skookumchuck river Fishing Report 2024

~~Aug 30
 Today didn't go as well as we were hoping. The plan sounded so good in my head too. You don't believe me? Come inside my mind and tell me it didn't sound like a good plan, you'll be a liar. The plan was to start here and work there. We were supposed to catch a bunch of yellowtail, then catch a wahoo or two, then scratch at some dorado here and there along with another wahoo or two, then we were supposed to get a small hit on wahoo in the end before finding the motherload of dorado.

 Well, there wasn't much yellowtail. The little bit of dorado we saw either didn't bite or was small. And we didn't see a wahoo until the end. We did see a school of good grade yellowfin that wasn't in our plan. It didn't bite for long though. It was on the corner biting every bait for about three minutes. Just long enough for everyone to get one and then they vanished. I drove around thinking I would easily find the school again but we never did. We lost at least 6 wahoo on the last spot we checked and landed none. The wahoo won today.

 Cool things of note today- the sailfish we caught, a couple marlin hooked and the orcas we saw. In the 14 seasons I've been out here I can only remember a handfull of times seeing killer whales so it's not too often we see them. We also don't catch sailfish too often.

 Tomorrows plan- wahoo!

We had a good day on the albacore. Everyone is having a great time in spite of the fact that the weather is sloppy and rough. However it looks like tomorrow it might lay down and we will have good weather. Let's hope. As I'm sure everyone knows by now, we have the Guadalupe permits. We might go there on our next two trips. Check in tomorrow for an update.

Captain Ryan Bostian checked in this evening with an update from the San Diego, CA. Today we had 22 anglers catch 5 yellowfin tuna. 4 of our tuna are 75 pounders. Please bring a 20 lb. bait Rod and size 2 hooks as well as a 50 lb bait Rod with some 3/0 circle hooks. We will fish for whatever we see. It may be 12-90 lb. yellowfin or it may be 60-200 lb. bluefin. Very weird year !

~~Sep. 20
 The ride going up last night wasn't good, although I can't say it was awful either.  It was just your average windy rough ride up the line.  I'm just not used to it, that's all.  The weather for the most part these last couple months for me has just been so good.  It doesn't matter because the weather got good again for the important part which is the fishing.  And we took advantage of it.  We found our dorado kelp.  The dorado were small to big and they were plentiful.  It was our first dorado kelp of the year.  Finally. Though we've had plenty of other specie to keep us busy this year. If you know me you know I'm all about the competition so I like to make searching for kelps fun.  Today I challenged Mark to a kelp off which means the person who finds the loaded dorado kelp wins.  He found it and of course I couldn't be happier about it.  It may be the only thing I'm glad to lose to.  Of course he wanted me to tell you all about it.  He finally beat me. It was the cherry on top of this wonderful trip.  Another one in the books.  We're headed back to the barn all fat and happy.  Fat from too much eating and happy with all the fish we caught.  We'll be dockside tomorrow morning at 6:30 and yes, we will be heading back out to sea.  I'll be taking the LA Rod and Reel club out fishing for a couple days.

 Good fishing again today in the local tuna grounds it sounds like.  Let's make it one more tuna trip for the year before it's over.  Our October 3rd and 6th trips are both for sure goes.  Let's, and by that I mean you, make our September 26th and 29th trips a go too.  Come fishing!  My baby can be without her dad for another week if it means she gets those shoes she's been begging me for.  5 months old and she's already begging for shoes.  Holy Toledo.
     

A four-day trip with 24 anglers aboard Polaris Supreme and skippered by owner Tom Rothery returned to Fisherman's Landing July 9. Richard Bradshaw of Poulsbo, WA won first place for a 43-pound bluefin. He got that fish with a sardine on a 4/0 Mustad hook, 30-pound Maxima line on a Sealine 50 reel and one of the boat's rods. Jules Appelman of Albeuquerque was second for a 39.4-pound albacore, and Doug Dalme of Napa won third place for a 38.9-pound albacore tuna.

Fishing Update

Our Sat. Sept. 10th 2 Day is a go!!!!!  We are still looking for a few more anglers to join us, but we are going fishing!!!!

46 bluefin 6 yellowtail. One stop can make or break your day, and today we were one of the lucky ones. Flylined baits on 30-40lb line and a size 2-1/0 hook worked best. We still recommend having a 40-60lb rod to fish either a sinker rig or jig.

The spring Season is nearly upon us and we will be taking the Apollo to Santa Barbara for the rockfish opener and hopefully a productive seabass season. We have an unusual amount of open weekend dates for this spring, between March 1rst and May 15th. Take a look at our calendar at apollocharters.com. Take advantage of these rare openings and book your own charter with me and my excelent crew today. Come fish with us out of Santa Barbara and experience the easiest and shortest ride to Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands. This means more fishing time and easier access to those harder to reach destinations. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you, J.J. Gerritsen.