Fishing for yellowfin & bluefin in Ventura

By Ed Wehan

Sure, I like to fish.  Hey, I live in Ventura and the ocean is only minutes away.  Yet, a couple of times a year I make the drive down to San Diego to climb on one of their boats to head out for yellowfin or bluefin tuna as well as the popular yellowtail.  Generally, we are successful much to my neighbor’s delight but the four hour drive going and coming is a killer.  Here in Ventura, we normally fish for white sea bass, rock fish, halibut and other cooler water species so tuna fishing is really unusual. But, this year has proven different.  With water temperatures climbing into the 70’s, the local boats going out of Ventura Sportfishing have been having a blast with the same pelagic species that I travel to San Diego for.  For much of the summer, the Amigo, captained by Bill Cavanaugh has brought back consistent catches of yellowfin and bluefin plus some kelp patty yellowtail and the occasional dorado, a real rarity up here.  I’ve fished with Bill as he is a veteran San Diego captain who now operates right here in Ventura.  The landing also has two other boats that fish our local islands and have had consistent counts of yellowtail.

A photo posted by Ventura Sportfishing (@venturasportfishing) on Jun 19, 2014 at 5:15pm PDT

Ventura is a great destination for visitors from the Central Valley or out of the State to get into some nice fishing while enjoying the ambiance of one of the top tourist destinations anywhere.  Haven’t fished much before?  Our local landing can set you up with the right equipment or you can visit Eric’s Tackle Shop on Thompson Blvd for a great selection of the finest equipment found anywhere.  Eric gives great advice as well.

A photo posted by Eric Huff (@ericstackleshop) on Sep 30, 2015 at 4:21pm PDT

If you’re a visitor, there are two hotels within a two minute drive (or five minute walk) to Ventura Sportfishing or you can stay in town and make the ten minute drive.  Restaurants are convenient to both locations so members of your family can enjoy the highlights of Ventura while you’re off fishing for tuna. The Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau is located on the corner of Santa Clara and California street.  Their helpful staff can answer any questions or provide suggestions for local touring. So, let’s fish and enjoy the benefits of the current El Nino.  Staying home and catching yellowfin tuna is saving me hours of driving to San Diego. For more information, go to Venturasportfishing.com or call Eric’s Tackle Shop at (805) 648-5665