There have been a lot of yellowfin stacked up on many of these local banks- 14, 267-279, 277 and 209 look for tern birds and kelp.. also there have been some nice models caught under the porpoise behind Catalina. Your best bet is using 20lb fluoro and #2 hooks and a lively dine. Don’t forget to shut down the boat and start your drift while brailing bait to keep them around the boat.

There has also been reports of  40-60lbs bluefin on the East end of San Clemente Island. These fish are line shy, so use 25# fluoro, #2 hook.. they’re keyed in on squid, so don’t forget to tank up.

 

A solid yellowfin report came in this morning. They had 5 in the boat before 9am. They bite before the slack tide all on the sardine with a top shot of 20# fluoro and #4 circle hook. They caught 10 yesterday in the same location!

Twenty miles off La Jolla a private boater stopped on a big school of yellowfin up to 30lbs. The best action was fly-lining a sardine on 25lb fluoro and using #2 circle hook. Look for your own bird school away from the other boats to set up your drift. Shut your engines down and let them come to you. Don’t forget to throw chum and brail sardines to keep the tuna around the boat.

 

The marlin bite has picked up over the last 5 days with reports coming in confirming that a large body of marlin have moved in below the 181 and the 43. Watch for sleepers at grey light, with the hot bite being 2 hours before the slack. The best colors for jigs are- Mean Joe Green & Black & Purple. The best ratio for hook ups are trolled ballyhoo with circle hooks, and throwing live mackerel.

With all the boat pressure over the weekend the yellowfin bite slowed down. A couple of reports this morning from the 9 mile bank said the bite is back on! What’s been working- 20# fluorocarbon leader, size 4 hooks, lively sardines,  short soaks using chum and brailing lots of bait to keep them around the boat. The average size coming over the rail have been 15 – 35lb. But it’s not uncommon to see a few pushing 50lb.

 

Good reports are coming in of dorado and yellowfin underneath the kelps above the 277. They’re having more success fly lining dines on 30# fluoro and using 1/4oz sliding sinkers with circle hooks!

A lot of reports have come in over the weekend about the bigger grade of tuna showing up on the 43. The yellowfin finally decided to bite, some were pushing over 60lbs. Guys are still catching those tanker bluefin over 200lbs, mainly on the on the kite gear. There’s a nice temp break on the outside of the bank where a lot of fish are holding up. Pay attention to the slack tides and being in the zone is your best bet on getting hooked up!

 

 

A good number of dorado were reported working the outside of the 267. Some pushing over 20 pounds. They were stacking up under paddy’s and keyed in on macks. The water has also clearing up a lot in that zone with tons of bait metered between 100 to 150 feet. Good signs to look for are birds working or sitting on kelp!

The striped marlin have been up around the Osborn all week and biting the jig consistently. There’s been a nice temp break around the high spot with some BIG yellowtail mixed in as well. Great water conditions!

Over the weekend the bigger grade bluefin slid off the 43 and moved above it. Mixed in were the smaller yellowfin that haven’t been on the chew yet. What’s been working well and guys had a lot of success is using the kite with the Yummy Flyer to get the 100 to 200 plus pound bluefin to bite. The tuna are still holding up in the greener water. Watch for the tern birds working to get an idea where the school are.