09-19-2003, 03:57 AM
Saltwater Yellowtail Bonanza Hopes Fading Fast!
Here we are in mid-September and the dreams of an early Yellowtail bonanza are gone with further disapointments on that bite continuing up here in the northern half of Southern California. Now, San Diego is a different story with the yellows again putting on a show in the last few days with excellent counts.
We may have been spoiled by the fantastic White Sea Bass fishing we had in the early spring up here and the early albacore showing up off San Diego.
Although we will be seeing larger yellows at Catalina and later at Santa Barbara being caught into late fall (good size are being caught now too at Catalina) there are also a large number of small 6 to 10 pound fish around with the intemediate size fish being scarce from reports I've read and my own experience going out 3 to 4 times a week.
Water conditions at both Clemente and Catalina are not the greatest and the water temps are not exactly great. ( high sixtys and low seventys)
Although I may be proven wrong (nothing new there), it's going to be a long rockfish season and action otherwise will be pretty much gotten by these long, boring boat rides for a couple of hours of wild fishin' on the big 5 species we look forward to catching locally.
With this prediction, tomorrow should be the start of the best yellowtail season in years! ha ha Crow is delicious when served in a humble pie.
The red tides have not helped the shore anglers much either although that is a temporary condition that shouldn't last over 3 to 4 weeks overall normally.
JapanRon
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