The Full Moon in beginning of the month put a damper on the already dismal offshore season as even the 2 and 3 day Sportboats were struggling to even bring home 1 fish for each angler for the whole trip. Except for a couple of days around the 101 outside Rosarito where the large BFT came out of nowhere and bit anything thrown at them, there was nothing biting within 40-60 miles of San Diego and many of the overnight fleet came home empty. The only bright spot was La Jolla where a decent bite on 15-25# Yellowtail for anglers slow trolling sardines and mackerel or running Rapalas in 80-90 feet outside the kelp line and typically the afternoon was better than each morning.

Which brings us to our long awaited MBMC 51st and Final Annual Marlin Tournament attended by 13 boats carrying 33 anglers the only problem was only a very few marlin showed up. The only local action was encountered by Rafael & Aileen Sanchez aboard their boat Karibik just inside the 182 when a marlin climbed on their Bleeding Mackerel jig and headed for the horizon. Unfortunately a tangle of lines ensued and the marlin gained it’s freedom once the 50# test line snapped. Ken Yasuda’s Encounter watched a pair of Tailers pass by the boat while Ken was down below deck and they were out by the old 15 Mile FAD spot. The Doghouse traveled north and shadowed the Pesky Tournament boats fishing off Catalina Island between the Avalon Bank and the shipping lanes; we had chances on 2 sleepers and 2 tailers on the slack noon tide and we blew all of them. Most fish caught in the Pesky’s Tourney were Blind Jig Strikes with only a few on bait; we tried each and came up empty. No marlin were caught in our Tournament and an even bigger shock was no tuna were taken either. So at the Awards Dinner held at Sardinas Restaurant every anglers name was put in the hat and the winners were chosen:

Marlin Division:

• 1st Place – Brent Hargraves $ 2,000.00
• 2nd Place – Gloria Himmelberger $1,250.00
• 3rd Place – Jim Kelly $ 750.00

Tuna Division:

• 1st Place – Jeff Meeker $ 1,000.00
• 2nd Place – Ann Thompson $ 500.00

Early Bird Marlin Caster Rod & Reel – Bob Nelson

Ray Fear put on another fabulous Raffle with many great prizes including several Daiwa reels, a couple of Daiwa Rod & Reel Combos, Everingham Bait Certificates along with several lures and Restaurant Gift Cards; and the difference this year the Club sought no donations and all the items were paid for by the Club. And once again the food at Sardinas was outstanding as always with the big hit being the Chicken Marsala which went like Locusts through a wheat field!

So far there have been no caught or released fish submitted for our Monthlong Marlin Tournament and if there are no Marlin caught or released in September the Board is considering extending the Tournament into the month of October; look for a future OOPSLINE Update with a September winner list or the October Extension. Also, there are currently no weight slips submitted for the Fish of the Month so get out there and bring something to the scales as right now its wide open and anything has a chance to win. Please remember to email your weigh slips within 72 hours to info@missionbaymarlinclub.org and please fill out the form completely so I won’t have to make up the location, Hook up time, Time to boat, etc.

Our Final Seminar for 2025 is to be held @ Tom Ham’s Lighthouse on Saturday November 15th @ 11AM featuring local commercial Swordfish and Marlin Fishing expert Maurice Smith and it will be a meeting you don’t want to miss which includes a free lunch to all members in attendance and a $30 charge to all non-members. Maurice “Goose” Smith will relive the banner years of the offshore Billfish fishing from the 1970s to present and offer tips and predictions for what lies ahead in the Southern California Bight. Get your reservations in early as seating will be limited to the first 40 who sign up; email to: info@missionbaymarlinclub.org. This might be your last chance to pick up any leftover MBMC T-Shirts from the last tournament and any of the other past events so keep that in mind and remember Ray Fear will produce another fine and final raffle for 2025. I hope to see you at the Seminar!

2025 Tournament Schedule:

• October 1-31 Extended Monthlong Marlin?? (TBD)
• November 1-30 Monthlong Rockcod (With a separate Lingcod Division)

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Greetings

The MBMC Board of Directors have re-examined the “2 Angler Minimum” Rule in the interest of allowing more current members the chance to participate in our final Marlin Tournament.  The Board has voted and decided to make a Rule Change to allow participants to fish solo aboard their boat.  The rules regarding “catch and release” and submittal of the picture requirements for a released Marlin are more difficult to follow while fishing solo, however they still apply. As do Rules for caught and weighed fish (Marlin and Tuna).  If not fishing solo, everyone on the boat needs to be entered in the tournament.

Finally, any members who have not yet signed their MBMC Release of Liability forms must do so at the Captain’s Meeting.

Tournament Entry Forms will be available at the Captain’s Meeting Friday September12th @ 6PM at the Marina Village Dockhouse Deli. 

Jeff Meeker

August brought us a great bite on Yellowtail and Bluefin Tuna at the Coronado Islands which quite frankly was the only game in town as the main bluefin schools were still 60-95 miles west and bluefin being bluefin they would bite one day and be absent for the next 2-3 days in a different location. Upwards of 100 boats fishing the islands in 3 different spots called for tight fishing conditions and tempers sometimes flared up. An even bigger issue was the fact that the Everingham bait supply became inconsistent causing the sale of bait to private boats to be restricted to ½ scoop only and occasionally not even available to the private fleet in both Mission and San Diego Bay. Even the Sportfishing Boats have had to endure reduced bait supply sometimes only getting half of what would be normal thus limiting their ability to chum. The general consensus is the Mexican BFT Co-Op off the Coronado and Todos Santos Islands are sending their seiners out to set their nets up and down the Baja Coast to catch enough bait to feed all these tons of tuna in their holding pens and it is finally catching up and putting a drain on the local ecosystem. Nothing we can do about it for now and just hope the situation gets better.

One of our longest surviving MBMC members passed this week; Jimmy Valentine. I have fond memories of Jimmy filled with laughter as he was part of the old guard in the club who showed us how to catch marlin however nobody knew Jim better than Paul Himmelberger; Paul recalled Jimmy’s history in the club with this note: 

“It is with great sadness that I need to inform you all that Jimmy Valentine has died. Jimmy was 84 years old and passed away last Tuesday, September 26, 2025. I have known Jimmy since sometime in 1975 as he and I first appeared in the Mission Bay Marlin Club yearbook in 1976. His boat at that time was “Barmodo.” Later “Time Out.” This was, in my mind, the boat that I associate most with Jimmy. It was moored at the Islandia Marina where the Mission Bay Marlin Clubhouse was located. Later, “My Toy” but “Time Out” is his legacy for us old timers. He quietly participated in the club activities that were held there on a weekly basis. Later he was elected President in 1980 and served in many other capacities throughout the years. He will be missed. Tight lines, Jimmy!” – Paul Himmelberger

Well it’s a little early at press time but it looks like John Brudvik will go back to back on the Fish of the Month for August with another BFT @ 134.6# BFT again taken off San Clemente Island I presume. There are still 3 days left so who knows if it will stand up only you can knock him off. John’s BFT also holds the top spot in the Month long Tuna Tourney with Tim Honick in 2nd with a 37.4 and Jeff Meeker in 3rd with a 36.8; both taken off South Coronado Island on the DOGHOUSE next to the Tuna Pens on a Spreader Bar. It shouldn’t be too hard to knock Tim & Jeff out with a decent Tuna; rumor has it Brudvik might take all 3 spots but we won’t know until the end of the month Please remember to email your weigh slips within 72 hours to info@missionbaymarlinclub.org and please fill out the form completely so I won’t have to make up the location, Hook up time, Time to boat, etc.

Our Kenny Schilling Seminar August 23rd @ Bay Park Fish Co. (including a free lunch to all members in attendance) was a huge success as Kenny relived many of his marlin fishing adventures and told us what worked for him and what works today as he has caught and released hundreds if not thousands of marlin over the years. Kenny brought longtime friend and swordfishing legend Maurice Smith to the seminar and Maurice touched on some of his adventures while running a successful commercial swordfish harpoon operation over many years while also captaining many of the big sportfishing tournament yachts in Southern California. Maurice offered to come back and get into further detail so the Club is negotiating with a few larger venues and planning for an early November seminar/lunch. Details in a further OOPSLINE.

The September Monthlong Marlin Tourney began Monday, September 1st and is free to all members so email your entry to the Club info@missionbaymarlinclub.org 

• Monthlong Marlin Entry Form and Rules     
• Tag & Release Form

While you’re at it get your entry in for the September 12 & 13th MBMC Annual and Final Marlin Tournament, our last big meeting for the Club and a chance to win Big Money for captured or released fish and there will still be an optional Tuna Division as in years past. Ray Fear will hold another fabulous MBMC Raffle so don’t miss out as your Club gives back! The MBMC Board has decided on a $50 Entry fee for Members and an $150 Entry Fee for Non-Members. And just like all the previous Marlin Tourneys, there is a September 1st Early Bird Entry Deadline to be eligible for a Custom Marlin Casting Rod and Shimano TN 30 Reel. Click for Tournament Entry Forms (also attached) So save the date and get ready.

Good fishing to all!, Jeff

2025 Tournament Schedule:

• September 1-30 Marlin
• MBMC Marlin Tourney Friday 9/12 Captains Meeting – Saturday 9/13 Lines In – Sunday
• Awards Dinner & Raffle
• November 15 & 16 Rockcod (With a separate Lingcod Division

The September tournament for the 2025 season is the JERRY AND ROY LIVELY MONTH LONG MARLIN TOURNAMENT, September 1 through September 30.  This tournament is limited to MBMC members only.  Member entry fees have been eliminated for this year. Yes!, the tournament is open to all MBMC Members by just submitting an Entry Form.

Top Angler, 2nd, and 3rd place will be decided by the angler with the most points for each single fish – one point per pound for weighed in fish and 130 points for a released fish. In the case of a tie, a random drawing will be held to determine the winner using one chance per submitted fish. The species targeted in this tournament is MARLIN only.  Cash/Gift Card worth $500 for 1st Place, $250 for 2nd place, and $100 for 3rd place.

See Entry Form and Rules for details along with a Tag-and-Release Form.

Greetings MBMC!

It’s the 1st week in August and the summer fishing season is in full swing. Yellowtail, Calico Bass and Cuda are on the chew @ La Jolla; Yellows are off the charts @ the Coronados on bait, Iron, and Rapalas; 20-200# BFT are anywhere from the Butterfly Bank to Santa Barbara Island, in fact John Brudvik came home with a 124.3# BFT in late July; and Marlin are starting to show on the Offshore Banks as Chris Bailey captured the 2025 1st Marlin Release Flag on 7/27 on a jig at the 267 off Dana Point.

We still have August and September which should only get better so now’s the time to get down to the boat, use your MBMC Fuel Discount @ Dana and go fishing! When you get to the end of the jetty just turn right or left or with a full tank go straight there’s fish out there to catch and we’re really surprised we only had 5-6 boats in last month’s Yellowtail Tourney. The tourney is free to all members and the rewards are higher than they have ever been with $500 1st Place, 250 2nd and 100 for 3rd. That could be a full tank of fuel, 10 Full scoops of bait, a new Rod or Reel, but unfortunately Billy they won’t honor Dana Gift Cards @ Pacers. Sign ups are so easy just fill out the Entry Form, scan it, and email it to info@missionbaymarlinclub.org before you go. Non-Members can fish on Member Boats as well but their catches can not be entered into the Tourney.

We have a fresh new Fish of the Month Winner for July with John Brudvik with a 124.3# BFT taken off San Clemente Island I presume. Please remember to email your weigh slips within 72 hours to info@missionbaymarlinclub.org and please fill out the form completely so I won’t have to make up the location, Hook up time, Time to boat, etc.

The July Month Long Yellowtail Tourney had several fish weighed in from Kelp Paddys, La Jolla and the Coronados with Chris Bailey claiming the $500 1st Place Gift Card on a 19.2# yellow; it took 2 trips to the Islands for Jeff Meeker to secure the $250 2nd Place prize with an 18# tail and John Brudvik’s 16.0 earned him the $100 3rd Place Card.

This month’s Tuna Tournament has gotten off to a slow start as the BFT have moved outside our local 30 mile range and are now centered outside San Clemente Island for the most part however an occasional wolfpack have been seen within 40-50 miles of Mission Bay and although we haven‘t seen them yet we should get a push of Yellowfin Tuna up from the south by the end of the month. Dorado have already been found on a few kelps. Remember this tournament is a Members only tournament free to all current members. You must submit your Tourney Entry Form online before you go and you can add members at any time during the month with a new revised entry before you go. Click here for Entry Form and Rules.

Largest Fish rewards with Gift Certificates worth $500 for 1st, 250 for 2nd, and 100 for 3rd.

Our Kenny Schilling will be giving a Seminar August 23rd @ Bay Park Fish Co. including a free lunch to all members in attendance. Don’t miss it and remember Ray Fear will have several MBMC Logo T Shirts on sale so come and get your shirt size before he runs out. Both Log and Short Sleeve on sale. Please RSVP to Ken Yasuda by August 19th so we can give a count to Bay Park. See the attached Flyer.

Mark your calendars and save September 12 & 13 for the MBMC Annual and Final Marlin Tournament, our last big meeting for the Club and a chance to win Big Money for captured or released fish and there will still be an optional Tuna Division as in years past. Ray Fear will hold another fabulous MBMC Raffle so don’t miss out as your Club gives back! The MBMC Board has decided on a $50 Entry fee for Members and an $150 Entry Fee for Non-Members. And just like all the previous Marlin Tourneys, there is a September 1st Early Bird Entry Deadline to be eligible for a Custom Marlin Casting Rod and Shimano TN 30 Reel. Tournament Entry Forms link . So save the date and get ready.

2025 Tournament Schedule:

• 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)

Take advantage of the next 2-3 months of great weather and get out there, sign up for the Monthly Tournaments, and go get some fish in 2025 and with any luck have the Club reward you with a Gift Card! 

Jeff Meeker