From Sportfishing
Fish Report for 7-24-2009
Santa Cruz Sentinel Fish Report
7-24-2009
Allen Bushnell
We are at the height of our summer fishing season, and Monterey Bay
area anglers are enjoying fantastic fishing right now. The past few
weeks have been very productive for a variety of species, including
some exotics. With the amount of bait in the bay, we are pretty well
assured of continuing at this level for the next few weeks at least.
Top on the list has to be albacore. After a few years of dismal tuna
counts for Santa Cruz, the stars have aligned and the warm water
currents offshore set up correctly this year to give us a shot. Right
now the favorable temperature breaks are still out around 50-70
miles. In years past, we have seen those breaks move closer as the
season progresses. Hopefully that will occur again this year,
bringing the tuna grounds closer to Santa Cruz, accessible for more
fishing.
A number of anglers made it out for tuna last week, averaging 8-25
fish per boat. Captain Jimmy Charters took four clients nearly 70
miles and returned with 11 fish weighing up to 28 pounds each. Boccie
Boy Bait fished the tuna commercially last week, and brought home 25
fish caught on the troll after an overnight trip. Stagnaro's
Sportfishing plans a long-range charter next week for tuna on their
elegant boat Velocity.
Unfortunately, the coming weekend does not look good weather-wise
for offshore fishing. Winds are forecast for 25 knots, and we will
have a nine-foot NW swell with 9 seconds between the peaks, mixed with
a strong four-foot south swell. Conditions like this are virtually
unfishable, not to mention unsafe. Because Santa Cruz faces south the
strong south swell could hit us hard. Be careful this weekend if
fishing shallow.
Inshore fishing remains very strong. Rockfish limits are not uncommon
for those working the reefs near Capitola. We are seeing a good mix
of browns, blues and yellowtail rockfish, an increasing number of the
larger black rockfish schooling as well as an increase of lingcod
being caught from our local reefs. Halibut are still on the bite,
making this one of the best halibut years ever. Flatties were caught
from both the Capitola and Santa Cruz Wharves this week, and boaters
are nailing the halibut from Natural Bridges to the Cement Ship.
Sizes still range from barely legal to nearly 30 pounds. Quite a few
striped bass and at least one thresher shark were reported caught in
the Capitola area last week, and a good number of White Sea Bass were
reported caught.
All these fish are feeding on the abundant bait schooling close to
shore. Carl Azevedo, who operates Boccie Boy Bait at the Santa Cruz
Harbor reports the jumbo sardines are still prevalent, though he is
seeing more small jack mackerel in the mix, and is happy to report a
good number of anchovies beginning to show up. His receivers are full
for the coming weekend.
Big fish honors this week go to Ed Burrell (again) for his beautiful
24-pound White Sea Bass caught from the kelp somewhere near Pleasure
Point.
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