columbia river Fishing Report 2025

1.5 ROCKCOD TRIPS!!! APOLLO'S January/February Rock Cod trips are now online and ready to be booked! Don't miss your chance to get out with JJ and the crew!!! Call FISHERMAN'S LANDING at (619)221-8500 to get your HOT spots!!!

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

Hi friends. Not much going on with us as the fishing definitely fell flat on it's face down here today. We're currently traveling up the line to fish a little closer to home as a few boats had some good days on bluefin and yellowfin tuna. Rumor has it, the choppers and moppers are on their way to do just that; chop up and mop up this area. Sad face. We're hoping to get in there and pick off a school before the boys in blue do and then we're going to have to book it for home. Take care and wish us lots of luck.

"It was really good fishing wahoo at the bank," said Rothery at the sales. "We stayed there two days and then went in to the southern banks where the big fish were." All the big fish (there were 13 tuna over 200 pounds weighed on the certified scales at Fisherman's) came from the southern banks. There were just as many from 100 to 200 pounds as there were cows, and those were found in both spots. "The Baja tuna were real steady biters," said Rothery. "There were lots of ‚Дтem around, we could see ‚Дтem at the surface and on the meter most of the time." Research biologist Chugey Sepulveda got the big one, related his pal and fellow biologist Scott ("Scootch") Aalbers of San Diego. Chugey wasn't able to be at the weigh-in. The fish weighed 306.2 pounds. Chugey had two more cows, at 220 and 201 pounds. "Scootch" said Chugey got the big one and the others on one of the boat's heavy rigs and the kite. He used two sardines on 6/0 Mustad 7691 hooks, tied to 130-pound P-Line and 130-pound Izorline Spectra, on a Tiagra 50 W reel and a Calstar 655 XXH rod. "He got it on the next to the last day," said Scootch, "about four p.m. He fought it for an hour and 15 minutes, and it wrapped him around the anchor line about 15 times. The crew helped out a lot with the fork." Tom Bass of Newport Beach won second place for a 274.8-pound tuna. He also had a 232 and a 206-pound yellowfin. Tom said he got his fish on a sardine and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook, pm 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon leader of 15 feet, tied to 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Tiagra 50 reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod. Hack Bernstein of Valencia bagged a 269.6-pounder. He fished a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 130-pound P-Line and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a boat rig: Tiagra 50 reel and a Calstar 655 XXH rod. Pat Jaeger of Bishop posed with his daughter Maggie, three, and the 268-pound tuna he got with a double sardine rig on the kite. He said he used 100-pound P-Line and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Baja Boomer rod. Ryan Gillette of Orange was another who used a double trouble sardine rig on the boat's rod and reel to take a 246-pounder. Robert Kalatschan found a brace of cows, at 226 and 213 pounds. There were two more cows that appeared at the scales without tags, said Susan Rothery. One weighed 214 pounds and the other went 202.

Captain Ryan Bostian called in this afternoon with the Coronado Island Report. Today the boat went out with Captain Taro at the helm. Today we had 91 Yellowtail. Yesterday he had 43 Yellowtail. And Thursday we had 70 Yellowtail. We are seeing lots of fish. On Saturday it was mind-blowing how many Yellows were at the Islands. They are biting the fly-lined sardines really well. Our next open date is Wednesday. Call Seaforth at (619) 224-3383 to get in on the action or BOOK ONLINE.

Our good morning has continued on and it's been absplutely great fishing here." Mike continued, "So far we have limits of Yellowtail & 150 Yellowfin tuna. The fishing is very good, the kelp fishing is very good & there is really nice weather to go with it. The weather is supposed to continue for the next few days.

"We still have room on tomorrow night's trip. If you'd like to go out on the boat call Seaforth Sportfishing at 619-224-3383."

Today was another example of the fact that when targeting Bluefin, we are playing by their rules.  We stopped on fish all day and managed to land 15 fish from 30 to 70 lbs and one 45 lb Yellowfin. Staying at the rail and fishing either a 40 lb flyline rig, a 50 lb colt sniper or sinker rig was the best bet today.  Come out to enjoy the ocean, be prepared with your tackle.  Keep your fingers crossed that you are here when they let their guard down a bit is the name of the game.

"What an absolutely, fantastic, unbelievable day," wrote Tommy Rothery aboard his Polaris Supreme November 2. "We had more marlin than you can imagine. We hooked and are released over 220. The wahoo fishing was also fantastic. The group had a blast pulling in "crocodile" size wahoo. And we topped off the day with even bigger dorado than yesterday. The weather is good and we just had an awesome day on all three: wahoo, dorado and marlin." The next day Rothery wrote, "Well if we thought yesterday was phenomenal, today was even better. I know I'm repeating myself but the fishing was just great again on the wahoo and dorado. And yes, the marlin are still here and wanted to play. We have good weather and this is a nice way to end the trip. Great group, great fishing, great crew." Rothery docked at Fisherman's Landing November 6 after his Larry Brown charter with 22 anglers. "The place was thick with marlin," he remarked. "There's lots of bait and the water where we're fishing is 78 to 79 degrees." Dr. Chris Minnick of Pasadena won first place for a 71.6-pound yellowfin. He said he bagged it in about ten minutes,, after it bit on a sardine pinned to a 3/0 Hayabusa hook. He used 60-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 80-pound Izorline Spectra backing on an Avet EXW 4-2 reel and a Calstar 765 L rod.
Mike Mayes of Rnancho Santa Margarita won second place for a 54.6-pound wahoo. Ron Stafford of Minot, ND won third place for a 53-pound yellowfin tuna. A gentleman identified as "Duke" posed in the lineup shot with a typical dorado from the trip.

Just returned from our Beck, Wagstaff, Emerson charter. 

A 7 day trip filled with a great variety! From Yellowtail, Wahoo, Tuna and even Grouper mixed in! 

Thank you guys for putting together a great a great trip! Look forward to next year!