Greetings MBMC members!
April hasn’t been the kindest month as far as fishing opportunity goes as the colder than normal sea temps combined with several strong and consistent wind events have kept most boats at the dock or on the trailer save for the avid rock cod angler. There has been no reliable surface action at all other than a rare yellowtail showing off La Jolla and the ocean has been too cold to get the Calico Bass going either. The Lower 9 mile bank has been hot and cold recently with strong underlying currents making it difficult to get your bait down on the right spot on some days.
The Bluefin Tuna came within 1 to 1.5 day range early in the month around the 1010 Trench/295 spot but the fish didn’t really turn on until they moved up to the Butterfly Bank a week later and 2 – 3 day limits on 40-80 pound tuna were common with most fish taken at night on jigs @200-300 feet. A few fish were taken during the day on flyline and sinker rigs however the fish were still hesitant from showing on the surface after being chased and netted by the Mexican Seiner Fleet as the annual quota was increased 80% recently as the Global Fish Councils have determined the Bluefin have rebounded from their previous decline. The American Commercial take has also been increased up to 65% over last years quota however I believe it’s doubtful for them to increase our measly 2 fish daily recreational bluefin limit.
No fish were submitted for the April Fish of the Month.
As Scott mentioned in last month’s OOPSLINE, this will be the final year of the Mission Bay Marlin Club so the Board Member’s primary agenda will be to get the Club’s Financial Records and Non Profit Corporation Status closed out and reported properly while determining the best way to redistribute the existing Club Funds back to the participating members via Club Tournaments, Free Seminars, and amazing Club raffles including the Grand Raffle as part of the MBMC Marlin Tourney scheduled for September 12-14.
There will be no reason not to enter any of the 6 proposed tournaments this season as all MBMC Member entry fees are eliminated. Tournaments are open to Members only and all fishing must be from a Member Boat. To spice things up a bit the Board has recommended a $500 largest fish gift card prize, $250 2nd place, and $100 3rd place prize. You can’t win if you’re not in. More Tournament Info in an additional email later this month. The 2025 Tournament schedule is as follows and all Tournaments, except the MBMC Marlin Tournament, are of the entire month variety:
- June 1-30 Halibut/White Sea Bass
- July 1-31 Yellowtail
- August 1-31 Tuna (Except Skipjack)
- September 1-30 Marlin
- MBMC Marlin Tourney Friday 9/12 Captains Meeting – Saturday 9/13 Lines In – Sunday Awards Dinner & Raffle
- November 1-30 Rockcod (With a separate Lingcod Division)
Seminars – So far we have scheduled 2 seminars. The first is with Mike “The Beak” Hurt to be held on June 7, 2025, at Bay Park Fish Company. It will also include a Taco Bar Lunch FREE to members and $20 fee at the door for non-members. See attached flyer for details. The second seminar will be with Kenny Shilling on August 23, 2025, also at Bay Park Fish Company, with details to follow in future flyers in the OOPSLINE. Just another way your Club has chosen to give back to its members so please take advantage of it!
May your May be filled with many hook ups and few break offs – Let’s get this thing going!
Jeff Meeker