Crossing the pond in flat calm we invested a few am hours in the search for something, anything to produce gamefish offshore. It ended up being a long search even with spectacularly ideal conditions. An extreme lack of kelps in the best water was the culprit. Of course once we cleared the warm, blue water making way north into the cooler green big kelps were everywhere. That’s how it usually goes. One or two slip through the main temperature breaks drifting into the land of plenty. The trick is to find them. And, after a full morning search, we did; one anyway. But one was enough.

Another round of mini fish wrangling was the result. Other than a keeper size tuna and dorado everything else was released with our blessing. We’ll see them again in a few years if we’re lucky. The good news is the amount of life still abundant less than 80 miles south of San Diego and plenty more beyond. Sea surface temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, yellowfin tuna and dorado, tons of yellowtail, and still Bluefin on the outside - welcome to the new November offshore San Diego. With similar conditions the past three or four seasons this seems to be the new norm. We’ll take it.

On that note current conditions should instill plenty of confidence for those on upcoming voyages to the island outside and down below. As of now there is nothing in the pattern to suggest that the abundance of gamefish in both zones is staging to move on. In fact the exact opposite is true. Keep this in mind if you are still waiting to book an upcoming voyage. Both the “Rice Bowl” seven day December 12th - 19th and the Black Water fly home from Cabo 8/11 day January 5th - January 16th (13th fly home from Cabo) have plenty of spots available. From the look of conditions and pattern right now we are fired up about the prospects on the ridge, at Alijos, and the lower banks (Potato, Finger, etc.) as we push into the new year. That BlackWater voyage is as ideal as it gets to access all those zones, maximize fishing time, and avoid the long boat ride home. Give Tracy, Captain Brian Sims, or I a call in the office if you have questions or would like more details.

Final trip photo features first time Royal Star and big tuna angler Ned Goodwin who joined us all the way from Washington D.C. Ned’s first day at the island featured the agony of defeat but he got back in the saddle and made it happen the next day landing two of these beautiful grade yellowfin tuna. This one weighed in at a hefty 120#’s. Congrats to Ned on a great first long range voyage!