Barracuda in the Santa Monica Bay, legit calico and sand bass fishing and coastal seabass and yellows at the Coronados. Hello season! 

The bass fishing is perking up — the Island Spirit out of Ventura Sportfishing scored 51 calico bass and 2 halibut at Santa Cruz Island yesterday. Condensed report: clean 62-degree water, all the bass were caught in a little hour bite window and there were 5 and 8 pounders released.  

From Santa Cruz to the Coronados there are prospects like we haven’t seen in a few seasons this time of the year. Hands down, the yellows at the Coronados are one of the best bets. Here’s Rick Maxa with a yellow from the skiff yesterday afternoon. 

The Malihini had 20 of the yellows yesterday to go with over 60 slimes. “There are some big, mean fish mixed in,” Malihini skipped Mikey Schmidt told me of the 30-plus pounders that have been pretty much ruining most anglers. “It’s different everyday, it’s moving around everyday.” 

All the wind on Sunday and Monday afternoons dropped the water temps a little in many zones. Catalina became pretty unfishable, but the wind is down and lightboats are posted up in Avalon selling squid. The guys with the big fish, one bite mindset are already hatching up plans for fishing the coast for the WON tourney (sign up on site if you decide to enter last minute, like many). Here's 81 pounds on a skewer of reasons why the coast could kick out the winner (Kyle Dodder shot it, an unknown e mail delivered it to my box):  

The best news for the masses above Rocky Point is that of barracuda in the Santa Monica Bay. Erik Hobday on the Redondo Special called me to say the stuff is up and biting this morning. It’s a huge grade of ‘cuda, lots of 8-plus pounders and there was a 13 pounder caught this morning. 

And then there’s the improved bass fishing for the local half day trips from Long Beach to Oceanside. 

So far, things are looking like exactly what we need for the industry. Biting fish, good conditions, and people jumping on sportboats and getting their engines tuned up for the season. 

The season is here... hopefully to stay.