We're 13 days from Thanksgiving, Big Bird Day, hunting turkeys and deer, catching stocked rainbow trout, but albacore, bluefin, yellowtail and even dorado are biting within one-day range of San Diego.
How good is that? Consider also that dove, pheasant and quail seasons are open, so sportsmen and women have a whole lot of options.
The ocean fishing is the big surprise, and Chuck Taft, captain of the Sea Adventure 80, plans another 1½-day run tonight, leaving H&M Landing at 9.
“Forget the turkey, we've got albacore at 40 miles,” Taft said this week. “The water is 67 degrees, clean, and even though there's not a lot of bait in the water, there's a 23-mile spread of fish. I covered a five-mile spread and never went 30 minutes without a stop.”
Taft said yellowfin are swimming with porpoise, too.
With fuel prices down to their lowest level of the year, boats don't have to charge fuel surcharges as they did in the summer and early fall.
“There's no reason for a fuel surcharge right now,” Taft said.
It's another outdoor option, but one that won't last much longer.
Notes: Need to take care of some early Christmas gifts? Seaforth Sportfishing on Mission Bay hosts its second annual Customer Appreciation Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow. Lots of items discounted, with tackle representatives, including Corey Sanden of MC Swimbaits. Mustad hooks on sale, with a buy-three-packs, get-one-free offer. Also, check out the two new sport boats at the landing, Jason Coz's Dolphin and Gary Abbamonte's Alexes, over from Mission Bay Sportfishing (formerly Islandia).
Fly shop: Fly-fishing guide Peter Piconi opens his new store tomorrow. SoCal Fly Fishing Outfitters is in Liberty Station, 2860 Sims Road, Suite 100, in Point Loma. A raffle and seminars start at 10 a.m. with Jeff Solis, Ken Hanley, Nick Curcione, Pat Jaeger and Piconi. Hanley and Curcione will sign their books. Guests include Tim Gunther, artist and illustrator. Also, clinics on fly-tying and nymph-rigging tactics. Check out socalflyfishing.net.
Red Rum: Team Red Rum with Ryan Donovan, John Donovan, Luis Vela, Americo Andres, Capt. Omar Ruiz won the 2008 Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot in Cabo San Lucas. Their big fish was a 244-pound yellowfin that gobbled a lime green imitation squid lure. Took 2 hours, 45 minutes to boat. That fish beat the nearest competitor by more than 100 pounds and was the second-biggest fish in the tournament's 10-year history.
Derby winners: Former NFL coach Dennis Green's son, Zack, was one of the big winners at the 30th annual Dixon Lake Trout Derby last weekend. Edward Negron took the grand prize with a 7.5-pound trout. David Escoboga won the senior division with a 6.62-pound trout. Roy Beck's 6.82-pounder won the senior division, and Zack Green took the youth division with a 6.69-pound rainbow.
