Searcher in LA Times by Phil Friedman
Kelp-paddy hopping anyone?
It’s been a crazy season for offshore anglers, who began catching albacore and now are finding a tropical smorgasbord beneath the kelp paddies: albacore, dorado, yellowtail and some yellowfin tuna.
If you’d like to maximize your success — and get the most out of the money you’re shelling out for these overnight trips — you might want to visit the National Sports Grill in Torrance on Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. Capt. Art Taylor of the Searcher will discuss tackle tips and give demonstrations. Taylor also will discuss the great white shark cage-diving operation at Guadalupe Island.
A raffle, which will give away a trip to Palmas de Cortes on Baja California’s East Cape, will benefit the 976-tuna.com youth fishing program. For more information call (310) 328-8426.
Photo: Dorado are welcome visitors into Southland offshore waters, found mostly beneath floating kelp paddies, making them easy targets. Credit: Searcher Sportfishing
Jul 31-Aug 2
This 1.5-day trip had 32 anglers and they caught 13 dorado and 88 yellowtail. The jackpot winner is:
- Scott Norris, Bonita, CA — 25# yellowtail
Jul 29-31
This 1.5-day trip had 30 anglers and they caught 20 dorado and 56 yellowtail. The jackpot winner is:
- John Shirley, Huntington Beach, CA — 25# yellowtail
Jul 27-29
This 1.5-day trip had 30 anglers and they caught 60 dorado, 58 yellowtail, 10 yellowfin tuna, 2 bluefin tuna, and 3 skipjack. The jackpot winner is:
- Alex Zarifis, Westlake Village, CA — 30# yellowtail
Jul 22-27
This 5-day trip had 24 anglers and they caught 332 yellowtail, 93 albacore, and 1 bluefin tuna. The jackpot winners are:
- Matt Rohrs, Placentia, CA — 49.8# yellowtail(left)
- Jack Simplicio, Redondo Beach, CA — 33.2# yellowtail (middle)
- Matt Gilcrest, Long Beach, CA — 32.6# yellowtail (right)
Searcher Finds Some Mossbacks, by Bill Roecker
Searcher Finds Some Mossbacks
Art Taylor docked his Searcher at Fisherman’s Landing July 27 following a five-day trip that visited Cedros Island. Some big yellowtail were taken there, including the first one caught, by Joe Dunn, 88 and a San Diego icon, the former owner of the Champ.
Matt Rohrs of Placentia got first place for his personal best yellowtail, a 49.8-pounder. He said he fooled it with a Salas 7X jig in green sardine swirl color. He used Izorline XXX line on a Torium 20 reel and a Calstar 800H rod to do the job in ten minutes.
Jack Simplicio of Redondo Beach won second place for a 33.2-pound yellowtail, and Matt Gilchrist of Long Beach took third place for a 36.6-pound yellowtail. They were joined by Tyler Kimbrough with a nice dorado.
Jul 17-22
This 5-day trip had 20 anglers and they caught 300 yellowtail, 36 albacore, 11 yellowfin tuna, 2 bluefin tuna, and 2 dorado. The jackpot winners are:
- Richard Yoshioka, La Palma, CA — 37.2# albacore (left)
- Brad Green Caldwell, ID — 34.6# albacore (middle)
- Justin Buchanan, Nampa, ID — 33.7# albacore (right)
South End Limits
By Bill Roecker
Art Taylor docked his Searcher July 22 after a five-day trip with 20 anglers, many from Idaho.
“We got limits of yellowtail at the south end of Cedros Island,” he said, “and some bigger ones in the bull kelp nearby. And we fished offshore for a mix of bluefin, albacore and yellows.”
Richard Yoshioka of La Palma won first place for a 37.2-pound yellowtail. He said he caught it with a sardine on a 3/0 Eagle Claw hook, 30-pound Big Game line, a Torium 30 reel and a Shimano eight-foot rod.
Brad Green of Middleton Idaho won second place for a 34.5-pounder, and Justin Buchanan of Nampa, ID was third, for a 33.2-pound yellowtail.