-------------------------Saturday, September 04, 2010------

-Yea we had a bite-- missed it--- were going to go back up hill and start another drift by it-- 10:27am

 Fog- 200 yards vis. at Newport harbor entrance 10:30am

 Hidden Bank-- any good--- Couple of yellowfin pulling blind-- zucchini tuna clone-- did you hear anything about albacore ?-- someone said there were albacore there---?  no reply-- 10:41

We're 6 from the 425 coming back from the HB ---- stopped on a paddy got a albacore!  4:02pm

Meri Clair-- was selling live squid-- anchored up off Hen Rock--

Good Luck this weekend-- JD

-----------------------------Thursday's Report ------------------

-Boats working kelps -- metering something-- but no bites-- were welcoming other boats to the paddy with hope of something to develop--

We've got two yellowfin in the box-- --- then someone stepped over them---- --??

 A call from Paul-- 9 out of Newport at 150 degree - the color break at about 6 from off-green to better blue-- makes a drift with chum bucket -- no sharks yet but - thousands of 4- 6 inch mini mack's on the slick- - whoops something just ate one of his baits-- missed it-- -- stand by-- 11:30am

the baits here-- now we've got to have someone show up for the party--

They say-- meteorologist- that even if we get 90- 100 degree days from now till the official end of Sumner (Sept 21st ) on average this is the coldest summer on record!--  sound like that tuna bite down below slowed down today--

 windy/ cold no fish -

Quiet day on the water---Fog horn's a blowing in the distance-- clear here overhead Balboa Island foggy on the beach-  wind from west steady 10-12+

 Like rats leaving a sinking ship--- sportfishers were heading to the warmth of Mexico!--

---------------------------Wed's Report --------------------

-At least one marlin sighted-- no photo though-- sorry no JD's T-Shirt-!- boat left Dana yesterday-- around noon I believe headed towards Avalon,  seeing green water porpious and a few birds scattered for several miles-- sees at first what he thinks is a seal---he edges over near it and right before him they realize it a marlin feeding --est. 160- 170 lb fish - it sinks out before they can get the boat turned around and get a jig in the water-- circle there for a while - no bites-- water 66/ 67 degrees green-

Church Mouse results  --72 boats tied for First Place--

The Masters is on-- stand by for any updates- 100 radius from Newport , swordfish count too-

 Can't go Marlin fishin' ---take the day off and go Bass fishin -- Jimmy sent this photo in this morning-- nice catch-- JD-- he wanted a T-shirt-!

JD--JD-- Last two nights I've drifted the 289 fathom spot----- looks good --all the bait you wanted for 100 ft around the boat -- never had a problem with sharks-- most of the baits I had were too deep for them with the exception of one and still no sharks--  no swordfish bites either

And another E-Mail-- Hi JD,
Hope all is well with you and the shop busy.
A friend of mine (who shall remain nameless at this point) sent me this photo of a tailer he baited this weekend about 9 off Avalon.   After realizing he had been duped by a Pesky tailer.  He was wondering  if it qualified for a JD's T-shirt - well, maybe a tank top since it was a fake.  I hope these aren't the only tailers we end up seeing this year.  If so, the Marlin Club in Avalon may need to extend it's hours for the rest of the season.:)
 

For what it's worth the image below is currently our water temps here off the West Coast from Cedros Is to Pt Fermin-- and 60 to 72 degrees

--------This Year 2010 -------------------------------------------Last Year------------------------------2006 (where 160+ were caught by the BAC members that year)

-Sure is a marked difference from this year form last year-- and in 06 when there were a few more marlin up here there seemed to be a wandering band of warmer water coming up the coastline-- maybe that somewhat  similar path of warmer water this year will allow marlin to yet still come up here-- JD -lets hope--

 Hot dope--!-  couple of tailers reported seen off the quarry East End / Slide 1 mile or 2 in the past two days-- Bill M.

-----------------------------------Tuesday's Report --------------------------

I think it's an late afternoon or early evening bite--------- what wind? --- An optimistic view--

Good looking water for swordfish -- with lots of critters around - and scattered Harpoon stick boats covering al the grounds-- waiting for them to pop" on the tide-- High tide today 1:35- standing by--

 Cooling water from above and below are condensing what warmth of water we have-- Chart show water temps from 65 to 71 degrees, Only real warmth left is around the 181

Whale watchers still finding them above Newport to Pt Firman-

No Marlin reports yet--- Hoot Hoot--- standing by--

55/ 44 --66 1/2 degrees good looking blue water not streaky

We're down here on the 312-- OK not bad but we're not seeing anything , lots of life on the way out-- we'll stick it out here for another hour-

- E-Mail from the Cape---Lassley posted a nice photo of a Black on his team website.. www.badcoteam.com   Great tides last week. Boy's that put the effort in were rewarded.
Best Black bite in a long time. Blues, Sails, Striper mixed, from Peanuts to some 185's, YF, Wahoo.
Locals killing way too many billfish that have yet to reach reproductive size/age...
Town, up and down, busy, deserted, busy, deserted.
AlaskaAir running a deal, $104 each way plus tax, out of LAX if flown before 12/15. Restrictions, of course SD Longrange Royal Star might finally be in them today BF, YF and Alba mix reported at bottom of August range...

 2:00 update on the Church Mouse tournament-- sorry no marlin hooks up yet- nor sightings nor Swordfish hooked yet either-- several side-bet fish coming in - yellowtail halibut etc--

All it takes is one fish-- like separating the chafe from the wheat -- either the lucky one or those who put it all together and stick it out for whatever chance their is--

Hoot-- Hoot--another give a way--

 A check in the Balboa Angling Clubs yearly fish count records that go back as far as 1940-- shows there were several years where fishing for marlin was only marginal-  1942/ only 21 caught, in 44'/ 32 , 53/ 30, 54/50, 55/ 19,  1962/21, 73/ 14, 95/ 90, 99/ 52, 2000/ 74 and in the year 2002 only 20 were caught-- Dont give up yet still a long season to go.,. with the best months yet to come.

Marlin fishing these days-- make a tack in towards the beach--- make a drift for halibut with a bait on the bottom- an middle depth bait for yellowtails and a surface bait for a marlin-- then tack back out to the outside for marlin fishing --   we got three halibuts-- biggest about 10 lbs-- what'd you do-- we were at Clemente the whole time-- lost a coupe of fish, How'd' you do on the yellowtail-- lost em' all-- saw the Fury catch a couple of 30 lbs-- same spot-- no up to the next point -- came back towards Catalina-- good looking  water aqua to and emerald green then leprechaun green  - best we saw was the little crack just outside the 277 good looking bluer water-- if there was a fish it'd be there-- or that 289 where there was lots of bait porpious crashing around chasing sardines--

----------------------------------------Monday's Report ---------------------------

Radio reception a little off today scratchy reading -not much going on--- but did hear-- Hoot---Hoot with a radio raffle prize in the Church Mouse Tournament---72 boats entered - Biggest fish so far-- 26.5 Yellowtail reported--

I did fine a kelp paddy-- thought there was a dorado under it-- but there was only this weird looking fish with a fin on the top of its head and another fin on it's belly?-- My wife's down below in the refrigerator wiping me out! 11:35

Wind on the outside--

Hoot  Hoot-- more raffle prizes given away--

Blue Whales seems still to be the show 3 miles right out front of  Pt Fermin-- tons and tons of krill there-- saw maybe 20 Blues and a few Fin Backs--  or straight off the Pipe line between Newport and Huntington Beach 4-5 miles some there too

Hoot  Hoot-- more raffle prizes given away--no marlin seen, caught or hooked -- a swordfish seen-- that was it-- No Free JD's T-Shirts-- either--

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Next up - the BAC Masters on Sept 8th-11th  then 12- 14 the Zane Grey and the as always the entertaining Peskys  Sept 17- 18th  http://www.wavecrestweb.com/pesky/,   followed on September 19-21 the Catalina Classic and the Avalon Billfish Classic combined this year

------------------------The Weekends Report------------

We'll we went up to the 125 (above Catalina's West end) looked good like you said --- but nobody home--- looked the best we've seen--

Drifting for Swordfish last night just on the outside dropoff of the 14 Mile Bank, good 2 1/5- 3 degree temp break-- set up turned on the light and instantly was covered up with small 3-5 "  squids and small finbait surrounded the boat-- waters green--- full of plankton --- made two drifts-- no bites--

 Ya doing anything---- yea we just had a heart stopper-- we stopped on one of those fake tails --Watch yourself-- it's about 6 off the island--- 10:41am

One jumper reported seen off the Slide-- ?

Cazador-- Mark and crew winning the Tuna Clubs Linen One and their Benefit tournaments with their scores of Yellowfin and I think Yellowtail just above the 31 line off Baja-- Great to see a boat coming in the harbor flying a fish flag-- Congrats-- JD

Hoot Hoot--Let the games begin--- the Church Mouse Invitational Marlin Tournament held in Avalon - Kick-off starts today Sunday with  fishing Monday and Tuesday--- All donations goes towards the youth programs in Avalon-- great times great fun and good   camaraderie

Sounds like one of the swordfish boats saw something-- just as he was saying the info-- someone stepped on him-----just west of the 14-- 3 miles---- the right --- sized---------  for rod and reel----??---?

Further report on the Broadbill Swordfish that was lost earlier this week during the antique tackle tournament. Tollycraft 40 Jeramar, aboard angler Marv G. using 24 linen line which had tested previously to 60 lbs without breaking they felt it was adequate-  linen line swells up as it soaks up water and too much of that line stretched out in during a battle feels heavy and sluggish - you don't want to get too much of it out--the heavy rod is unforgiving and the old Pflueger star dragged reel - you loose touch of the baits and bites with the tackle--

 Leaving Avalon early that morning they had caught a big 3 lb mackerel saying that's our swordfish bait--- later that day 1:10 pm they found themselves in whatever there was in the way of a lee at Clements Is. during that strong seas day- about a mile off Fishhook they spot the swordfish-- make one pass on the fish, "went right for it"-- they let the fish take line out but not wanting too much line out yet allow time to take the bait deeply- ---they set it up- you ask yourselves later--- maybe just a little longer----- "The fish was pretty squirrelly at first--- every which way-- then settled down to a defiant set course of S/E which if continued on would have cut through the island at Pyramid Head,    the fish knew it and went around the end of the island  just outside the Head then again steadied down on a S/E course at 150 feet down and tried to stay there, couple of times they had the fish on or near the double line--- but it was still very purple and they didn't want to get near it yet--  Of all things-- the Dept of F & Game came out from the island in their inflatable and requested to see all their fishing licenses while they were actually engaged in fighting the fish---You'd think they have the courtesy to wait a bit-.  We're fighting a swordfish--- where is it? -- it's on the end of the line!  they passed their licenses in a bag off the bow  ----crazy--- - Swordfish like to roll or twist in their fight-- and it may have happened that the line was caught on the tail--- at one point the fished sounded 150 yards deep in a blistering run--and maybe it worked itself free?  working the fish back up with extra pressure on the line or maybe the hooks bite had changed in the dive- or because they have soft mouths--- it happens--     Ahhha the hooks pulls-- Clemente closed to anchorage that night they headed up-hill back to Avalon-- long trip--------- Best fish story of the year so far--  JD  

Not much else on the radio so far today---

 Actually dove on them---  before they went away--- 72 degrees-- 2 Dorado on the 181-- lots of paddies, lots of dolphins ,lots of bait--- 5:31pm

Stand By---JD

-----------------------Sat's Report ---------------

The Tuna Club of Avalon continues with support to Avalon community - with their Benefit Tournament today- Old pros gathering - lack of fish actions give way to old fish tales told, past friends and boats, of battles made and jokes played.   Good to get together-- weathers calmed down and opportunity still exist--good luck- JD

 Here fishy-- fishy---- Her fishy--- fishy  --- 

 Last night was  eventful--- at least we hooked a shark --- thresher-- while trolling around just befor sunset-- saw lots of anchovies, squid bait- but that was all-- Oh yea --we just had one hooked too!- were down here off Aliso ---- Two people hooked it at the same time-- wonderful---  dolphin up here feeding everywhere

Salt Creek at least was clean-- some bait-- uphill current-- above Laguna it's downhill cold and green-

    Several swordfish spotter planes up today--- sanding by---- seeing  schools of porpious feeding-- some good sea life but no swordfish yet-- nor marlin--

  We need the Pesky's fake tails floating out there-- !

the radio got strangely quiet for a Saturday in late August--

BAC weighed in several of those Yellowfin Tunas that were caught by the Cazador in Mexican water on the 31 Latitude line-- weights from 6-7 lbs to 25lbs-- good for their light tackle linen and Dacron lines--

Never saw anything like this  --pull up to the area-- turn the motor off- just sit here 40 45 minutes-- they come right up next to you-- Blow -- feeding on the krill---- birds circling --they blow the birds twenty feet in the air! - circling and circling eating the krill -- incredible-- seeing like 20- 25 whales here--- I've never seen anything like this--- there's one coming right straight for the boat now--  80 ft away --straight at us-- it's  going to blow right next to the boat-- 4:45pm

Fishing this past Thursday in the Linen One Tournament on the Prospector, great little 30 year old boat, it's got character. Spent the night in the Famed Tuna Club-- sat on the porch in the waking morning hours sipping coffee and discussing the days game plans. We trolled the front side of the island in the early morning hours with hopes that marlin were in tight feeding on Flyingfish - disappointed to hear the night before that even the excursion flying fish boats out of Avalon had been canceled due to lack of flyers-- so we used ballyhoos instead rigged with a small egg sinkers--  took a little extra re-rigging time but got them to wiggle in an enticing motion, but to no avail-  I made a pair of old fashioned "Poppers" release clips -hand made with S/S springs and brass which hold a .22 cal blank and a toothpick as the trigger release-after a while trolling at 4 knts you can get complacent--- then when you had a strike -the toothpick would break and- Bang!-- - good fun. We ran out towards the 14 and slow trolled the baits downhill to the 267- saw a couple a batches of porpious chasing bait-- no metered bait -- must be surface stuff--topsmellt?-

Ran back up-hill to off of Newport 7- 8 miles to where we had seen the whales feeding on the kill the day before - figured something might be there- made a couple of drifts there with the rigged squids -- no bites but entertaining watching the krill and whales. such is fishing -- good shipmates and good times- JD  -   

Aug 27 water temp image from 67.5 to 70.5  Hope it helps-- JD    Offer still goes free JD's Tee shirt to the first five anglers who send in photos of actually live marlin!!   JD

-----------------------Fridays Report -------------------------

-The "A Team" -- They started in the early afternoon hours somewhere near the inside of Clemente Island in sloppy seas-- Hooked to a Swordfish on Antique Tackle-- a old Pflueger 10/0 reel-  Bamboo rod and on heavy 24 thread linen line-- (not to exceed 66lbs in breaking strength) Angler Marv Garrett aboard the Jeramar along with brother Jerry Garret (he's caught the largest Swordfish on 80lb tackle 813lbs) and famed angler Dave Denholm--  The "A Team" Bob H. coined them --  Seven hours into the battle the hooks pulls- loosing the fish-- then the long run back uphill in heavy seas to Avalon for refuge and rest-- Damn good job in hooking and playing the fish till it got free--at least they got it to bite!-   Fishing in the Linen One- a tournament hosted by the Tuna Club of Avalon - boats ranged from Avalon to well below the border (220/) no marlin sighted that I know of, several smaller grade Yellowtail from the 220's and a few Yellowfin Tunas off Colnett - 

------

Just a reminder of what were looking for on these calm mornings

I'm not sure who coined the term, maybe Tracy or Beak- I think one of em' last weekend-- now  its' game on-- See and Release- - yep that's the new game this season----- for the first five confirmed See & Release photos of Striped Marlin seen in So. Calif waters --win a free JD's Big Game Tackle shirt  - Send in lat/ long and a time stamp on the image to - JD's Big Game Tackle

or order yours directly, a $20 value-- call JD's at 1 -800- 5030

See and Release- - yep that's the new game this season----- for the first five confirmed See & Release photos of Striped Marlin seen in So. Calif waters --win a free JD's Big Game Tackle shirt  - Send in lat/ long and a time stamp on the image to - JD's Big Game Tackle

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  Marlin--- Double J on the Fair Game- Jig Fish---just inside the A Bank towards the Shipping Lanes ---came in on the starboard rigger --Petrolero