By Zach Cavanagh
Summer fishing has picked up at Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, even while we all wait for the sun to poke through the June gloom.
In his weekly report, Captain Brian Woolley said that the fleet is seeing clean water in kelp areas, with water temperatures around 66-67 degrees. The clean kelp water, along with new anchovy bait, perked up the bass catches along the surface.
The three-quarter-day trips came in from the deep-bottom fishing to focus on shallower waters closer to shore. Woolley said there has been some good kelp growth in key spots along the shore, resulting in some good calico bass fishing. Anglers had success with artificial baits as well as live bait.
On the all-day and overnight trips, yellowtail has been found at Catalina Island. Anglers had to fight off the sea lions for their catches, but the fleet was still able to pull in 12-25-pound catches. Bass and bonito also filled the haul. Similar action was found at San Clemente Island, with yellowtail to go along with bass and mixed catches of bottom fish.
Dana Wharf also finished its first kids camp of the summer last week. Woolley said the bass catches were the “perfect speed” for the kids. The kids camp returns next week from Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28; the last camp is July 8-12.
For more information, check out danawharf.com or call 949.496.5794.
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Here are the latest fish counts out of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching:
June 19 – 5 boats, 94 anglers: 102 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 1 sculpin, 22 sheephead, 17 whitefish, 8 rockfish, 675 bass released.
June 18 – 6 boats, 227 anglers: 6 yellowtail, 107 calico bass, 17 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 31 sheephead, 35 whitefish, 14 rockfish, 43 bocaccio, 1 bonito, 6 blue perch, 7 triggerfish, 600 bass released.
June 17 – 8 boats, 149 anglers: 12 yellowtail, 18 bonito, 1 lingcod, 194 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 22 sculpin, 11 sheephead, 212 whitefish, 166 rockfish, 976 bass released.
June 16 – 13 boats, 369 anglers: 8 yellowtail, 37 bonito, 80 calico bass, 20 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 16 sheephead, 106 whitefish, 2 rockfish, 20 vermilion rockfish, 2 blacksmith perch, 7 blue perch, 1226 bass released.
June 15 – 14 boats, 383 anglers: 29 yellowtail, 161 calico bass, 37 sand bass, 6 sculpin, 8 sheephead, 37 whitefish, 8 rockfish, 25 vermilion rockfish, 17 bocaccio, 7 barracuda, 28 bonito, 2 rock sole, 4 blue perch, 1 sargo, 1 opaleye, 1121 bass released.
June 14 – 9 boats, 275 anglers: 88 calico bass, 13 sand bass, 7 sculpin, 11 sheephead, 10 whitefish, 14 rockfish, 4 vermilion rockfish, 3 bocaccio, 1 halibut, 1 lingcod, 25 mackerel, 891 bass released.
Zach Cavanagh
Zach Cavanagh is the sports editor for Picket Fence Media. Zach is a California Journalism Award winner and has covered sports in Orange County since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @ZachCav and follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SouthOCSports.
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