Excellent Fishing at Baja Tuna Pens

Shouts of “Hook-up!” and “Fresh one!” emanated from the Grande as another flurry of bluefin tuna came under the boat. Anglers fishing about 55 miles southwest of San Diego were catching 12- to 15-pound tuna with an occasional 40-pound specimen tossed in for spice.

The Grande was one of several boats crowded around a floating tuna pen waiting for another chance at one of these hard-fighting, fine-eating gamefish.

The pens, full of a valuable cargo of tuna, were being towed at about two knots back and forth about 30 miles off the Baja coast.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said veteran Captain Don Ashley. “I’ve heard of tuna on kelp paddies, whales, in pods of dolphin and porpoise—but never on the tuna pens.”

Tuna pens are underwater pens that are about 150 feet wide and 50 feet deep. Wild bluefin tuna are fattened up on fresh sardines and shipped off to Japan where they can fetch big dollars.

The bluefin caught in the Eastern Pacific live in cooler water and have a wonderful reputation in Japan for their sweet taste. Fresh slabs of toro make for delicious sushi. Some might see the irony in the fact that the Pacific bluefin migrate from Japan to the waters of Baja and California only to be nabbed, fattened up and put on a nonstop flight back to Japan.

The pens dot the rich waters of Northern Baja California around the Coronado Islands and Ensenada, where tuna are cared for and groomed for the lucrative Japanese market.

Recently, the Oceanside 95 was fishing near one of the pens when a zodiac raft came zooming by.  The crewmen on board are responsible for guarding the pens against sharks, sea lions and poachers.

“They raised a couple of ice-cold Mexican beers and waved hello,” said David Mendrin from Whittier, who was a passenger on board. “They were totally cool with us fishing near the pens.”

Bluefin tuna are know as discriminating feeders, so 15-pound test line with a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader really helped to induce a bite from the delectable fish.

Scott Buchert from Corona del Mar was on board the Grande and nabbed a nice bluefin tuna that took the jackpot.

"I cast my bait toward the pen and wham! I was on," said Buchert.

Boats get close to the pens and start chumming live sardines to try and lure the tuna to the surface.

“Sometimes the bite happens right away and other times it takes a while,” said Mendrin, adding that there is a sense of anticipation created when one boat is heard hooking-up.

“We could see the Toronado getting bit and guys screaming, then the Grande, and then it was our turn,” said Mendrin. “It was exciting to see the fish move from boat to boat until we got our shot.”

“I am guessing it’s like a kelp paddy where fish come to hide out or seek bait,” said Ashley. “Either that or they are coming to say hello to their brethren.”

Whatever the reason, the tuna pens have been an easy way to locate bluefin for sportfishermen fishing of the coast of Northern Baja.

“Just when you think you have seen it all, something new comes along,” said Ashley, who has been in sportfishing for more than five decades. For now, the tuna destined for Japan are showing Southern California anglers where they can find their very own fresh toro.

Discovery Channel star to talk dolphin slaughter on radio show

Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and star of Whale Wars on the Discovery Channel will be on Philip Friedman Outdoors Radio from 9 p.m. until 10 p.m. Thursday.

Watson will be talking about the dolphin slaughter in Taji, Japan; the upcoming season of Whale Wars; and many of his other causes. Some have criticized Watson for the methods he employs to protect whales and other marine creatures. Earlier this year, rocker Ted Nugent vowed to kill 10 whales just to irritate Watson, whom Nugent claims is attacking a legitimate fishing industry.

Among other questions, Friedman intends to ask Watson why the Japanese whale hunts seems to invoke so much more anger than the Norwegian hunt. Norway’s hunt, which just concluded, resulted in the death of more than 400 minke whales.

Listeners can tune in to AM 830 or visit www.AM830.net to hear the show.

Quick bites

• There has been tremendous bluefin tuna fishing for much of the past week as bite has been red hot around the tuna pens off the Baja coast; however, the bite slowed down to a trickle on Tuesday with just a few tuna taken. The Condor out of Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego caught more than 50 tuna on Wednesday afternoon, including a 70-pound bluefin.

• Local fishing has been tough, though some anglers are still catching sculpin and rockfish. There are still a few bass on the kelp beds, as well as an occasional white sea bass, but overall, it’s been much slower.

• Tours out of Dana Wharf Whale Watching have spotted at least one blue whale for 30 days straight. There has been great whale watching in Newport Beach. Harbor Breeze Cruises in Long Beach and in Redondo Beach have also . Passengers on a boat from Harbor Breeze Cruises spotted two humpback whales Wednesday.