Flash! They're Biting!

American Angler Report June 17, 2009

"There are some days on the ocean where everything floats and it usually revolves around flat calm weather. The difference a day makes is one of the many reasons we all wake up in the morning. We had a tough last couple of days weather-wise, so grease calm and very little wind was well-deserved. We got to the yellowtail grounds shortly after daylight but it took about an hour to get on the fish. We had decent shots at them but overall it would be considered a steady pick. We then made an anchor job and fishing turned into as good as it gets.

"We smashed the 15 to 22-pound fish as morale is as high as it gets. Today was definitely a float day. The guys that arrived at the rocks had steady fishing on tuna, the yellows bit wide open and the Excel had the best offshore day of the year. Justin had a jigstrike turn into a long drift for 55 albacore and 60 bluefin which has set the standard so far this year. We are en route as we speak hopefully to experience a little of the same."

A Hit On Tuna

Excel Report June 16, 2009

"We started off shore this morning, wrote Justin Fleck, Excel skipper. "We didn't see much sign for the AM, but just after first call for lunch we had a sonar mark and we had a jig strike on albacore. The first fifty fish or so were 12 to 25-pound albacore. Then the bluefin took over. We picked at the bluefin all afternoon and ended up boating sixty bluefin 20 to 40 pounds. We really didn't get a chance to look around to see how much volume of fish are here, so we will be here tomorrow. The weather out here is as good as it gets."

Owner Pisano For Independence

"The e-mail onboard the boat is still down. I did however talk to captain Jeff Debuys tonight (June 16) and this is his report for the first two days of fishing. They headed down toward Alijos and enroute to the rocks looked at an area that had some signs of albacore and bluefin tuna. The wind was up a bit in the 15 to 18 mph range; they did not have a whole lot to work on as three yellowfin tuna and one albacore in the 20-pound range were all they had to show for their efforts.

"The gang arrived at the rocks at noon and had very good action on yellowtail with many in the 30 to 45-pound range, along with 18 yellowfin tuna most in the 35 to 55-pound range, the biggest being 90 pounds. Today however the tuna bit much better with 85 beautiful yellowfin hitting deck of the Independence, most of which again were 30 to 55 pounds. The yellowtail also made a good showing though out the day and 130 fish were tagged, many of which in the 30 to 45 pound bracket.

"The weather has been about 15 knots and choppy seas but during the course of the day the wind backed off until they had to use a balloon on the kite to keep it flying. Jeff said they are planning to spend another day doing the same and see how it goes. He did mention the Excel on a five-day trip had 80 mixed albacore and bluefin today and wants to check that out for at least one if not two days on the way home."

Qualifier At The Stones

Today we lived up to our name & kicked butt on all the boats down here at the rocks. We nailed the Yellowfin all day. A strong steady pick in the 40 to 65-pound class w/ a few bigger fish landed under A.H.I rules.

"Rich Goldberg, an A.H.I from way back, landed the Tuna of the trip so far, a 100 to 110-pound Yellowfin. Sweet!

"Tim Dunn, 18, caught his first-ever fly line yellowtail, a 50-pound-plus ???tail. His uncle Bill, who caught a 300-pound Tuna last year, took him on the A.H.I. trip. If you haven't been on a long-range trip yet, do it! Fun is not even the right word..."

Searcher's In On It

"Mid-morning report from Art Taylor June 18: They caught 38 albacore and two bluefin before turning the boat for home. The albacore are 15 to 20 pounds and were caught primarily on live bait. The weather is also good now!"