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Bluefin Tuna and a Side of Rockfish
There Should Be No More Floaters Around the Boat!
(left): The big variety has been biting. Finished up our 2-day with 26 bluefin from 100-235lbs, with some smaller models to round out the count – Polaris Supreme
(right): When the bite is good and you’ve loaded up early on tuna, a stop on some taco-meat groundfish is just icing on the cake, as was the case on this 1.5-day Tribute run.
(right): When the bite is good and you’ve loaded up early on tuna, a stop on some taco-meat groundfish is just icing on the cake, as was the case on this 1.5-day Tribute run.
Dock Totals 5/26– 6/1: 2676 anglers aboard 107 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 3 barracuda, 530 bluefin tuna (up to 235 pounds), 478 bonito, 1 cabezon, 434 calico bass, 2 halibut, 18 lingcod, 5601 rockfish, 75 sand bass, 155 sculpin, 63 sheephead, 159 whitefish, and 2 yellowtail.
Saltwater: The wide-open calico bite slowed a bit as many of the ½-day to full-day fleet concentrated on rockfish as the rise in groundfish numbers and drop in calicos in the counts reflect. Bonito have been biting well for the boats heading out for bluefin, with the 371, 302 and closer banks holding fewer bluefin and more bonito than the high spots further out toward the 60-Mile bank. It’s well-lit at night out there with all the 1.5-day to 3-day boats fishing the area with extra lights on for the nighttime bite.
Distance has been the issue this past week, as full day boat range barely gets to the shoreward edge of the tuna. The San Diego full day run had 44 bonito and 1 bluefin, while the Polaris Supreme out on a 3-day went the extra miles for 99 bluefin. That said, pangeros running out of Ensenada are still finding bluefin to 60-pounds or so at the edge of their range, but that is still 60 miles south and 30 miles out, so out of range for any trips shorter than 1.5-day runs. Of course, being bluefin, by the time this reports hits print, things can change. Still no fish in the counts from the landings in the Los Angeles area, so the main body of bluefin is still far south of San Clemente Island and the Cortez/Tanner banks.
A little bird told me that floating rockfish have been seen near some of the local runs fishing the shallow-water rockfish fishery off San Diego. This has been the case going back decades, as anglers tend to release the smaller starry rockfish and other unwanted bottom-dwellers which then float due to barotrauma, or ‘pressure shock.’ Barotrauma is when the gas-filled swim bladder swells due to the rapid ascent from the depths through the water column when caught. Without help, most of the floaters will not survive. They can get too warm too fast in the sun, but mainly, with their swim bladder bloated, they cannot swim back down and will thus become easy prey for birds and sea lions. This year, California Fish and Wildlife implemented a new regulation requiring descending devices on any vessel targeting rockfish. This will be the case going forward, and there should be no more ‘floaters’ around boats on rockfish spots, especially sportboats.
Some myths on releasing rockfish include ‘popping’ the swim bladder so the fish will swim down and survive. First, that is not the swim bladder protruding from the fish’s mouth, it is the stomach, and perforating the stomach will usually cause the fish to die even if it ‘looked healthy’ and swam down out of sight after releasing it. The swim bladder Is loosely attached to the upper stomach cavity at the spine, and when it swells with gas it can often force the stomach out through the fish’s mouth. So, no perforating and popping the stomach.
Another myth is ‘wind ‘em up slow’ to increase their chance of survival. The deeper the fishery, the less chance of survival, as when a fish is brought up quickly from the depths barotrauma can include bulging and shattered-looking eyeballs. Winding a fish slowly to the surface from 300-feet or more will not generally increase the odds of survival because their swim bladders are highly sensitive to depth in the water column, as these fish use it to regulate their rising and dropping in depths of just a few dozen feet. Even if brought up very slowly as divers are taught to avoid the bends, a fish will suffer from barotrauma. The only method to ensure the best odds of survival of a fish suffering from barotrauma is to use a descending device, and this is why they are now required on all vessels.
Rockfish depth is now open at all depths through June 30. On July 1 through September 30, anglers can only target rockfish in 300-feet (50 fathoms) or less, with the line being shoreward of the 50-fathom curve. On October 1 through December 31, anglers can only target rockfish in water deeper than 300-feet and seaward of the 50-fathom curve. Rockfish season will then close from January 1 through March 31. Groundfish and other regulations should be checked before any fishing outings. Changes do occur mid-season. It is the angler’s responsibility to know the regulations, and keeping up on them or any changes is quite easy by visiting the CDFW website. They’re out there, so go get ‘em!
Here's something you might be interested in.
Bluefin Tuna and a Side of Rockfish
There Should Be No More Floaters Around the Boat!
Bluefin Tuna and a Side of Rockfish
There Should Be No More Floaters Around the Boat!
(left): The big variety has been biting. Finished up our 2-day with 26 bluefin from 100-235lbs, with some smaller models to round out the count – Polaris Supreme
(right): When the bite is good and you’ve loaded up early on tuna, a stop on some taco-meat groundfish is just icing on the cake, as was the case on this 1.5-day Tribute run.
(right): When the bite is good and you’ve loaded up early on tuna, a stop on some taco-meat groundfish is just icing on the cake, as was the case on this 1.5-day Tribute run.
Dock Totals 5/26– 6/1: 2676 anglers aboard 107 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 3 barracuda, 530 bluefin tuna (up to 235 pounds), 478 bonito, 1 cabezon, 434 calico bass, 2 halibut, 18 lingcod, 5601 rockfish, 75 sand bass, 155 sculpin, 63 sheephead, 159 whitefish, and 2 yellowtail.
Saltwater: The wide-open calico bite slowed a bit as many of the ½-day to full-day fleet concentrated on rockfish as the rise in groundfish numbers and drop in calicos in the counts reflect. Bonito have been biting well for the boats heading out for bluefin, with the 371, 302 and closer banks holding fewer bluefin and more bonito than the high spots further out toward the 60-Mile bank. It’s well-lit at night out there with all the 1.5-day to 3-day boats fishing the area with extra lights on for the nighttime bite.
Distance has been the issue this past week, as full day boat range barely gets to the shoreward edge of the tuna. The San Diego full day run had 44 bonito and 1 bluefin, while the Polaris Supreme out on a 3-day went the extra miles for 99 bluefin. That said, pangeros running out of Ensenada are still finding bluefin to 60-pounds or so at the edge of their range, but that is still 60 miles south and 30 miles out, so out of range for any trips shorter than 1.5-day runs. Of course, being bluefin, by the time this reports hits print, things can change. Still no fish in the counts from the landings in the Los Angeles area, so the main body of bluefin is still far south of San Clemente Island and the Cortez/Tanner banks.
A little bird told me that floating rockfish have been seen near some of the local runs fishing the shallow-water rockfish fishery off San Diego. This has been the case going back decades, as anglers tend to release the smaller starry rockfish and other unwanted bottom-dwellers which then float due to barotrauma, or ‘pressure shock.’ Barotrauma is when the gas-filled swim bladder swells due to the rapid ascent from the depths through the water column when caught. Without help, most of the floaters will not survive. They can get too warm too fast in the sun, but mainly, with their swim bladder bloated, they cannot swim back down and will thus become easy prey for birds and sea lions. This year, California Fish and Wildlife implemented a new regulation requiring descending devices on any vessel targeting rockfish. This will be the case going forward, and there should be no more ‘floaters’ around boats on rockfish spots, especially sportboats.
Some myths on releasing rockfish include ‘popping’ the swim bladder so the fish will swim down and survive. First, that is not the swim bladder protruding from the fish’s mouth, it is the stomach, and perforating the stomach will usually cause the fish to die even if it ‘looked healthy’ and swam down out of sight after releasing it. The swim bladder Is loosely attached to the upper stomach cavity at the spine, and when it swells with gas it can often force the stomach out through the fish’s mouth. So, no perforating and popping the stomach.
Another myth is ‘wind ‘em up slow’ to increase their chance of survival. The deeper the fishery, the less chance of survival, as when a fish is brought up quickly from the depths barotrauma can include bulging and shattered-looking eyeballs. Winding a fish slowly to the surface from 300-feet or more will not generally increase the odds of survival because their swim bladders are highly sensitive to depth in the water column, as these fish use it to regulate their rising and dropping in depths of just a few dozen feet. Even if brought up very slowly as divers are taught to avoid the bends, a fish will suffer from barotrauma. The only method to ensure the best odds of survival of a fish suffering from barotrauma is to use a descending device, and this is why they are now required on all vessels.
Rockfish depth is now open at all depths through June 30. On July 1 through September 30, anglers can only target rockfish in 300-feet (50 fathoms) or less, with the line being shoreward of the 50-fathom curve. On October 1 through December 31, anglers can only target rockfish in water deeper than 300-feet and seaward of the 50-fathom curve. Rockfish season will then close from January 1 through March 31. Groundfish and other regulations should be checked before any fishing outings. Changes do occur mid-season. It is the angler’s responsibility to know the regulations, and keeping up on them or any changes is quite easy by visiting the CDFW website. They’re out there, so go get ‘em!
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