bennett springs state park Fishing Report 2025

Captain Mike Pritchard checked in at 8:15 AM with an audio update from the Tribute out of Seaforth Sportfishing in San Diego, CA. We have been drifting since 6:30. We have 8 or 9 hanging right now. We have had a bunch of casualties due to old line or locked up drags. We have had some quality action so far today. Our next trip is a light load. Come on out fishing with us for trophy Bluefin Tuna.

George Davis made his eighth (his estimate) annual charter with Tommy Rothery aboard the Polaris Supreme, and met the boat when it returned to Fisherman's Landing January 13 after an 18-day excursion. It was Friday, but definitely not a bad luck day or trip, as chartermaster George bagged a 257-pound tuna for himself as the boat fished off southern Baja. He might have had a jackpot spot, but by consent the group of eight passengers had a single jackpot winner. Davis runs a construction company from Rancho Cucamonga. "Everybody got a cow," said Tommy, "and we released over 100 tuna. We ended up with 27 tuna over 200 pounds." The day's big winner was Tom Hilton of San Clemente who scored a 293-pound whopper yellowfin with a sardine on a 7/0 Super Mutu hook, 130-pound red line, 130-pound Spectra backing on a Penn 50T reel blueprinted by Cal Sheets, and a 760H Calstar rod tied by Sheridan Stanton (also on the trip). Hilton said he got the big tuna "‚Д¶in 25 minutes; my best fish ever. My biggest before was 178 pounds. "I knew he was heavy," remarked Tom, "but he bit on the last bait on the last day at the last stop of the day. The fat lady hadn't sung yet, but I could hear her warming up in the wings." Hilton also had tuna of 251, 237, 236 and 213 pounds. The water temperature in the tuna area remains at 69 to 715 degrees, anglers said. High score went to Scott Brown of Costa Mesa, with six over 200 pounds, at 279, 269, 246, 240, and a pair of 225-pounders. Scott said he fished with sardines on 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks, on 100-pound Ande line, 130-pound Spectra backing, a Tiagra 50W reel and a Calstar 655 TSS rod. Al Tokunaga had five, at 225, 222, 213, 208 and 201 pounds. The 27 cows was no boat record, but 27 for eight anglers may make for some kind of mark.

Captain Mike Pritchard called in this morning at 9:27 AM with the update from the Tribute out of Seaforth Sportfishing in Mission Bay, CA. We are off to a great start. Very good Bluefin Tuna fishing. We have 15 Bluefin Tuna and 1 Yellowfin Tuna (about 40 pounds). We have a very light load of only 9 anglers. We need 3 more Bluefin for out limit. We have a few first timers who got there first Bluefin Tuna We have a trip departing tonight. Call Seaforth at (619) 224-3383 to book a spot on the Tribute.

107 yellowtail 1 halibut. Steady action on yo-yo jigs and dropper looped baits. Few fish on flylined baits as well. 20-30lb test for flyline 30-50lb for yo-yo/dropper loops.

The day started up very well for us. It was good scratching up until just after lunch and fishing took a dump. We looked around the Island for a bit and after making a few stops for a few more fish we took off from there and are now heading west to the big Island. We have a great catch of jumbo yellowtails on board and we're hoping to get some jackpot settling trophy size yellowfin tomorrow. Portuguese style yellowtail for dinner tonight. We had it last trip for the first time and I must say it was by far the best yellowtail I have ever eaten in my life.

Today we covered over yesterday’s hot zone and beyond to only locate one school. Ended the with 2 yellowtail, a round of bonito and plenty of bottom fish. Hopeful the yellowtail are ready to eat tomorrow after today’s hiatus.

Nov. 15

                Not much to report from us today.  It was a pretty uneventful day.  We traveled all morning until after lunch when we arrived to the Islands, and we never saw a yellowtail.  It was dead as can be at this place.  We took the tour, well as much as we could in a few hours, and ended up back here in the lee.  We were and still are catching calico bass and things.  We did hook something big, a yellow or a big halibut or even a seabass, but we'll never know because the hook straightened out right before we could see it and the fish got away.  And that's it.  We're going to try and keep our anchor hung right here and see what kind of conditions we have here in the morning for our last day of fishing.  As soon as the wind backs off enough for a tolerable ride offshore Tuesday morning, we'll be on our way home.

                                                                                                               

~~Sep. 18
 Well we had some action today.  We fished our wahoo/tuna honey hole.  It wasn't red hot but we made some drifts and caught some fish.  Our last couple schools we saw before lunch didn't react so we took a tour.  We found some tuna a couple hours into the tour.  The bigger ones.  The 25-35 pounders but we weren't ready.  Some were napping or lounging.  It hit us quick.  Everyone that made it out hooked up but it didn't last long.  We got on a couple of more deals after that but they were smaller fish.  12 pounders so we continued on our tour.  We looked for yellowtail in the afternoon but like everywhere right now it seems, there wasn't any current. 
  The weather straightened out for us today.  It was nice again.  We have one day left to fish and we want to do it catching yellowtail.  The elusive yellowtail.  That's usually the fish we don't have trouble finding but we've struck out this trip on them thus far.  We have about 30.  We want more so that's what we'll do.  From where we'll be fishing we can fish until lunch but then we have to hit the road for home.