JIM NIEMIEC
Thresher sharks have moved into coastal waters off Laguna Beach and
with good fall weather it looks like this bite could develop into
some pretty good fishing for private boaters making the short run out
of Newport Harbor.
Todd Garrett of Newport Beach joined Bob Hoose, also of Newport,
aboard Hoose's sportfisher Prospector last Sunday and both anglers
landed thresher sharks weighing in the 100-pound class. According to
Garrett water temps are holding in the mid-60s, which could indicate
that an El Nino condition will continue to build along the coast this
winter. Garrett and Hoose hooked their threshers on a trolled
Bait-O-Matic, rigged with a greenback mackerel.
Pat Holmes made the drive up to Newport, launched his kayak and
headed out to the nearby fishing grounds where he hooked into two
thresher sharks off Laguna trolling deep running Rapala lures. Holmes
released a small thresher and then weighed in a 106-pound thresher at
the Balboa Angling Club.
Surface fishing for the sport fleet operating out of both Davey's
Locker and Newport Landing Sportfishing continues good despite light
loads heading out to coastal and island fishing spots. Dave Myers of
Costa Mesa, heads up the tackle department at Davey's Locker, and
reports that bonito fishing is very good along the coast and added
the sculpin bite is wide open on artificial reefs north of Newport's
twin jetties. Spots that are kicking out limits of 1.5 to 2 pound
sculpin include: artificial reefs, the 150 spot and Izor's, located
just off the Huntington Beach power plant. Bonito weighing up to 8
pounds are being caught on half- and three-quarter day boats at the
oilrigs and pipe but aggressive sea lions are taking their share of
hooked boneheads before anglers can get them to the boat. The Cat
Special will be making runs to San Clemente Island as long as big
yellowtail can be caught in the area. Live bait conditions are good
with sardines and some anchovies in the receivers.
Fresh water fishing has been good at Irvine Lake and the Santa Ana
River Lakes for stocked rainbow trout. John Richards of Costa Mesa
landed a 6.5 golden rainbow at Irvine last week fishing from a rental
boat and using Berkley Power Bait as the enticer to finish off a five
fish limit. Both local lakes are stocking thousands of pounds of
rainbow trout weekly and fishing over the upcoming Holidays should be
very good.
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Duck hunting is picking up at Southland refuges and ducks clubs as
new flights of northern birds are starting to arrive. On Wednesday
