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Old 09-06-2019, 04:35 PM   #1
Bob Ballew
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Blue Water w/ Giant Bluefin..9/6/19

...The perfect tuna scenario has arrived...From below San Clemente island, up the backside and a finger of blue around to Farnsworth at Catalina; nice blue water with some purple has replaced the green gunk that has been present in past weeks..
...One boat, the "Rail Time", had four big ones, with one at 258 and the largest weighing in at 313 pounds, hooked up southwest of the east end. They quit fishing after boating 1300 lbs of tuna, with fish still biting! Another boat out of Oceanside reported one they thought would hit 300... Lots of fish seen with a large "U" shaped area of big bluefin curving around both sides of the east end of SCI. Mixed Yellowfin and BFT down below in the 43 bank area.. Weather a little iffy with a 9 second swell, from two directions, and afternoon wind. Military operations make some island areas hot, so, check the site first... Still, if you can get out there, now is the time.
...Swordfish being caught with multiple sightings....tried two or three times over the years to jump in and spear one, but, I don't recommend it if you have a wife and kids or consider yourself intelligent...
...inside Catalina is still green but, cleans up some toward the west end with 73 degree water...me: if I was limited on time and distance, I would head a couple of miles offshore from West Cove on the back, meter the 172 area; tracking the blue water finger down as far as Farnsworth, with some attention paid to the 499 Bank....it paid off for guys last year with some big bluefin foamers within sight of Cat Harbor...
...The negative side of big tuna: They are high in mercury...eat too much, too often, and you will end up sick with migrane headaches, confused thinking and other effects from mercury poisoning....but, look on the positive side; if you are too skinny and need to gain some weight, think heavy metals....
...Update: might want to stay home until Thursday when the swell is down to 2'...small craft warning up thru Sunday nite and s/w wind to 20ks with 3' windwaves and west swell 3 to 5' NOAA forecast.. It is early in the game to "guesstimate", but, if the cool water/blue water finger continues northward like it is doing currently, it is likely the big bluefin may settle in to feed on the "Boot," "Footrprint" shelf and 153 bank below Anacapa....Cortez and Tanner also look good at this point in time..
...Today: Sunday, 8th, most of the boats are either sheltering inside Catalina or, if larger in size; down on the 302/425 areas in Mexico where they don't have to deal with military closures (yet), the weather was nicer and limits of yellowfin were available on the 371 bank.....a nice swordfish was caught on Avalon Bank today (deep dropping down to were they hang out during the day and mainly surfacing at night)..lots more are deep and easier to hook, than up on the surface..

Last edited by Bob Ballew; 09-09-2019 at 02:24 PM.
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Old 09-09-2019, 12:11 AM   #2
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Re: Blue Water w/ Giant Bluefin..9/6/19

How deep are they dropping for the swords?
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Old 09-09-2019, 12:36 AM   #3
Bob Ballew
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Re: Blue Water w/ Giant Bluefin..9/6/19

About 1,000 to 1,800', depending on the squid concentrations along steep dropoff walls, canyons and high spots...They come up to the surface at night and forage until dawn, returning deep all day...Using Florida fishing techniques, Ca fisherman are starting to catch more of them. They have been known to dive straight down when hooked, ramming their bills into the bottom or rushing toward the surface; with stories of them ramming a bill thru the side of a boat....Catching one is the ultimate test for a fisherman...Spearing and landing one would make you a legend...of course, the claim would be self-defense at the F&W hearing....
...My wife would simply inscribe my tombstone, "He wasn't a very bright man, but, he always meant well"....

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Old 09-14-2019, 02:03 PM   #4
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Re: Blue Water w/ Giant Bluefin..9/6/19

9/14/19 Swordfish update: In a tournament with swordies included: yesterday, 3 landed out of 7 hookups...Today, 2 more landed...the deep drop is catching on and catching fish...More 300 pound Bluefin being caught, with a 336 landed...if the tuna settle in below the Channel islands and fatten up, it is likely a 400 pounder will be in the catch scenario by November...just one old guy's opinion..Hmmm, L.A. County may become the new Guadalupe island, requiring a name change...
...Sunday/ 9/15..Final count:....6 swordies landed of 13 hooked up plus some marlin in the Masters Tournament....one fisherman fought a sword for over 13 hours before it broke off just outside gaffing range...Still, that doesn't match Cami Garnier's epic 21 hour battle with a estimated 500 pound swordfish off Catalina Island. In another test of the wills, Cami fought a large Catalina marlin for 12 1/2 hours before losing the battle down by Oceanside..
...9/15..My son, the college graduate deckhand just came in from an El Dorado charterboat run at San Nic for rockcod..Enroute home, between Nic and west side of Catalina, a pod of large orcas surfaced to play around the boat.....One looked to be over 25', based on his cell phone footage..freezer has rockcod and ling filets, now, it is time for some lobster and tuna chasing...one benefit from the kid's college degree!...September thru December is looking good!

Last edited by Bob Ballew; 09-16-2019 at 08:12 PM.
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Old 09-20-2019, 10:32 PM   #5
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Re: Blue Water w/ Giant Bluefin..9/6/19

Whats the update for this weekend?
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