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Aug. 01, 2008
Yellowtail tuna attract a crew from Las Vegas
The yellowtail tuna bite has begun, and to prove it, we have the Bass Pro Shop's Las Vegas crew heading out on the charter boat "Freedom," with well-known skipper, Capt. Tommy Lee, at the helm. It all started when my fishing pal, Dennis Wallace, got a call from Tommy saying "The bite is on." That's all Dennis needed to round up the crew which included David Goings, Scott Perry, Jim Long, and Everett Lutz; a date was set and the following Monday afternoon, they were off to San Pedro, California's 22nd Street Landing. They were going to cast off at 10 p.m., so that gave them ample time to have a nice harbor-side supper, pick out their on-board bunks and settle in. As the "Freedom" left the harbor, they stopped at the bait barge for some live anchovies and later pulled alongside a squid boat for more live bait.They were ready, and with anticipation, hit the bunks for the six-hour trip to San Clemente Island. It had been a long day, so sleep and dreams came easy. It was dreams of big fish, bent poles and high fives. Then it was the skipper letting everyone know they were nearing the island by calling out, "Wake up gentlemen", or some other familiar phrase. At 5 a.m., it was all hands on deck and the customary "drop your lines." The first hour was searching for the "hot spot;" calico bass, barracuda, bonito and sheep head were landed around the kelp beds, and then they hit. All hooked into yellowtail, but competition arrived in the form of sea lions. The challenge became getting the tuna in before the sea lions would steal it. Several times only the fish's head was landed; the sea lions had played this game before and were up to the challenge, figuring eating tuna on a string beat chasing these powerful 20- to 50-pound speedsters. Throughout the morning and early afternoon the deck hands kept busy with the bait, gaffing fish, or parts of fish, and fixing lines. Tommy even stepped in when one of the reels froze and within 20 seconds tied the rod and reel off to another, let it out, and kept fishing. After a good battle the fisherman landed not only his original equipment, but a nice 30-pounder. Long won the jackpot with a big 45-pound yellowtail. This was made even more interesting because he was a first-time ocean fisherman, and he did it "all wrong." As the group tells it, using only 20-pound test line and a fresh-water bass "swim bait," he hooked into the monster tuna, which first headed straight for the bottom and then in the direction of Japan. Thirty minutes later and with sore arms he brought it to boat, the crew quickly had it gaffed and on board. Who says there is only one way to catch a big fish? By mid-afternoon it was time to pull the lines and head home with sore arms, big smiles and stories to tell. The "deckies" would be cleaning and bagging the fish on the way, and the fishermen would be sleeping at home this night. High fives to all. -- If you have an adventure, a story or a comment on this or other articles, give me a call at 727-9777 or e-mail dansimmons@usa.net.
What's new The "bite" has certainly begun for yellowtail in Southern California and Mexican waters; albacore won't be far behind. You'll find opportunities out of most California ports, but some have gained a well deserved reputation for well-maintained boats, good service and knowing where the fish are. Two at the top of my list are, H & M Landing out of San Diego, and the "Freedom" skippered by Tommy Lee out of San Pedro. Tommy is an interesting and well-known young skipper (42 years old) who, for his entire life, has lived and breathed sports fishing. He's proud to have his own boat and keeps it and his equipment in shape. His vacations include doing fishing seminars and demonstrations at Bass Pro's stores in Las Vegas and California. This guy is truly living his dream. I'm speaking with him as I write this (the wonder of modern technology). He is off Catalina Island and fishing hard, and looking at his gas gauge, as we all are, but that hasn't slowed him down. He's a fishing fanatic, in the finest sense of the word. As he tells it, he's finding more "green water" and things will continue to pick up on yellowtail with albacore soon to appear, peaking in September and November at the Cortez bank off the California coast. So, get your gear ready, arrange for some time off and start making plans, as it's often difficult getting a spot on a preferred boat in the middle of the season. -- For more information go to www.hmlanding.com for H&M Landing or for Tommy Lee www.freedomsportfishing@aol.com or e-mail Tommy at freedomsportfish@aol.com. Recipe of week With a freezer full of tuna, you'll have many opportunities to try new recipes. Here's one dedicated to Dennis Wallace, a fine fisherman and friend (this may even get me a couple of nice tuna steaks). It comes from Blondie's kitchen, and she is known to be a fine cook (this may get me a home cooked meal). Blondie's partner, my pal Ol' Seldom, would probably prefer this in a bourbon sauce (this would get him a beverage), but I'll bring home enough fish for both. That's good summertime eatin'. Tuna Steaks with Fresh Tomato Four 1/2 pound tuna steaks; 2 tsp sea salt; 2 tsp finely ground black pepper; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; juice of two lemons; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano (if using dried cut measurement by half); 1 pound fresh tomatoes, choped into medium-sized pieces; 2 Tbsp butter Sprinkle the tuna steaks with salt and pepper on both sides; mix olive oil, juice of one lemon, garlic, parsley, and oregano, place with tuna steaks in a zip-top bag and let marinate for 2-4 hours; remove tuna from marinade; pour marinade into frying pan and bring to a boil, add remaining lemon juice, tomatoes and butter, cook until slightly thickened. While you are preparing the sauce, broil the tuna steaks to desired doneness, place tuna on plates and pour the hot sauce over them; enjoy with a nice salad and fresh bread to dip in the sauce. |
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