Every week, Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching provides the Dana Point and San Clemente Times a report on the week’s fishing from Captain Brian Woolley, in addition to the weekly fish count.
Here is Captain Woolley’s report for the past week’s action:
Super fun week for us, and we had some great conditions to go along with it.
Half-day scene was classic coastal fall fishing with some bass action for the guys on the fly-lined sardines and the artificial lures, like the smaller five-inch flukes and the swim baits. Some fun surface action on some bonito for the anglers, throwing small 40-gram colt sniper jigs. Also, there was some better sheephead fishing with the addition of all the commercial lobster gear. That has those fish more active and biting. Good water in a couple areas has really helped. We even had a school of jumbo coastal yellows make a showing one afternoon for the Clemente during a kids after-school trip. It was a cool show for the kids, and Capt. Chad made a cast with a live mackerel and got a bite! Landed a 40-pounder.
In the three-quarter-day scene, it was back offshore. Very good dorado fishing again, and it was in easy three-quarter-day range. We’re catching fish in a few different areas, so, it’s not just an isolated pocket of fish. And these fish have grown too with good average size of 12 pounds and some nice ones pushing 18 pounds. Fly-lined baits accounted for all the fish this week. On some of the kelps, we caught some tuna – both bluefin and yellowfin – which has been a great bonus. Also, last couple days, we’ve had some good sign on the yellowfin with the dolphin too. The Clemente yesterday had some shots at this fish, and they were able to catch a sample with fish pushing 35 pounds. Water temperatures have been a steady 71-73 degrees, and it’s been some great fall action.
Action for the Fury this week has included great bluefin opportunity at night with fish pushing 150 pounds. At San Clemente Island, more shots at the solid grade 18- to 25-pound yellows along with fun bass fishing and good fishing for the guys on the sinkers.
Here are the latest fish counts from Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching:
Oct. 12 – 4 boats, 69 anglers: 20 dorado, 1 yellowfin tuna, 9 bonito, 5 calico bass, 4 whitefish, 3 sand bass, 1 sculpin, 70 bass released
Oct. 11 – 4 boats, 99 anglers: 87 dorado, 55 yellowfin tuna, 11 bonito, 6 sculpin, 3 whitefish, 2 sand bass, 2 calico bass, 80 bass released
Oct. 10 – 4 boats, 91 anglers: 17 dorado, 13 yellowfin tuna, 4 sand bass, 6 calico bass, 3 whitefish, 2 bonito, 3 sheephead, 150 bass released
Oct. 9 – 7 boats, 219 anglers: 62 dorado, 45 yellowfin tuna, 14 sand bass, 12 calico bass, 8 sculpin, 6 whitefish, 5 bonito, 4 sheephead, 1 rockfish, 316 bass released
Oct. 8 – 10 boats, 180 anglers: 197 dorado, 8 yellowfin tuna, 6 yellowtail, 19 bonito, 5 calico bass, 3 sanddab, 2 sculpin, 2 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 1 rockfish, 37 bass released
Oct. 7 – 5 boats, 150 anglers: 222 dorado, 19 bluefin tuna, 3 yellowfin tuna, 1 striped marlin, 14 whitefish, 14 rockfish, 4 sheephead, 3 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 1 bonito, 1 calico bass, 98 bass released
Oct. 6 – 6 boats, 109 anglers: 208 dorado, 24 bluefin tuna, 13 yellowfin tuna, 1 yellowtail, 24 bonito, 19 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 3 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 1 white fish, 4 rockfish, 140 bass released
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