by, Bill Varney
The American Angler untied and cast off over flat calm glassy seas to make it’s way south for our pre-Thanksgiving eight-day trip. October and November are always my favorite times of year to fish the Ridge and lower banks. I’ve been down here more than ten times in the last decade and with few exceptions have had calm seas and great fishing. Loaded with bait, we left the safety of San Diego harbor and traveled south two complete days to reach The Ridge.
Two days gives you plenty of time to meet your new shipmates, learn a bit during the crew/captain seminar and rig your tackle. It was about noon when we came to rest atop the high spot and within minutes we entered the twilight zone of wide-open fishing. The water was so calm that sun reflecting from the shimmering water made it hard to see at times and uncomfortably hot. Initally dozens of skippies came across the stern but it wasn’t long before yellowfin tuna from 15 to 60 pounds rushed the boat. Over the next four hours it was full speed tuna fishing and to our delight more than three acres of puddling fish were around the boat until sunset.
The next morning greeted us with another wide open YFT bite with the addition of dorado, bonito, yellowtail and two large bluefin tuna. We enjoyed calm seas and fantastic fishing throughout the day. Having loaded up with tuna it was time to slip inshore, just outside the entrance to Magdelana Bay, and fish there. What a surprise when we first dropped down in just 80 feet of water…yellowtail from 15-30lbs hitting everything from sinker rigged sardine to every kind of yo-yo lure. The bite was fast and furious. We drifted the high spot several times for dozens of yellows, several large groupers and many fish Captain Ray researched to determine their identity. Pangas were fishing our area and a number of shrimp trawlers swung back and forth in the distance. A bit later we headed up the coast and gorged on sierra.
But we were not here for just tuna and yellows…we were here for ono, skinnies, wahoo. The reports had been terrible from the other long-range boats. The past few days had produced no wahoo with off-colored cool water at Alijos Rocks. But Captain Ray had a plan. The rocks had not been hit for several days, so in the heart of darkness, we slid out to the rocks and were there just before noon.
Again the seas were flat at the Rocks and the fish were hungry. The water had changed from green to a clear purple/blue and with the water temp on the rise the fish were too. We began our troll and within the first few minutes it was fish on! Four good sized wahoo hit the deck. Wahoo bombs, live sardine and surface lures hit the water and the fish responded. With a dozen fish to the boat in a matter of minutes it looked like we would be up to our ears in wahoo. But just as fast as the bite began it was to end with the visit of the tax man. Bronze reef sharks to 12 feet had now surrounded the boat and the minute you hooked a fish and it began to slow, sharks attached and were in possession. After reeling several heads to the boat it was certain that the sharks were winning. We ran off to another ridge, just outside of the rocks, but no fish there, so we headed back near the rocks for a few late day yellowfin. All-in-all an amazing day.
That night we began to head home with one last stop along our way. It was a bit after breakfast that we took sight of Isla Natavidad and our last stop for the trip. Captain Ray lined us up with the island and put us atop a rocky high spot. We dropped to the bottom with both sinker sardine rigs and yo-yo lures. I looked down the rail and I think everyone was hooked up. Absolute wide open yellowtail fishing with 15-30 pounders coming over the rail.
What a trip! Thank you so much to Lori at American Angler, Captain Ray and his crew including Patrick, Brad, Curt, Tom, Javier and Barry. Such a fantastic trip on a top-notch operation…comfortable beds, great food and a crew who made you feel like you’re part of the family! Check americananglersportfishing.com for more details.
