Sunday, May 19th, 2019

*****Attention iPhone and iPad users***** The new iOS FishDope app for iPhone and iPad is here! Search for FishDope in the App Store to download and install. We recommend a minimum of iOS 9 to run the app, and newer versions will give the best performance. Note: Please use your FishDope username, not email address, to log in. The app offers all the charts and the latest 7 days of fishing reports, and you can now stream live VHF radio while online. It automatically stores the fishing reports for offline use, and it also saves the last chart region and chart layers you’ve viewed so that you can take them with you on the water and out of wifi range. You can also continue to view the FishDope website with a browser like Safari or Chrome on your phone or tablet, but only the app will save reports and charts for offline use. We’ve created a FAQ page for the app (with instructions for using it) here: FishDope App Frequently Asked Questions If you have other questions or notice bugs, please post them up in our forums.

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—– Weather ALERT! —– The strong winds didn’t quite materialize as early as forecast today and conditions stayed fishable a bit later into the afternoon than expected. Still, NW winds are on the rise this evening and will blow very hard for the next several days. Small Craft Advisories are posted for noon Sunday through at least Wednesday, with Gale Warnings possible at times Monday through Wednesday.  Please keep a very close eye on the latest conditions and forecast for your local area before you head out!  

LIVE Weather Broadcast Northern Sector – Santa Barbara to LA Southern Sector – Orange and San Diego County and SCI Baja Sector (experimental, may not be updated every day) —– Bait Report —– Bait Barge Contact Info Everingham Bros Bait Company San Diego – 4-6″ sardine (5-7) Mission Bay – 3-6″ sardine (5-4) Oceanside Bait Barge Recording (760) 434-1183 – 5-6″ sardine  (5-4). Dana Point – 5-7″ sardine (5-10). Newport Bait Barge (310) 461-5370 – 4-6″ sardine (5-15) Nacho’s Bait Barge (updated when members report) –  5-7″ sardine – NO squid (5-15) San Pedro Bait Barge (310) 365-2516 CH.11 – 4-6″ sardine (5-15) Redondo Bait Report (310) 372-2111 – medium size sardines – Available most mornings. Call 909 721-5849 for Mike at the bait barge (5-4) Marina Del Rey (updated when members report) – Sardines. $30/scoop, half scoops not available (5-6) CISCOS Bait Barge –  sardine & anchovy mix  (5-15)

****************************** INSHORE / ISLANDS Section ******************************

Inshore GPS Spots are here. Channel Islands Small Craft Advisories will be posted Sunday through Wednesday with GALE WARNINGS very possible for strong NW winds the next several days. Rockfishing was still good this weekend in the unsettled conditions but it’s a moot point as the wind will be coming up very strong for the next 3 days. Santa Monica Bay / LA Harbor / Long Beach Shelf Mostly rockfish again today at the South Bank and Out Front Spot in Santa Monica Bay and down around the Southeast Bank and Outer Rigs. The sculpin bite is picking up again around the 150 as they start to bunch up to spawn over the cobble and mud bottom flats. My Precious Ruby reported in from the Long Beach Shelf yesterday: Launched out of Huntington & picked up some lively dines from Nacho. Decided to stay close to home and started out at SE bank. Did well on salmon groupers for a bit and slid over to the 150. We drifted over some stones and plucked a legal sandy, a couple reds, whitefish, and a nice sheepy. Shot over to the mussel farm and marked nice fish, but no takers on the dines or yoyos. Ended our day at Izors and had some fun hooking calicos on plastics. They were jumping all over the red crab colors. Catalina Island The weather forecast kept most of our contacts along the coast today, even though conditions ended up being fairly decent for most of the morning. There have been some scattered yellowtail and bonito up and down the middle and west end front side around Little Gibraltar, Red Bluff, Empire Landing and Yellowtail Point, as well as from the Isthmus spots up to around Black Rocks, but overall the weekend was slower than earlier in the week. Conditions don’t look good to get back out to the island at all until Thursday at the earliest. San Clemente Island The wind picked up this afternoon and the island is going to be unfishable for the next several days. Yellowtail are still around with some small 2-4 lb. rats up and down the frontside and Pyramid Cove and some nicer 15-20 lb. models on the usual squid ground zones in Pyramid Cove and the west end around the Dunes and the Runway, but it’ll be until at least Thursday until anyone is able to get back out here to check on it. Be sure to check the Navy closure schedule  before heading out to San Clemente Island. Always monitor VHF Ch. 16 and obey any requests to clear out of closed security zones. Click here  for info on how to read the closure schedule. Dana Point / Oceanside Bass fishing has been fair throughout most of this stretch if you can find some current pushing along the edge of the kelp combined with the smaller sardines you can dig out of your bait tank. The clam beds area north of Oceanside about 2-4 miles off the beach had some pretty good spots of bait, birds, and mammals and would be a good zone to look for threshers or an occasional mako. La Jolla to Imperial Beach Didn’t hear much happening with yellowtail in La Jolla today. There had been a few quick shots around Northwest in La Jolla earlier in the week but it was slowing down as the week progressed. Slow-trolled mackerel or casting surface iron to breaking fish have been the best ways to get bit. The Imperial Beach and International Reef area has a little bit of bird life with some scattered spots of bonito and possibly yellowtail but it’s not a ton of activity. Otherwise, rockfish are the main biters from Pt. Loma to the border. **** Attention **** There is now an ice vending machine at the Shelter Island launch ramp for your convenience. It’s located right near the bathroom building at the top of the ramp. The machine takes credit cards and 20 lb. bags are $6.95 each. Swipe your credit card to open, take as many as you want, and it charges by weight when you close the door. ——— Mexican waters ———— Getting Permits To Fish Mexico – An Angler’s Guide To Baja by That Baja Guy-Gary Graham Coronado Islands Once again yellowtail and bonito bit ok around the islands and Middle Grounds today. Pukey Point has seen some yo-yo iron bites on meter marks this weekend, and there are also some schools of both species scattered around the ridge running through the Middle Grounds and off the weather side of South Island and around the Lighthouse. Keep an eye out for terns to mark areas where the yellows and bonito are holding. Also watch for meter marks around the deeper dropoff sections around Pukey Point, the ridge running along the Middle Grounds, and outside the Lighthouse at the tip of South Island. When you’re in a good area, you can troll Rapalas, flyline or slow-troll sardines on 25-30 lb. gear, or throw surface iron, especially where you see terns hovering and dipping over fish. Wind just fast enough that the jig “kicks” side to side without rolling over or spinning. Allen on the Mega J checked in from the islands: The Mega J caught lots of yellowtail and bonito all around the Coronado islands. Bonito were everywhere and the best yellowtail came in the Middle Grounds. Most yellows in the 15-20 pound class. Caught everything trolling Rapala X-Rap 15’s and 20’s. Bracelets are now required to fish within Pacific Island Biosphere Reserve areas, including the Coronado Islands, Todos Santos, and San Martin Island. See the Mexico Info page in the Resources section for more info. **** ATTENTION **** You must stay at least 250 meters (820 feet) away from any tuna pens. If you don’t you are at risk of losing your boat and landing in a Mexican jail. Click here for more details on this subject *********************** The Mexican Navy regularly patrols the islands and checks boats for the required paperwork, including Mexican Fishing License, Vessel Temporary Import Permit, FMM and valid Country of Residence Passport for each person on the boat (can’t purchase the FMM (Tourist Card) without a passport anyway). Required permits are listed on the CONAPESCA website for fishing within 12 miles of land including the islands. The permits can be purchased through their website.

****************************** OFFSHORE Section ******************************

——- MEXICAN WATERS ———— 425-101 / 475 Knuckle / Finger Bank / Upper Hidden Bank More good bluefin fishing this morning above and inside the Upper Hidden Bank and in toward the 475 Knuckle on the incoming tide, with several boats again getting on good schools that responded to chum and bit flylined sardines well. The this weekend has seen big spots of meter marks, breezers, and even a few foamers of bluefin on tiny anchovy through this area. Again today the majority of the tuna are those nice 50-80 lb. grade, with a few more bigger 100+ lb. models showing and biting this weekend along with an occasional spot of smaller 30-40 lb. tuna. Unfortunately the wind is going to be picking up the next 3 days and the grounds will likely be unfishable for private boats until at least Thursday. Bite times have generally been on the incoming to slack high tide, which is a couple hours after sunrise and sunset this weekend. Flylined sardines on 40-50 lb. fluorocarbon with a small, #1 or 1/0 circle hook have been working the best. There have also been a few bluefin taken before dawn and late in the day on glow-in-the-dark Flat Fall jigs on 100 lb. gear on meter marks from 30-250 ft. down. Finally, you can also fly a double trouble rig (swivel to two circle hooks on 2-3 ft. leaders, each with a sardine or mackerel hooked through the back) under a kite while drifting – this is a great way to use heavier 80-100 lb. gear to stand a better chance at losing these nice-grade tuna since the kite keeps your line up out of the water where line-shy bluefin can’t see it. There have also been a few kelps holding yellowtail scattered through the offshore grounds. Most of these are those little 3-5lb rats but there are some legit 8-15lbers in the mix if you find the right kelp. They’ll eat flylined sardines on 25-40 lb. test no problem. 32 07 x 117 12  Bluefin 32 06 x 117 11  Bluefin 32 05 x 117 13  Bluefin 32 04 x 117 21  Bluefin 32 03 x 117 19  Bluefin

******************************************************************* All reports, good, bad, or otherwise are very helpful. If you go fishing please give us a call or shoot us an email. reports@www.fishdope.com 1 (619) 992-6099

Saturday, May 18th, 2019

*****Attention iPhone and iPad users***** The new iOS FishDope app for iPhone and iPad is here! Search for FishDope in the App Store to download and install. We recommend a minimum of iOS 9 to run the app, and newer versions will give the best performance. Note: Please use your FishDope username, not email address, to log in. The app offers all the charts and the latest 7 days of fishing reports, and you can now stream live VHF radio while online. It automatically stores the fishing reports for offline use, and it also saves the last chart region and chart layers you’ve viewed so that you can take them with you on the water and out of wifi range. You can also continue to view the FishDope website with a browser like Safari or Chrome on your phone or tablet, but only the app will save reports and charts for offline use. We’ve created a FAQ page for the app (with instructions for using it) here: FishDope App Frequently Asked Questions If you have other questions or notice bugs, please post them up in our forums.

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—– Weather ALERT! —– The wind backed off quite a bit last night and didn’t come up too strong from the SE along the coast this morning. This allowed the early-morning bumpy leftover wind swell to back off throughout the day, making for overall fairly nice conditions for many areas. For Sunday, another storm front is due to bring some rain showers through the Bight, along with a slight chance of a scattered thunderstorm or two. The wind forecast has been bumped up a bit, and it’s now looking pretty breezy most of the day and decidedly windy in the afternoon. Overall, it doesn’t look like a very nice day to be on the water. The wind will continue to blow hard out of the NW for several days early next week, too. Small Craft Advisories are posted for noon Sunday through at least Wednesday, with Gale Warnings possible Monday through Wednesday.  Please keep a very close eye on the latest conditions and forecast for your local area before you head out!  

LIVE Weather Broadcast Northern Sector – Santa Barbara to LA Southern Sector – Orange and San Diego County and SCI Baja Sector (experimental, may not be updated every day) —– Bait Report —– Bait Barge Contact Info Everingham Bros Bait Company San Diego – 4-6″ sardine (5-7) Mission Bay – 3-6″ sardine (5-4) Oceanside Bait Barge Recording (760) 434-1183 – 5-6″ sardine  (5-4). Dana Point – 5-7″ sardine (5-10). Newport Bait Barge (310) 461-5370 – 4-6″ sardine (5-15) Nacho’s Bait Barge (updated when members report) –  5-7″ sardine – NO squid (5-15) San Pedro Bait Barge (310) 365-2516 CH.11 – 4-6″ sardine (5-15) Redondo Bait Report (310) 372-2111 – medium size sardines – Available most mornings. Call 909 721-5849 for Mike at the bait barge (5-4) Marina Del Rey (updated when members report) – Sardines. $30/scoop, half scoops not available (5-6) CISCOS Bait Barge –  sardine & anchovy mix  (5-15)

****************************** INSHORE / ISLANDS Section ******************************

Inshore GPS Spots are here. Channel Islands Small Craft Advisories will be posted Sunday through Wednesday with GALE WARNINGS very possible for strong NW winds the next several days. Not much happening on the Eagle’s Nest seabass grounds this morning. There isn’t much squid around to hold the fish and they’ve been more keyed in on red crab. In any event, the wind and swell will be increasing again tomorrow so it won’t be pretty out here for the next 3-5 days. Santa Monica Bay / LA Harbor / Long Beach Shelf Mostly rockfish again today at the South Bank and Out Front Spot in Santa Monica Bay and down around the Southeast Bank and Outer Rigs. The sculpin bite is picking up again around the 150 as they start to bunch up to spawn over the cobble and mud bottom flats Catalina Island Slower today after the wind but there are still a few yellowtail scattered along the frontside. You may find an occasional spot around Little Gibraltar, Red Bluff, Empire Landing and Yellowtail Point, as well as from the Isthmus spots up to around Black Rocks. The weather is going to be coming back up Sunday through Wednesday, though, so not much opportunity to get out here again the next several days. San Clemente Island Yellowtail are still around the island, with some small 2-4 lb. rats up and down the frontside and Pyramid Cove and some nicer 15-20 lb. models on the usual squid ground zones in Pyramid Cove and the west end around the Dunes and the Runway. Conditions were tough but barely fishable for bigger sport boats along the backside today, and the weather is going to really pick up again Sunday through Wednesday. Really doesn’t look good to get out here again the next several days. Be sure to check the Navy closure schedule  before heading out to San Clemente Island. Always monitor VHF Ch. 16 and obey any requests to clear out of closed security zones. Click here  for info on how to read the closure schedule. Dana Point / Oceanside Bass fishing has been fair throughout most of this stretch if you can find some current pushing along the edge of the kelp combined with the smaller sardines you can dig out of your bait tank. The clam beds area north of Oceanside about 2-4 miles off the beach had some pretty good spots of bait, birds, and mammals and would be a good zone to look for threshers or an occasional mako. La Jolla to Imperial Beach Didn’t hear much happening with yellowtail in La Jolla today. There had been a few quick shots around Northwest in La Jolla earlier in the week but it was slowing down as the week progressed. Slow-trolled mackerel or casting surface iron to breaking fish have been the best ways to get bit. The Imperial Beach and International Reef area has a little bit of bird life with some scattered spots of bonito and possibly yellowtail but it’s not a ton of activity. Otherwise, rockfish are the main biters from Pt. Loma to the border. **** Attention **** There is now an ice vending machine at the Shelter Island launch ramp for your convenience. It’s located right near the bathroom building at the top of the ramp. The machine takes credit cards and 20 lb. bags are $6.95 each. Swipe your credit card to open, take as many as you want, and it charges by weight when you close the door. ——— Mexican waters ———— Getting Permits To Fish Mexico – An Angler’s Guide To Baja by That Baja Guy-Gary Graham Coronado Islands / Rockpile Yellowtail bit pretty well again today, along with some bonito mixed in. The Middle Grounds and North Island are still seeing some schools of the 8-20 lb. fish around, and there are also yellows and bonito along the weather side of South Island and down around the Lighthouse. The Islands proper didn’t have very much current today, though, which hurt the bite there. Surface temps have also dropped a degree or two with the wind yesterday. The better action today was down around the South Kelp Ridge on meter marks and yo-yo iron. Keep an eye out for terns to mark areas where the yellows and bonito are holding. Also watch for meter marks around the deeper dropoff sections around Pukey Point, the ridge running along the Middle Grounds, and outside the Lighthouse at the tip of South Island. When you’re in a good area, you can troll Rapalas, flyline or slow-troll sardines on 25-30 lb. gear, or throw surface iron, especially where you see terns hovering and dipping over fish. Wind just fast enough that the jig “kicks” side to side without rolling over or spinning. Bracelets are now required to fish within Pacific Island Biosphere Reserve areas, including the Coronado Islands, Todos Santos, and San Martin Island. See the Mexico Info page in the Resources section for more info. **** ATTENTION **** You must stay at least 250 meters (820 feet) away from any tuna pens. If you don’t you are at risk of losing your boat and landing in a Mexican jail. Click here for more details on this subject *********************** The Mexican Navy regularly patrols the islands and checks boats for the required paperwork, including Mexican Fishing License, Vessel Temporary Import Permit, FMM and valid Country of Residence Passport for each person on the boat (can’t purchase the FMM (Tourist Card) without a passport anyway). Required permits are listed on the CONAPESCA website for fishing within 12 miles of land including the islands. The permits can be purchased through their website.

****************************** OFFSHORE Section ******************************

——- MEXICAN WATERS ———— 425-101 / 475 Knuckle / Finger Bank / Upper Hidden Bank Really good bluefin fishing this morning for the fleet down around the Upper Hidden Bank, in a fairly tight area from 32 08 to 32 01 and 117 17 to 117 22. Several boats got on good schools of 50-80 lb. fish first thing in the morning and the schools stuck with them and wanted to bite well. There continue to also be a few bigger 100-140 lb. tuna showing, as well as some of the smaller 30-40 lb. grade, but most are that very nice 50-80 lb. size. Bite times have generally been on the incoming to slack high tide, which is a couple hours after sunrise and sunset this weekend. Flylined sardines on 40-50 lb. fluorocarbon with a small, #1 or 1/0 circle hook have been working the best. There have also been a few bluefin taken before dawn and late in the day on glow-in-the-dark Flat Fall jigs on 100 lb. gear on meter marks from 30-250 ft. down. Finally, you can also fly a double trouble rig (swivel to two circle hooks on 2-3 ft. leaders, each with a sardine or mackerel hooked through the back) under a kite while drifting – this is a great way to use heavier 80-100 lb. gear to stand a better chance at losing these nice-grade tuna since the kite keeps your line up out of the water where line-shy bluefin can’t see it. There have also been a few kelps holding yellowtail scattered through the offshore grounds. Most of these are those little 3-5lb rats but there are some legit 8-15lbers in the mix if you find the right kelp. They’ll eat flylined sardines on 25-40 lb. test no problem. 32 07 x 117 18 Bluefin 32 06 x 117 21 Bluefin 32 06 x 117 19 Bluefin 32 05 x 117 19 Bluefin 32 04 x 117 23 Bluefin 32 04 x 117 22 Kelp paddy yellowtail 32 04 x 117 21 Bluefin 32 04 x 117 20 Bluefin 32 03 x 117 17 Bluefin 32 02 x 117 22 Bluefin 32 01 x 117 22 Bluefin

******************************************************************* All reports, good, bad, or otherwise are very helpful. If you go fishing please give us a call or shoot us an email. reports@www.fishdope.com 1 (619) 992-6099

Friday, May 17th, 2019

*****Attention iPhone and iPad users***** The new iOS FishDope app for iPhone and iPad is here! Search for FishDope in the App Store to download and install. We recommend a minimum of iOS 9 to run the app, and newer versions will give the best performance. Note: Please use your FishDope username, not email address, to log in. The app offers all the charts and the latest 7 days of fishing reports, and you can now stream live VHF radio while online. It automatically stores the fishing reports for offline use, and it also saves the last chart region and chart layers you’ve viewed so that you can take them with you on the water and out of wifi range. You can also continue to view the FishDope website with a browser like Safari or Chrome on your phone or tablet, but only the app will save reports and charts for offline use. We’ve created a FAQ page for the app (with instructions for using it) here: FishDope App Frequently Asked Questions If you have other questions or notice bugs, please post them up in our forums.

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—– Weather ALERT! —– Conditions on the water were very sloppy and windy today, keeping most private boats and even many sport boats in port. Local buoys were reading 6-8 ft. swell at a very steep “squared up” 8-second period even at 9am this morning, making for downright unsafe conditions for many smaller boats. We are due for a brief stretch of slightly better conditions Saturday morning, with a Catalina eddy spinning up to back off the NW wind along the coast. However, if the eddy spins up strong enough, it may bring sloppy SE wind conditions along the OC/LA county coastlines. Combined with plenty of leftover NW wind bump, it still may not be all that pleasant on the water for smaller boats. For Sunday, another storm front is due to bring some rain showers through the Bight, with generally calm winds ahead of the front but much stronger NW winds filling in behind the front and continuing through Monday. Please keep a very close eye on the latest conditions and forecast for your local area this weekend, and remember that it’s only mid-May – there will be plenty of opportunities to come with better weather conditions this season.  

LIVE Weather Broadcast Northern Sector – Santa Barbara to LA Southern Sector – Orange and San Diego County and SCI Baja Sector (experimental, may not be updated every day) —– Bait Report —– Bait Barge Contact Info Everingham Bros Bait Company San Diego – 4-6″ sardine (5-7) Mission Bay – 3-6″ sardine (5-4) Oceanside Bait Barge Recording (760) 434-1183 – 5-6″ sardine  (5-4). Dana Point – 5-7″ sardine (5-10). Newport Bait Barge (310) 461-5370 – 4-6″ sardine (5-15) Nacho’s Bait Barge (updated when members report) –  5-7″ sardine – NO squid (5-15) San Pedro Bait Barge (310) 365-2516 CH.11 – 4-6″ sardine (5-15) Redondo Bait Report (310) 372-2111 – medium size sardines – Available most mornings. Call 909 721-5849 for Mike at the bait barge (5-4) Marina Del Rey (updated when members report) – Sardines. $30/scoop, half scoops not available (5-6) CISCOS Bait Barge –  sardine & anchovy mix  (5-15)

****************************** INSHORE / ISLANDS Section ******************************

Inshore GPS Spots are here. ***** Wind Delay Continues ***** Very windy and snotty conditions kept most boats in port today, so the report is extremely limited and based mostly on pre-storm trends from earlier in the week. Saturday will be a bit of a “reset” day to find good conditions and relocate biting fish. Channel Islands GALE WARNINGS were up today for the entire island chain. The outer islands will still be windy and snotty Saturday, but a few of the bigger boats may be able to sneak up the backside to get to the Eagle’s Nest seabass grounds at Rosa. There have also been sporadic bites for white seabass centered around Yellowbanks to Yellow Bluff at Cruz over the past week or two, with red plastics and iron working ok when you find a spot of seabass along the edges of the kelp. Santa Monica Bay / LA Harbor / Long Beach Shelf The wind didn’t really pick up until later in the morning but there was still plenty of lump and bump throughout the day to keep folks off the water. Rockfishing at the South Bank in Santa Monica Bay and down around the Southeast Bank and Outer Rigs was just about the only thing happening due to the rough conditions. Catalina Island & San Clemente Island No reports again today due to the wind. See Wednesday’s report for the latest info. Be sure to check the Navy closure schedule  before heading out to San Clemente Island. Always monitor VHF Ch. 16 and obey any requests to clear out of closed security zones. Click here  for info on how to read the closure schedule. Dana Point / Oceanside / Del Mar / Imperial Beach La Jolla was snotty and whitecapping at 9am this morning, keeping all our contacts off the water. The Dana Point to Oceanside stretch had a little less wind on it early but it was still lumpy and bumpy from all the wind farther offshore. Bass fishing has been fair throughout most of this stretch if you can find some current pushing along the edge of the kelp combined with the smaller sardines you can dig out of your bait tank. There have been a few quick shots at yellowtail around Northwest in La Jolla but it was slowing down as the week progressed. Slow-trolled mackerel or casting surface iron to breaking fish have been the best ways to get bit. **** Attention **** There is now an ice vending machine at the Shelter Island launch ramp for your convenience. It’s located right near the bathroom building at the top of the ramp. The machine takes credit cards and 20 lb. bags are $6.95 each. Swipe your credit card to open, take as many as you want, and it charges by weight when you close the door. ——— Mexican waters ———— Getting Permits To Fish Mexico – An Angler’s Guide To Baja by That Baja Guy-Gary Graham Coronado Islands / Rockpile Weather conditions at the islands today were not good, but they were barely fishable for the sport boats and the yellowtail even wanted to bite a little bit around the Middle Grounds and from the lee of North Island to Pukey Point. The yellows have been cruising up and down the ridge that runs along the west side of the Middle Grounds, with some schools also from the Lobster Shack in the lee of North Island up to Pukey Point. They are biting the sardine fly lined on 25lb well but they are also jumping on a well placed surface iron good too. Guys that are good with the iron are having a blast! Blue/white, scrambled egg and MINT were the best colors. Watch the tern birds! They hover right over the yellows and when you see them do this in casting range fire out that surface iron just ahead of which way they are moving and give that jig a slow to medium wind back to the boat. Wind just fast enough that the jig “kicks” side to side without rolling over or spinning. It is not all about the sportboats either as private boaters are doing well too. Private boaters are scoring slow trolling sardines or rapalas while watching for bird schools. Heads Up! Mexican Navy is checking permits and kicked out a few boats the past few days for no biosphere or fmm. Bracelets are now required to fish within Pacific Island Biosphere Reserve areas, including the Coronado Islands, Todos Santos, and San Martin Island. See the Mexico Info page in the Resources section for more info. **** ATTENTION **** You must stay at least 250 meters (820 feet) away from any tuna pens. If you don’t you are at risk of losing your boat and landing in a Mexican jail. Click here for more details on this subject *********************** The Mexican Navy regularly patrols the islands and checks boats for the required paperwork, including Mexican Fishing License, Vessel Temporary Import Permit, FMM and valid Country of Residence Passport for each person on the boat (can’t purchase the FMM (Tourist Card) without a passport anyway). Required permits are listed on the CONAPESCA website for fishing within 12 miles of land including the islands. The permits can be purchased through their website.

****************************** OFFSHORE Section ******************************

——- MEXICAN WATERS ———— 425-101 / 475 Knuckle / Finger Bank / Upper Hidden Bank The windy, bumpy conditions kept private boats off the water today, but there are still bluefin in the area from the 101 down to the 475 Knuckle. There have also been scattered schools between the 371 and Upper Hidden Bank this week. Bite times have generally been on the incoming to slack high tide, which has been right around dawn and dusk this week as we approach the full moon Saturday. The bluefin through this zone are mixed in size, with some smaller 25-40 lb. fish but lots of spots of 50-80 lb. grade and a few small wolfpacks of bigger 110-140 lb. tuna. Many spots of fish don’t really want to bite, but an occasional spot will respond well to chum and stick to the boat for hours. For the spots that do stick, flylined sardines on 40-50 lb. fluorocarbon with a small, #1 or 1/0 circle hook have been working the best. There have also been a few bluefin taken before dawn and late in the day on glow-in-the-dark Flat Fall jigs on 100 lb. gear on meter marks from 30-250 ft. down. There have also been a few kelps holding yellowtail scattered through the offshore grounds. Most of these are those little 3-5lb rats but there are some legit 8-15lbers in the mix if you find the right kelp. They’ll eat flylined sardines on 25-40 lb. test no problem.

******************************************************************* All reports, good, bad, or otherwise are very helpful. If you go fishing please give us a call or shoot us an email. reports@www.fishdope.com 1 (619) 992-6099