10-5-10 Western Outdoor News – Catalina ‘falls’ into place

LONG BEACH — Will Catalina be the island to be at this fall?

That’s been the question being asked, especially by those that are wondering if all the squid that’s been at the island this season will end up being the magic bait to produce the fall yellowtail bites that the island is known for.

There’s a new area of squid along the backside of the island, and it was the new bait grounds between Ben Weston and China Point that gave the six-pack Spectra the first real shot at the island’s big yellowtail that are known for getting on the squid this time of year.

“There was definitely no problem making bait. We loaded up the tanks and made about 100 extra bags for the freezer,” reported the Spectra. In years past getting squid to start October is big news, but seeing how the squid never went away this year, it’s not the squid, but first fall score on yellows that make the trip. “We ended up with 8 yellows to 39 pounds right there in the bait grounds. The average was about 32 to 34 pounds, and the smallest was 24 pounds.”

When the fish came through they really wanted to bite; at one point they had four going at once.

Fall and squid and yellowtail go hand and hand with the Farnsworth Bank—at least it did many moons ago—but the Bank did not have any yellows on it despite good conditions when the Spectra gave it a check. The water was 69 on the Farnsworth and 64 to 65 in the bait grounds.

The ¾-day boat Freelance had a pair of yellowtail earlier in the week at Catalina to go with the bonito and bass fishing that has been good for the boats fishing the front on ¾-day trips. Last weekend did not give up any yellows for the Newport Beach based ¾-day that runs out of Davey’s Locker, but the bonito fishing was great. On Sunday 250 bonito, 25 calico bass and a sheephead went in the sacks for 63 anglers. The day before was a practical mirror image when 57 anglers scored 250 bonito and 26 calico bass. Dana Wharf Sportfishing’s Fury had a great trip on Sunday when 20 anglers scored limits of bonito (100), 78 calico bass and 1 sheephead to go with 1 yellowtail.

The Pursuit was over at Catalina on Sunday on its 6 a.m. full-day out of 22nd Street Landing. It ended up with 47 bonito to go with a mixed bag that included 29 calico bass, 20 sheephead, 16 whitefish, 39 salmon grouper, 151 rockfish and 14 reds.

BACKSIDE YELLOW—A new area of squid pushed into the backside of Catalina Island, and the Spectra was there to take advantage of it last Saturday. The overnight trip out of Pierpoint Landing gave up 8 yellows in the bait grounds from 22 to 39 pounds. The 39 pounder was this beautiful forkie being shown off by Charina A Pastrana.

Read the full article here http://www.wonews.com/t-SCSaltReport_100510.aspx