Niemiec: Coastal fishing wide open

Jim Niemiec

The sand bass bite along the coast is wide open with open party,

half-day twilight and private boaters getting in on the best action of

the year along the coast. Sand Bass weighing up to six pounds are hitting

off the Huntington Beach flats in water depths of between 18 and 30

fathoms.

Limits are common on all trips to the fishing grounds. In addition to

the excellent sand bass bite, there has been a mix of legal barracuda,

sculpin and even some big white seabass have been decked.

The most effective technique being fished for quality sand bass and

quick limits is to rig a green Mojo plastic on a 3/4 or one ounce

leadhead jig, tip it with a strip of cut squid and drag it slowly along

the bottom. This combination has been accounting for the bulk of the

legal sandies being sacked by many anglers heading out of Newport bay.

Fountain Valley angler Tom Duke lucked out this past week when he set

the hook into a 25-pound white seabass while fishing along the coast on

board the half-day boat o7 Western Pridef7 . Other anglers also report

being spooled on big fish as the light 10-pound tackle used to fish the

sand bass just isn’t enough to do battle with a big croaker or

yellowtail.

Live bait conditions are on the poor side all along the coast. There

has been a lot of fishing pressure and the bait is having a tough time

keeping receivers filled with quality hook bait. Currently there is a mix

of big sardines and pin head anchovies, neither of which is very good for

the type of fishing that is currently on tap for the local fleet.

Over at Catalina Island there continues to be a good showing on

yellowtail in the 15 to 25 pound class, a few white seabass are being

caught on the back side and the calico bass bite has been steady on the

lee side of the island. The all-day sportfisher o7 Thunderbirdf7 is

fishing Catalina daily and has been able to make squid. This candy bait

has been the key catching the few white seabass that are showing up in

daily fish count.

Albacore are still a little too far south for Newport’s fleet to

reach, but the migration is on the move north and by this coming week

anglers could be catching good numbers of longfin and few bluefin just

outside the 43 Fathom Spot. Earlier this week the deluxe sportfisher o7

Prowlerf7 , running out of Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego, began

moving up the line which is an indication that the albie bit that took

place a few weeks ago in nearby outer waters might be coming this way.

Water conditions and the sea temp in the channel is holding in the

high sixties, but do date there have been no marlin hooked in local

waters. Even as far down as San Diego, where was some 70 degree water

earlier this week, no spike bills have been landed. There is a huge

school of mixed albacore, bluefin and dorado holding some 175 miles south

of Point Loma and if and when they move north, local anglers, especially

those fishing on board fast six-pack charter boats, like the Bongos II

and III, yachtso7 Limitlessf7 ando7 Fin Feverf7 should enjoy some

hot fishing.

12 1/2-pound bass caught by Newport angler at Oso Lake

Freshwater lake fishing continues to produce a good mix of largemouth

bass, channel catfish and panfish for local anglers. Oso Lake has been

the hot spot to head for bass fishing and that’s where Jason Gruner of

Newport Beach was fishing last week when he reeled in a 12 1/2-pond bass at the popular bass fishery. Gruner was rigged up with a black 12-inch

Berkley Power worm and hooked the big bass in about 15 feet of water. Oso

Lake is managed as a “catch and release” fishing lake and Gruner released

his fish along another 80 bass that he caught fishing only a few hours on

the lake. Oso Lake is open to the general public by advance reservations

only and there are rental boats available for half-day or all-day fishing

outing on the lake. For more details on fishing Oso Lake, phone the

conservation office at (949) 858-9313.