With My Own Two Eyes
 

I had an experience last Saturday that I have been hesitant to post up because I figured that you folks would think I had finally gone over the edge.
I was paddling from the San Roque launch to the island and was about 3/4 of the way there when I saw a fish greyhound about 70 yards in front of me. My immediate thought was, man that looked like a tuna. Then he came out of the water again and I thought, man that is a tuna. Now I was in about 160 feet of water, and at least a mile and a half from anything deeper than that. While it was clear and blue, the water temp down here is still only about 63 degrees so my brain could not wrap itself around the possibility that there might be a tuna in this area. There are some brute bonito around here but this fish appeared to be 20+ lbs. I was able to fire a megabait in the direction of the jumper but it was a bit out of my range so no love.
So that's my story and unless someone can suggest an alternative, I'm sticking to it.

Back in my younger years, we hear stories of fishermen catching Tuna from the shore down there. So, why not!

LOL, and today is........

just now realized what date it was and was going to post a disclaimer that this was no joke and your post popped up. I did in fact tell my son about it two. days ago, but he will probably deny it.

time to start chumming and land a tuna from the kayak;)

bluefin, I have no trouble believing it

What he said

I haven't checked with the locals but I have never heard of bluefin in this area. One of the reasons I ruled out bonito aside being so large, was because it was a much lighter color. Pretty use it was a yellowfin.

I've seen a school of 40lb bluefin foaming in 80ft of water by SKR. Totally believe it, expect that the water temps seem to be high for BF down there. Are you in an upwelling area?

You can call it a flying water buffalo if you want until you have a pic of it on deck. Then youll get at least 3 different opinions on your mystery scombrid.

PS local water temp hit 67 today and your swell is coming down. Laguna had so much water movin.

Whatever it was, I'm so jealous you're down there
living the dream.

x2

So do you live there now?!


BTW, years ago I was working on the Mission Belle. We were a mile off the beach near Encinitas..... and absolutely loading up on BFT. It all goes in cycles. Sometimes they are near, and sometimes not. Maybe they are near...

Janine

40-70lb bft being caught around the butterfly. some bft seen around the 9 mile bank. been waiting to see if they get closer as the water warms up.

I believe it. I once saw a 20ish pound bluefin launch a few feet out of the water in boston harbor. The area is only around 20 ft deep at low tide but not more than a mile from 100 ft deep areas. On the east coast the bluefin show up when the water is around 63-65 and will sometimes get caught from shore or spool someone more often than not, later in the season.

hey Rossman no water is too shallow down there. caught two yellowfin tuna and a dorado in the channel between the point and acunsion island trolling cd 14 rapala. my friend caught a yellowfin fishing for calicos on a white kalin grub. when you get a chance ask shari she should remember she should have pics. anything is possible down there. l am jealous from all your reports. looks like you are haveing a good time. going to gonzaga in may can not wait. maybe see you there going for two weeks. good luck sitinside jim

by the way I believe you no matter what day it is. sitinside jim

Excelente Jim!
Hope to see ya in May too.

Thanks Jim, that is good information. That channel is really shallow. An interesting thing I have noticed about the channel. As the whales migrate North around this time of year about 20 to 30 percent go through that channel while the rest go out around the island. They seem to understand that it is a risky place because the come up to the channel at their normal leisurely pace of 2 to 3 mph. They spout a few times, fluke and then sprint through there. It seems the resurface on the other side much quicker than you would expect.
Hope we cross paths in May.

Escapees
 

Does anybody else remember when the tuna pens in Ensenada broke and people were catching them by hand in the surf on Mission Beach?

Maybe some still around???

Had those dreams many times...