets are another obstacle in the gray whales migration. Photo's of Humpback whales for a recent government report found that over 1/2 of the whales had signs of injuries from fishing gear.
