David Brackmann give Inside Sportfishing an overview of productive spots off the Southern California coast.

Among Southern California fishermen there are certain offshore locations that most consider traditional “hot spots”. What attributes must a spot possess to be considered a hot spot? First and foremost the spot must be a consistent producer of offshore game, such as tuna, marlin or sharks. But more importantly, what is it that attracts the gamefish on such a consistent basis? The answer is a combination of factors all coming together at the same time. For those who have a basic understanding and can interpret the factors, they are the ones who are most often rewarded with impressive catches, for others who do not, these spots and other offshore locals are a hit or miss proposition.

It begins with each location’s bottom topography and its effect and relationship with ocean currents. If you ever get a chance to view a 3D relief of a bathometric chart of the Southern California Bight, you will best be able to visualize that our local ocean bottom topography is made up of numerous impressive features such as canyons with steep walls, sharp drop offs, mountain like plateaus, rolling hills, big flats and islands that rise quickly from the surrounding lands. Some areas look like the Grand Canyon, others like the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and others like Death Valley. There are many dramatic changes in elevation. The ocean floor seems to be alive and active….picture it? Now add water, not just still water, but water that is in a state of perpetual motion.

Like a system of rivers on land, the currents that run through the ocean interact with each other and any obstacle in their way such as islands, canyon ledges, and any other raised feature found on the ocean floor. It is these interactions that result in upwelling of deep nutrient rich water to the warm surface layers creating and feeding the food chain. Upwelling is responsible for changes in the depth of the thermocline, the creation of eddies and current lines, all of which contain temperature breaks.

What is a temperature break? A temperature break is a change of water temperature over a specific horizontal and vertical distance in the water column. Temperature breaks act as a convergence zone where two different bodies of water containing different temperatures meet, slowly mix, and blend, in turn concentrate and feed all forms of pelagic sea life. A temperature break is ever changing and exists only as long as it is supplied by a current. The faster the current the more pronounced are the affect of upwelling on the surface waters, and in turn temperature differences over a shorter distance. When there is little or no current there is relatively no change in temperature over any distance. The water temperatures become relatively uniform and temperature featureless.

What is the significance of a temperature break? Temperature breaks are the key to locating gamefish. Pelagic gamefish such as tuna, billfish, and some sharks such as makos and white sharks, have unique internal heat producing mechanisms that allow them to elevate the temperature of their eyes, brains and muscle tissue above the surrounding water temperature. This allows these fish to comfortably and rapidly enter and cross water temperature zones below or above their preferred temperature zones without any harm to themselves. To these big pelagic fish’s advantage, their prey species (sardine, anchovies, mackerel, squid) do not have the ability to quickly adjust to temperature changes, so they are forced stay in their comfort zones, slowly acclimate themselves to gradual changes or die from a rapid temperature shock.

These big predator fish can use the change in temperature along a break to their advantage. With the converging water, masses of plankton form and attract schools of bait from the surrounding bodies of water. The baits remains in the water they have acclimated to and do not cross into the different temperature zone. The differences in the water temperature (break) forms an invisible barrier to the bait schools where the predators can force the loose schools of bait against, almost like a wall. When stuck along these temperature barriers for prolonged periods of time, bait schools will gather together forming into large balls to protect themselves from the predators who have the luxury of attacking them from either side of the break. The longer the temperature break stays in place, the greater the amount of bait that gathers and will be pushed up along it’s edges by feeding gamefish. The greater the temperature differential over the shortest distance, the greater the affect on forming the wall that will gather and trap the bait schools.

One of the most productive areas to find gamefish is where an eddy of water has pealed off the main temperature break. Like a finger sticking out into the surrounding water the plankton and bait schools move with the current into this tightening band of water at the end of the eddy, making easy pickings for the predators who gather there.

Some of the “hot spots” where the bottom topographical features create upwelling, gather bait and form temperature breaks attracting marlin, tuna and sharks are the 14 Mile Bank, the 277, 181, and San Clemente Canyon. Lets take a look at them from an interesting prospective thanks to some exciting new technology. But first, please realize that these spots will only produce if they have the right conditions on or near them. Without the right conditions they will not be productive spots.

If you want to avoid being labeled a “bank head” by your peers, seek out the right conditions instead of focusing all your fishing efforts on trolling across a precise bottom feature. When fishing for pelagic fish such as tuna, marlin and sharks remember that more often than not the fish will be located off the structure, where ever the bait is. Generally, current direction in relation to the bottom structure will indicate where a likely break could have formed maybe a mile or more from these spots. The offshore formula for success is find the temperature break (most extreme), follow it to the bait (biggest volume), and bring on the fish! Sonic tracking studies on makos, marlin and tuna indicate that there is no actual association with bottom features, rather these fish migrate and remain in areas containing their preferred temperature zones, particular depth of thermocline, water quality/clarity, and abundance of food supply.

The 14 Mile Bank

Located approximately 14 nautical miles from Newport Beach and Dana Point Harbor at 33?23.92’ / 118?00.20’ is one of the most talked about and heavily fished offshore spots in Southern California. The bank lies in a WNW to ESE direction and consists of a shallow, two mile by one mile bank lying in 100 fathoms of water or less. The highest spot on the bank comes up to 57 fathoms and is located on the ESE corner of the bank. The bank slowly slopes off to 300 fathoms of water over a distance of five miles on the NE and South sides of the bank. The most dramatic drop on the bank is found along the West side of the bank where the bottom drops rapidly from 150 fathoms to almost 400 fathoms in less than one mile. The 14 mile bank is unique in that it is one of the shallowest offshore locations (less than 100 fathom) surrounded by deep water (300 fathoms) in such close proximity to the coast. The bottom topography beyond the drops to deeper water are comprised of relatively flat and featureless bottom structure until the bottom rises rapidly around Dana Point and Laguna Beach on one side and at Catalina Island on the other.

Catalina Island often acts as a wind buffer from offshore winds allowing warm water to pool from the East end of the island towards or across the bank. Often temperature breaks form on the South East and East sides of the bank attracting marlin, swordfish, tuna and sharks.

The 14 mile bank has produced well for me over the years. My largest thresher shark to date (410 lbs.) was trolled up here on a temperature break located about 2 miles to the the North East of the high spot a few years ago. That particular two week period at the end of June and first week of July when the break ran across the bank produced two other threshers over 300 lbs., plus a lot of broken tackle. Besides threshers I have also had some of my best days trolling for makos (57 releases in 2 ? days on Pacific Blue Water “Outlaws”) at the 14 mile bank. On that trip the current was running down hill and a strong break that was filled with mackerel had formed about 3 miles SW of the bank.

This 1998 season there were lots of yellowfin and some bluefin showing around the bank. Unfortunately, the big show of tuna also attracted the San Pedro seiner fleet who set up camp on the bank for almost a month. Every afternoon and night those tuna were wrapped by a fleet of up to ten seiners. What tuna that were spared were extremely spooky and tough to catch. Some of the tuna that made it through the nets put on a decent bite around the oil rigs up the line for a week or two before they disappeared.

The 14 has in years past been a productive area for marlin. Although some of the best marlin action of 1998 was instead centered around the 17 fathom spot and 172 spot both located West of Catalina Island, some early and late season marlin were taken on and around the 14. When there are big concentrations of mackerel on or near the bank for any period of time, the 14 mile bank is definitely offers shots at marlin.

Due to it’s close proximity to most of the major harbors and popularity, I have found the bank is most productive on week days when there is less fishing pressure and boat traffic centered on the bank.

The 277 Fathom Spot

During the height of the offshore season, particular when marlin are being targeted, The Slide, 209, and the bank that lies between them, the 277 Fathom spot, are constantly spoken about on the marine radio. Located at 33?11.90’ / 118?04.72’, approximately 15 nautical miles East of the East end of Catalina Island, the 277 makes up the final slope of the East end of Catalina Island’s drop into 500 fathoms of water. Surround on it’s Southern flank is the Catalina escarpment. The escarpment is comprised of wide flats that push out along the back side of the island to a 100 fathom ledge. These flats are famous for producing big floats of squid and big catches of seabass and yellowtail with the candy bait. From the start of the ledge the bottom drops off in 50 fathom increments to a relatively flat bottom at 600 fathoms. The escarpment acts as a fish highway that runs up the back side of Catalina due West to the 172 fathom spot laying due East of Santa Barbara Island.

On the South East to North East side of the 277, the bottom is comprised of a large 350 fathom flat that gently drops off into a two mile wide 500 fathom trench. The trench connects at it’s Southern end to the deep water flats that run South East between the 209 (33?05.62’ / 117?52.28’) and the 181, then continuing South past the 182, 302 and eventually into Mexican waters.

It is very common to find temperature breaks and or color breaks in or around the the 277 and the nearby 152 fathom spot (33?15.70’ / 118?11.06’). The predominant wind blows out of the West down the back side of the Catalina running parallel to these two high spots. Generally pools of warm water form in the calm waters buffered from the winds on the North sides of these banks. It is along the edges of cooler upwellings found along the windward /seaward edges of the ledge and the typically warmer calm waters that schools of mackerel and sardines will be found mixed in with kelp paddies or weed lines of eel grass. The bait schools tend to move in tight to the Slide during the late afternoon and remain until early morning before again sliding offshore into deeper waters along the breaks. A good marlin fishing tip is to fish tight to the island early and late in the day and move offshore as the sun climbs into the sky. Don’t be afraid to fish too tight, I have seen lots of marlin chasing bait in 50 fathoms or less just outside the kelp in years past.

The area between the 277 and The Slide is also area where threshers can at times be found in large concentrations, possibly migrating schools. This is the only place where I have witnessed a big schools of threshers (50+) tailing along on the surface. The threshers that I have seen move slowly to the West. I’m not sure if the fish were spawning or not but they definitely were not feeding. We tried trolling lures, trolling bridled live baits, casting live baits all for not a single strike. To my dismay I have heard quite a few reports of drift gill nets being set around the 277 targeting these breeding schools of threshers, often taking 40 or more big fish per set per night.

THE 181 FATHOM SPOT AND THE RIDGE

The 181 Fathom spot (32?54.40' / 117?53.00') rises quickly out of over 500+ fathoms. From an underwater prospective the North wall of the 181 appears as if it has been eroded away by thousands of years of deep water current action. The deep water currents must be intensified along this wall as the deep water trench that extends West and East of the bank is funneled tightly between the 181 and the 209 bank. Moving West from the 181 fathom spot there are three other humps in a five mile procession, the 190 fathom spot (32?55’ /117?54’), the 217 fathom spot (32?57’ /117?54.5’) and the 263 fathom spot (32?58.5’ /117?55.4’). Similar to the North wall along the 181, the bottom also drops sharply to North East to East sides of the 263, making the four humps appear as underwater islands. It is the sheer drops of the ledges and close proximity of relatively shallow water to deep water along a long expanse of bottom topography that makes up a very productive Southern California fishing local known as “The Ridge”.

“The Ridge" is best described as the edge of a forty nautical underwater mesa extending from the "181" fathom bank South East to the “182” fathom spot (32?41.25’ / 117?42.30’) and finally ending at the "302" fathom bank (32?26.40' / 117?35.00'). The Ridge is bordered along it’s East side by a dramatic ledge that drops into 600+ fathoms of water, and a broad expanse of 200 to 300 fathoms of water extending West to a peak at the "43" fathom bank (32?39.30' / 117?58.30'). The numerous high spots coming out of the deep water generally cause upwelling, eddies and in turn form strong temperature breaks during the summer months along The Ridge, as warm water moves North Westward up the Mexican coast into the Southern California Bight. With these warm currents, marlin, tuna, dorado, yellowtail and sharks move into our waters and come into contact with The Ridge and it's fish attracting features.

Comprised within The Ridge is and area know as the 30 Mile Bank. The North end of the bank is identified by the "181" fathom bank, and the South West end is marked by the "182" fathom bank. In my experience one of the best areas along the 30 mile bank is the 200 fathom plateau located South East of the "181" and North West of the "182". This 20 mile long plateau has five high spots of less than 200 fathoms. The two most prominent high spots of the five high spots located on this plateau are identified as the "125" fathom spot (32?45’ / 117?48’) and the "140" fathom spot (32?43.5’ / 117?47’), which are also known as The Kidney Banks. Consistently over the last couple seasons, this area has held some of the first and last marlin in our waters and has also produced good numbers of albacore, yellowfin tuna and bigeye.

SAN CLEMENTE CANYON

From some of the deepest waters found within 60 miles of the coast, The San Clemente Basin at depths of over 1100 fathoms feeds it’s deep nutrient waters up into a sharp steep walled canyon for over 15 nautical miles. No where else along our coast is such great bottom structure available so close to good anchorage and excellent island fishing.

The Canyon was one of the hands down favorite destinations for albacore during the 1998 season. Beginning in early May through early July it wasn’t uncommon to see up to 50 boats at one time all stopped on albacore in the vicinity of San Clemente Canyon. During these months the seas were flat and the California Current had made a big push from offshore heading due East along the East end of San Clemente Island across San Clemente Canyon towards the 43 fathom bank. The water temperature was an ideal 63?water temperature in the current abutting to 65?-67? water near San Clemente Island and the North West end of the canyon. It was a common sight to see one hundred long cylindrical masses of krill covering acres of water and massive balls of newly hatched anchovy fry along the strong temperature break. Trolling daisy chains of #100 Sevenstrand tuna clone feathers on 90 lb. fluorocarbon leaders turned into wide open bait stops if you stay on the cold water side of the break and fished near the bait schools.

Typically from the middle of August through October, good numbers of 15 lb. to 60 lb. yellowfin tuna can be found mixed with dolphin pods along the East edge of the canyon. Trolling a pattern of three to five spreader bars rigged with Hawaiian squid, or a combination of bars with jet heads, cedar plugs, Braid “Little Speedy” plugs, we have scored good numbers of tuna. Most of the dolphin and tuna I have seen move along the East side of the canyon edge in a Westerly direction to within five miles or so of Pyramid Head where the canyon ends. They then turn in a South West direction out towards the Cortez and Tanner Banks or along the back side of San Clemente Island.

Another good area this season that had a decent showing of some of the bigger grade yellowfin (50-90 lbs.) was an area West of the canyon around the South West edge of the 86 fathom spot (32?44.6’/118?27.4’). A few of these tuna were tricked by slow trolling small mackerel on 50 lb. fluorocarbon leaders fished way back in and around this area. Another hot ticket for the bigger tuna was trolling long with some of the new Sevenstrand #1210 series Crystalurz marlin lures in what I call their bright squid color #N112 rigged on 130 lb. fluorocarbon leader. This lure also produced a lot of action on the bigeye.

At the South East end of San Clemente Canyon lies the "43" fathom spot (32?39.30' / 117?58.30'). The 43 is part of the 40 mile bank along with The Ridge. The high spot of the bank lies 103 degrees at 21.3 nautical miles from Pyramid Head, at San Clemente Island. The area consists of a shallow, one half mile in diameter bank of less than 50 fathoms surrounded by a plateau of 100 fathoms that covers an area of about four nautical miles. One of the strongest fish attracting features of this spot is the bank's Western edge. It is here that the bank drops off rapidly into a 950 fathom canyon. The bank itself forms the South East edge of the San Clemente Canyon. The canyon runs in a North West direction from the "43" fathom spot to 6 miles South East of Pyramid Head, at San Clemente Island.

One of my favorite areas for yellowfin tuna is the West to South East edge of the 100 fathom ridge line on the "43" fathom spot. The bottom here drops from 50 fathoms at the top of the bank to over 450 fathoms in less than one mile! This area almost always holds a large concentration of sardines and mackerel due to the strong upwelling affect of the deep versus shallow water of the bank. Where I find the large concentration of bait I also find tuna, marlin, swordfish and mako sharks in this area.

One of the best features of fishing around San Clemente Canyon and the "43" is in their close proximity to San Clemente Island as mentioned before. If the weather comes up you can always make a run to fish the ledges along the lee side of San Clemente (very popular area for marlin) or go fish the island itself (excellent bass and yellowtail). Anchorage is good at either Pyramid Cove or North West of Pyramid Head up along the island. Beware of the thick kelp in these areas and especially the shallow reef in front of Pyramid Head as you make your approach. Both of these anchorages can be very productive at night for catching bait.

If you are planning to fish or anchor at San Clemente Island be sure to call the Navy beforehand, as certain parts of the island are closed for bombing exercises throughout the year. To find out when a scheduled closure is call San Clemente Island Security at (619) 524-9214. Also make a call on your boat's radio to double check that an area is open, especially around the South end anchorages of the island. The Navy's operation schedule is often changed without warning. To double check on a closure before making yourself a potential bomb target, call on VHF channel "16" and ask for "San Clemente Control Bravo". This radio call can be picked up by San Clemente Island Pier Operations, located at North West Harbor, who will then switch you to VHF channel "06" which is their operating channel.