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Fish Report: Dolphin halibut derby nets winner over five grand
Bluefin bite picky, sand crabs are easy
Pink Promise kicks off their fourth annual event with record participation in Loreto, Baja California Sur.
Dock Totals 4/27 – 5/3: 1656 anglers aboard 71 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 3 barracuda (265 released), 776 bluefin tuna (to 206 pounds), 40 bocaccio, 28 bonito, 2 cabezon, 237 calico bass, 11 halibut (12 released), 82 lingcod, 1 perch, 5101 rockfish, 9 sand bass, 124 sanddab, 134 sculpin, 81 sheephead, 489 whitefish, and 202 yellowtail.
Saltwater: After a great start to the week, the bluefin bite off the northern Baja coast tapered off as the fish seemed to get picky again. A couple nights of limit-style fishing began on Sunday, but by Tuesday, the fish were hesitating to bite. Still, the overall numbers are climbing, and all signs point to another excellent year for bluefin tuna. As the Tribute reported during their 1.5-day run at the end of the week, bluefin fishing for the fleet “sounded a bit tougher across the board last night, but we did manage 11 bluefin from 40-60 pounds to start off our trip in great weather.” With more boats coming online and more anglers trickling into the landings, we should see the numbers continue to improve. Be sure to book ahead; trips are filling quickly as reports come in about bluefin to over 200 pounds within easy 1.5-day range.
A solid bluefin tuna coming over the rail of the Tribute during a sluggish nighttime bite.
Yellowtail action on paddies has been decent, with most of the fish on the small side, but as the bluefin bite slowed and more boats spent extra time trying to get their anglers on a fish, there was less time to look around for kelps — thus the low number on yellows. A couple hundred is still good for this early in the season, and as with bluefin count, I expect to see that number continue to rise. In the heat of the season — from July on — it is not uncommon to see the yellowtail and tuna counts in the thousands every week.
The Dolphin wrapped up their 8th annual four-month halibut derby on Wednesday, April 30th, with the top three fish weighing 34.6, 30, and 28 pounds. First place paid $5,470, second place won a new Shimano Torium 14 paired with a Calstar 270-8H rod, and third place received five free half-day passes. During the event, which fished every Wednesday from New Year’s Day to last week, there were 129 legal sized halibut landed, and 193 short halibut released. Kudos to the winners and the Dolphin crew for another successful Halibut Derby!
The top three halibut caught during Dolphin Sportfishing’s 8th annual four-month long Halibut Derby.
As fishing tournament season kicks off in Baja, I’d like to mention a really cool and very popular newer event that is taking place right now in Loreto, BCS, Mexico. The Pink Promise Fishing Tournament starting guns fired off Sunday morning, May 4, for their fourth annual event, with 85 teams and 329 anglers vying for a piece of the total bag of 660,000 pesos in prizes. This year’s women’s fishing event, which supports breast cancer research, has been crowned their largest to date, “thanks to the resolute endorsement of the Governor of the State, Prof. Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, and the coordination with the municipal government headed by the Mayor of Loreto, Paz Ochoa Amador, which positions this event as an international benchmark in female participation and support for women in their fight against cancer.”
Surf fishing has been picking up along SoCal and Baja beaches, with counts of barred surf perch and corbina on the rise. San crab colonies seem to be "blooming" along many beaches, with a lot of them between pinky toe and big toe-sized and loaded with eggs. There are many methods for catching sand crabs for bait. Rakes and colanders are common tools, but I just use my toes. I normally fish a Carolina rig when using sand crabs, with an appropriately-sized weight for conditions and preferred casting distance, a swivel, and a leader about 18 inches long from the swivel to the hook.
A solid 14-inch early spawn surf perch caught on Playa Pabellón, San Quintin, with a pinky toe sized hand collected sand crab.
Typically, I use a number 4 baitholder hook with sand crabs, and if already snelled, I just cut the snelled line off and tie the hook to my leader. I look for the crabs that are loaded with orange eggs under their digger, and preferably those with softer shells. Before anything, I cruise the high swash line from the previous high tide. If I see lots of bits and pieces of crabs, I know two things: one, the sand crabs are present, and two, fish are feeding on them. With my rod in hand, I enter the swash looking for sand crab colonies. Once I catch a crab, I’ll pin it on and cast it out.
While fishing that crab, I use my feet to poke around for more. Every so often, I’ll reach down and pluck a few, rinse them off, and keep them in my board shorts pocket. I have rarely run out of baits using this method, and I wind up feeling better about myself than if I were smashing or maiming multitudes by dragging tools through the sand to collect them. And with my method,I never take more than I need. Consider giving it a shot: you really don’t need hard rakes or silly tools and belt mounted baitholders to catch plenty of sand crabs for fishing. Whether the beach, bay, lake, or offshore, they’re out there so go out and get ‘em!
Here's something you might be interested in.
Fish Report: Dolphin halibut derby nets winner over five grand
Bluefin bite picky, sand crabs are easy
Fish Report: Dolphin halibut derby nets winner over five grand
Bluefin bite picky, sand crabs are easy
Pink Promise kicks off their fourth annual event with record participation in Loreto, Baja California Sur.
Dock Totals 4/27 – 5/3: 1656 anglers aboard 71 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 3 barracuda (265 released), 776 bluefin tuna (to 206 pounds), 40 bocaccio, 28 bonito, 2 cabezon, 237 calico bass, 11 halibut (12 released), 82 lingcod, 1 perch, 5101 rockfish, 9 sand bass, 124 sanddab, 134 sculpin, 81 sheephead, 489 whitefish, and 202 yellowtail.
Saltwater: After a great start to the week, the bluefin bite off the northern Baja coast tapered off as the fish seemed to get picky again. A couple nights of limit-style fishing began on Sunday, but by Tuesday, the fish were hesitating to bite. Still, the overall numbers are climbing, and all signs point to another excellent year for bluefin tuna. As the Tribute reported during their 1.5-day run at the end of the week, bluefin fishing for the fleet “sounded a bit tougher across the board last night, but we did manage 11 bluefin from 40-60 pounds to start off our trip in great weather.” With more boats coming online and more anglers trickling into the landings, we should see the numbers continue to improve. Be sure to book ahead; trips are filling quickly as reports come in about bluefin to over 200 pounds within easy 1.5-day range.
A solid bluefin tuna coming over the rail of the Tribute during a sluggish nighttime bite.
Yellowtail action on paddies has been decent, with most of the fish on the small side, but as the bluefin bite slowed and more boats spent extra time trying to get their anglers on a fish, there was less time to look around for kelps — thus the low number on yellows. A couple hundred is still good for this early in the season, and as with bluefin count, I expect to see that number continue to rise. In the heat of the season — from July on — it is not uncommon to see the yellowtail and tuna counts in the thousands every week.
The Dolphin wrapped up their 8th annual four-month halibut derby on Wednesday, April 30th, with the top three fish weighing 34.6, 30, and 28 pounds. First place paid $5,470, second place won a new Shimano Torium 14 paired with a Calstar 270-8H rod, and third place received five free half-day passes. During the event, which fished every Wednesday from New Year’s Day to last week, there were 129 legal sized halibut landed, and 193 short halibut released. Kudos to the winners and the Dolphin crew for another successful Halibut Derby!
The top three halibut caught during Dolphin Sportfishing’s 8th annual four-month long Halibut Derby.
As fishing tournament season kicks off in Baja, I’d like to mention a really cool and very popular newer event that is taking place right now in Loreto, BCS, Mexico. The Pink Promise Fishing Tournament starting guns fired off Sunday morning, May 4, for their fourth annual event, with 85 teams and 329 anglers vying for a piece of the total bag of 660,000 pesos in prizes. This year’s women’s fishing event, which supports breast cancer research, has been crowned their largest to date, “thanks to the resolute endorsement of the Governor of the State, Prof. Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, and the coordination with the municipal government headed by the Mayor of Loreto, Paz Ochoa Amador, which positions this event as an international benchmark in female participation and support for women in their fight against cancer.”
Surf fishing has been picking up along SoCal and Baja beaches, with counts of barred surf perch and corbina on the rise. San crab colonies seem to be "blooming" along many beaches, with a lot of them between pinky toe and big toe-sized and loaded with eggs. There are many methods for catching sand crabs for bait. Rakes and colanders are common tools, but I just use my toes. I normally fish a Carolina rig when using sand crabs, with an appropriately-sized weight for conditions and preferred casting distance, a swivel, and a leader about 18 inches long from the swivel to the hook.
A solid 14-inch early spawn surf perch caught on Playa Pabellón, San Quintin, with a pinky toe sized hand collected sand crab.
Typically, I use a number 4 baitholder hook with sand crabs, and if already snelled, I just cut the snelled line off and tie the hook to my leader. I look for the crabs that are loaded with orange eggs under their digger, and preferably those with softer shells. Before anything, I cruise the high swash line from the previous high tide. If I see lots of bits and pieces of crabs, I know two things: one, the sand crabs are present, and two, fish are feeding on them. With my rod in hand, I enter the swash looking for sand crab colonies. Once I catch a crab, I’ll pin it on and cast it out.
While fishing that crab, I use my feet to poke around for more. Every so often, I’ll reach down and pluck a few, rinse them off, and keep them in my board shorts pocket. I have rarely run out of baits using this method, and I wind up feeling better about myself than if I were smashing or maiming multitudes by dragging tools through the sand to collect them. And with my method,I never take more than I need. Consider giving it a shot: you really don’t need hard rakes or silly tools and belt mounted baitholders to catch plenty of sand crabs for fishing. Whether the beach, bay, lake, or offshore, they’re out there so go out and get ‘em!
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