The bank has been holding the bigger grade bluefin lately if your willing to make the run. The good news, is there’s not a lot of boat pressure on the bank and the tuna are now eating fin bait as well as live squid. They’re also keyed in on the slack tide so make sure your in the zone before the tide changes. If the bite is slow, step down to 50lb flouro and smaller circle hook (even as small #1) can be very effective. Good luck and keep sending in the reports!

 

Lots of reports coming in today and yesterday of marlin being seen and baited along the 277.. not a whole lot of takers! There’s also a nice temp break running along that area, and it’s holding tuna as well.

Update! Another report- a marlin charging in on one of the teasers at the 267, during the slack tide but couldn’t get him to stick. Water temps are 66 degrees and very clean.

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!