Phil Friedman Outdoors

Catalina white seabass on the chew. Does it look like it will last?

Captain Jeff Jones from Captain on Board was on board Mike Mundy's 38-foot Uniflite the Mundy Mooring when he saw birds picking at the water on Friday. Jones, Mundy and Dennis Friedman were pre-fishing Catalina Island for the Southern California Tuna Club Spring White Seabass Tournament.

As Jones neared the backside, east end of Catalina, he also noticed that conditions were optimum and like all really great skippers, had a gut feeling that things looked really fishy. Jones anchored up, started to chum when the bite took off.  "We hooked two fish and got them right away," said Jones. Then another fish got tangled in the kelp and just wouldn't come out. Jones tossed another squid out and instantly hooked up. 

When the men reached their 1-fish limits, they quit fishing. Other boats noticed the action and moved into the area too. "They instantly started to hookup," said Jones. "It was full rack; epic."

Earlier on Friday, Jones had been soaking a live squid around the middle, backside of the Island on 15-pound test when he hooked a gorgeous 36-pound seabass. "It was one bite, one fish," said Jones. "That's why we went looking." 

On Saturday, the white seabass bite just shut off. Not one single croaker was taken during the tournament. Was it the boat pressure? Changing currents and water temperatures or was it just the fickle gray ghost?

By Sunday, the light switch had been flipped back on with several boats, including Options and many other private boaters taking their one fish limits of seabass. Conditions all seem to be ideal now and with the white seabass penchant for biting when there is a full moon, the Super Moon certainly will not hurt.

Get ready for one of the best bites you'll encounter anywhere. Taking monster, hard fighting, great eating fish in as little as 10 feet of water is an anglers dream come true. But remember, this is the gray ghost and like most ghosts you just never know when they will appear and disappear again.

Photo: Captain Jeff Jones with a 36-pound white seabass taken at Catalina Island on Friday.
Credit: Captain On Board 

 

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First Catalina Island yellowtail taken by Mike Nixon on Big Game 90

Mike Nixon caught the first yellowtail taken on a sportboat at Catalina Island in 2012 on board the Big Game 90 on Friday. The group of 15 anglers were fishing on a 2.5 day trip and opted to stay at Catalina because of improving conditions, more market squid moving into the pristine waters of Catalina Island and because the US Navy had closed much of San Clemente Island where mostly rockfish were being taken. 

"Big Game 90 Captain Mike Jewett said this is the first sportboat yellowtail of the season for the islands," said Nixon. "We fished Catalina Island both days where I caught a 39-pound yellowtail on Friday morning taking the jackpot."

The giant yellowtail was taken by Nixon just before sunrise Friday as he soaked one live squid and one fresh dead squid on a 1/2-ounce leadhead in 80-feet of water. Nixon was rigged up with with 65-lb spectra and a 30 lb fluorocarbon leader.

The anglers on board also caught another smaller yellowtail and lost several others. To round out the catch, anglers took some calico bass, 2 halibut, one nice lingcod and lots of other rockfish. 

For Nixon, this is a case of good things happening to good people. Nixon is not only and avid and capable fishermen, he is also on of the very first to volunteer his time when it comes to the Phil Friedman Outdoors Youth Program. "Great to see Mike not only get the first yellow but such a big one at that," said Will Ebersman from Phil Friedman Outdoors. 

Anglers are now hoping that the season is about to take off. Water temperatures are now over 60 degrees at much of the island and a tad more squid seems to be moving in every night. 

Photo: Capt. Bryan Holtan left, shows off the first Catalina Island yellowtail taken on a sportboat in 2012 by Mike Nixon on the Big Game 90. The giant fork weighed 39-pounds.

Photo credit: Mike Nixon

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Yellowtail bite at Catalina Island and some squid found too

The Big Game 90 is reporting two yellowtail this morning at Catalina Island out of eight hookups. Captain Mike Jewett says that he was able to make 8-10 scoops of the ever so important market squid for bait last night.

Jewett said that the water temperatures have come up to 61.5 degree water and that he was metering lots more yellowtail in the area. Calm seas and a warm weather forecast add to the optimism that anglers are feeling. The yellowtail are in the 15-30 pound class.

The 6-pack Mardiosa had 1 white seabass at Catalina Island yesterday while Liquid Coast Highway skipper Tino Valentine had 1 white seabass, limits of calico bass along with some halibut fishing from a private boat last weekend.

"It all adds up," said Don Ashley from Pierpoint Landing in Long Beach. "There is surface action from Baja California to Southern California." Ashley put the Toronado on line for Catalina Island tonight targeting surface fish. Anglers looking to catch some early season action can call 562 983 9300.

 

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"The Voice" is back with the State of the Fish Address

You can get all the latest in around 3 minutes about where all the hot bites in Baja and Southern California. Not a bunch of BS so you'll go spend your hard earned $$$$$$ on false reports. You'll get the inside info. from Phil as he has been covering the fishing scene for you since 1985.

 

Click above and listen to get all the latest. The State of the Fish Address will be a regular feature on Phil Friedman Outdoors. Good fishing!

READ MORE ON PHILIP FRIEDMAN OUTDOOR NEWS:

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 Video: Man eats live squid

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Latest Southern California Saltwater Fishing Update with Phil Friedman

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. 

 

 

 

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  Hear Henry Winkler, THE FONZ on Philip Friedman Outdoors Radio

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 Listen: Bill Warren goes looking for Osama Bin Laden

 

 

 

(Video) Fishing with Phil Goes To Catalina Island On The Liberty

The great sights of Catalina Island on another fun trip Fishing with Phil. Check out a fishing with Phil trip today at www.PhilFriedmanOutdoors.com

 

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 Hear Henry Winkler, THE FONZ on Philip Friedman Outdoors Radio

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Catalina Island Flying Fish Festival now through June 5

While this may sound like a version of snipe hunting to many, flying fish really do exist. This spectacular fish soars out of the water at heights of up to 30 feet and glides for distances as long as ¼ mile. The flying fish visit the Island for only a few months a year and best shows itself at night when lured with lights. It is only fitting that Catalina celebrates their arrival by honoring them as special guests with a four day long weekend of festivities.

For more info-- 
http://www.catalinachamber.com/FlyingFish/