The Kid - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

jorluivil · 06-17-2014, 10:26 AM

It looks like I'll be skipping the hooping sessions and instead target Dorado at Cabrillo

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/natur...ptive-el-nino/

Early signs point to a strong, disruptive El Niño
Whales and fish are showing up in odd places, nesting pelicans are in dire straits, and experts are increasingly convinced that this will be a significant event

June 15, 2014 by Pete Thomas

Yellowfin tuna are being caught far north of their typical range this season. Photo by Mark Rayor

A developing El Niño in the equatorial Pacific has generated the usual predictions of drastic weather changes—some devastating, some beneficial—throughout the world.

There’s a 90 percent probability that an El Niño will form, according to some experts. That’s up considerably from previous predictions, but the main question at this point is whether this will be moderate El Niño or, more likely, a powerful warm-water event such as those in the early 1980s and late ’90s.

(El Niño is characterized by unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, whereas a La Niña is characterized by unusually cold temperatures. Strong El Niños typically alter weather patterns and can cause severe flooding in some areas, and droughts in others.)

The extent of El Niño’s strength won’t be known until late summer or fall. But based on several interesting signals, in the form of mammals, birds, and fish showing up where they don’t typically belong, it’s looking as though this El Niño is going to be a very powerful event.

Bryde’s whale mom and calf swim off Huntington Beach, California, in an extremely rare sighting; photo by ©Alisa Schulman-Janiger

Earlier this week two Bryde’s whales, a mother and calf, were photographed during two voyages on the same day off Huntington Beach, California, by researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger.

Bryde’s whales, which measure to about 45 feet, are fairly common in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Sightings off California, however, are extremely rare.

Schulman-Janiger said that during NOAA surveys off California between 1991 and 2005, there was only one confirmed sighting of Bryde’s whales, which are also referred to as “tropical whales” because they prefer a warm environment.

Mahi-mahi, such as this one, are already being encountered just south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Photo by ©Pete Thomas

Less than a week earlier, a large pod of pilot whales showed off Dana Point on the Orange County coast. Pilot whales are found around the world, including off Mexico, but it had been nearly 20 years since they were last spotted off Southern California.

In late March, false killer whales, another ultra-rare visitor from warmer waters, thrilled whale watchers off Orange County.

Marine creatures showing in odd places often portends strange happenings in their environment.

Pilot whales, which had not been seen off California in almost 20 years, were spotted off Dana Point on June 7. Photo by ©Frank Brennan/Dana Wharf Whale Watching

Fishermen are seeing signs, also. Anglers out of San Diego, on short excursions into Mexican waters, began catching yellowfin tuna in May. That’s unprecedented, according to some, as this sub-tropical species typically doesn’t show that far north until late summer, if at all.

During the El Niño in 1983 to 1984 and 1997 to 1998, however, yellowfin tuna migrated north early and, during the summer, were caught well into U.S. waters. (The 1997-98 El Niño generated heavy rainfall throughout California during the winter, and prolonged periods of rough seas exacted a heavy toll on sea lions and other mammals. Sub-tropical fish species were biting as far north as Oregon.)

“We’ve already started to see very unusual fish catches here,” Tim Barnett, marine research emeritus with the San Diego-based Scripps Institution of Oceanography, told KPBS. “The first yellowfin tuna was caught in May—that has never happened before to anybody’s recollection.

“And the other thing too is the first dorado (mahi-mahi)—first of June. That has never happened before. They really like the warm water and you normally don’t see them here until September.”

California brown pelicans, such as these two off Cabo San Lucas, are having a tough time in the Sea of Cortez, perhaps because of unseasonably warm water and a diminished bait fish supply. Photo by ©Pete Thomas

Barnett said the 1997 to 1998 El Niño, the biggest in a century, caused a northward shift of the entire fishery population, and he predicts a similar event is developing.

Water temperatures are unseasonably warm in some areas off Southern California, but only by a couple of degrees. Temperatures are significantly warmer than usual, however, off parts of western Mexico, including the Sea of Cortez.

This not only drives fish populations and some mammals beyond their typical range, but it causes shifts in bait fish populations.

This appears to have seriously affected California brown pelicans, about 90 percent of which breed and rear young in the Sea of Cortez.

Researchers recently discovered that the 2014 breeding season was so poor that one scientist referred to it as “a bust.”

http://cdn.grindtv.com/wp-content/up...lsekillers.jpg

False killer whales off Dana Point in late March, in a very rare sighting; photo by ©Pete Thomas

Sam Anderson, a UC Davis biologist and part of a survey team that visited traditional nesting sites, told ABC News that where they would typically encounter tens of thousands of breeding pairs of pelicans, there were only sparse numbers. Some nesting sites were alarmingly deserted.

“That’s what we call a failure, a bust. The bottom dropped out,” Anderson said.

Mark Rayor, who runs Jen-Wren Sportfishing in the Sea of Cortez, in Baja California’s East Cape region, said sardines and other types of bait fish are largely absent.

Rayor has logged water temperatures as high as 86 degrees, which is more typical of late July or August. He said blue marlin and sailfish, which generally begin to arrive in early August, are already showing in the offshore blue water. (Above NOAA chart shows where sea-surface temperatures are abnormally warm in portions of the Pacific.)

Anderson, however, was reluctant to place all of the blame for the pelicans’ plight on the developing El Niño.

“During most El Niño events we’ve seen, numbers of nesting attempts drop by at least half to two-thirds, and production goes down, too. But it drops from thousands to hundreds, not 10 or less.”

Whether El Niño is to blame or not, however, a powerful El Nino appears imminent, and the marine environment, on this side of the equator anyway, is already somewhat off-kilter.

And these are just some of the early messengers of change; they probably won’t be the last.

–Find Pete Thomas on Facebook and Twitter

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blitzburgh · 06-17-2014, 10:45 AM

Love it! Hope this happens. The last El Nino I remember (97', 98' ish?) I caught one Dorado on one trip & two Dorado on another trip..............ON HALF-DAY BOATS out of H&M!

Fun times.

wiredantz · 06-17-2014, 11:07 AM

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my what a wonderful day!
Plenty of fishing heading my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

looks like I am going fishing again.

Pocoloco · 06-17-2014, 12:39 PM

caught dorado off of o-side in 84. You could see the 5 from the 1/2 day boat. lots of big swells that year.

FlyFishinYakr · 06-17-2014, 05:39 PM

I remember the El Niño of '84 we were sending half day boats to the channel to fish for Tuna until Oct.

The fish were so close you could have probably launched out of Cabrillo and caught fish not too far off the entrance of San Pedro (boy you talk about a 'Zoo')!!!

The down side I remember record rainfall those years making travel on regular city streets nearly impassable due to the flooding. :-O
Just recollections from my memory!
FFY

walrus · 06-18-2014, 07:10 AM

The water was warm, less common fish were being caught, tunicate crabs were everywhere, the surfers delighted in the high surf, but like always the only people who caught fish were the ones who went fishing.

Don't wait for the predicted fish, get out now!! You'll be surprised at what's already here in paddling distance all along the coast. Also it wouldn't be the first time an el nino was predicted to be building up and a week then later ................... cold water.

Just saying, in three months while sitting at home watching the surf reports on the news you'll be sorry you missed out on the epic fishing in June 2014, .

kayakfisherman · 06-18-2014, 10:25 AM

George,

Thanks for the write up and info! Hope it's a
great year for all of us.

jruiz · 07-02-2014, 02:35 PM

http://www.petethomasoutdoors.com/20...ni%C3%B1o.html

Yellowfin tuna caught in Newport Bay; could this be the work of a developing El Niño?
YellowfinLast month this website published a story about odd whale sightings and other events in Southern California and Baja California waters, possibly related to a developing El Niño in the equatorial Pacific.

On Wednesday morning, a yellowfin tuna was captured inside Newport Bay by scientists with Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute.

Whether it’s related to a developing El Niño or not, it's a very unusual catch, and the type of catch generally associated with warm-water events such as El Niño.

The photo was posted on the Cousins Tackle Facebook page, with this introduction:

"If this isn't a sign of an 'El Niño' we don't know what is. This morning, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute did their periodic scientific sampling inside Newport Bay. They came across this unusual find. A Yellowfin Tuna was found during their testing. Inside the bay! Where there is one, there are many more!"

The photo was shared by AFTCO - American Fishing Tackle Co., with these words:

“El Niño has been a hot topic here on the West Coast. This morning an interesting sign of great things to come was uncovered by Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute with this Yellowfin Tuna pulled while conducting scientific sampling inside the back bay of Newport Harbor, CA!”

Yellowfin tuna typically inhabit tropical and sub-tropical waters, and are rarely caught off Southern California, especially this early in the summer season.

That is, unless something very fishy is happening!

–Pete Thomas

Posted at 02:14 PM in Fishing | Permalink ShareThis
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dmrides · 07-02-2014, 05:08 PM

I keep thinking this thread is going to be about some dude who loves surface irons.

Oh well, warm water is cool too.

Widgeon · 07-02-2014, 07:08 PM

Shweeeet.
Bring it on.
Let's fish!

momo fish · 07-02-2014, 07:15 PM

Guess some diver out here was telling the truth when he said he spotted 2 bluefin outside the kelp in my hood.

06-17-2014, 10:26 AM	#1
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	The Kid It looks like I'll be skipping the hooping sessions and instead target Dorado at Cabrillo http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/natur...ptive-el-nino/ Early signs point to a strong, disruptive El Niño Whales and fish are showing up in odd places, nesting pelicans are in dire straits, and experts are increasingly convinced that this will be a significant event June 15, 2014 by Pete Thomas Yellowfin tuna are being caught far north of their typical range this season. Photo by Mark Rayor A developing El Niño in the equatorial Pacific has generated the usual predictions of drastic weather changes—some devastating, some beneficial—throughout the world. There’s a 90 percent probability that an El Niño will form, according to some experts. That’s up considerably from previous predictions, but the main question at this point is whether this will be moderate El Niño or, more likely, a powerful warm-water event such as those in the early 1980s and late ’90s. (El Niño is characterized by unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, whereas a La Niña is characterized by unusually cold temperatures. Strong El Niños typically alter weather patterns and can cause severe flooding in some areas, and droughts in others.) The extent of El Niño’s strength won’t be known until late summer or fall. But based on several interesting signals, in the form of mammals, birds, and fish showing up where they don’t typically belong, it’s looking as though this El Niño is going to be a very powerful event. Bryde’s whale mom and calf swim off Huntington Beach, California, in an extremely rare sighting; photo by ©Alisa Schulman-Janiger Earlier this week two Bryde’s whales, a mother and calf, were photographed during two voyages on the same day off Huntington Beach, California, by researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger. Bryde’s whales, which measure to about 45 feet, are fairly common in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Sightings off California, however, are extremely rare. Schulman-Janiger said that during NOAA surveys off California between 1991 and 2005, there was only one confirmed sighting of Bryde’s whales, which are also referred to as “tropical whales” because they prefer a warm environment. Mahi-mahi, such as this one, are already being encountered just south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Photo by ©Pete Thomas Less than a week earlier, a large pod of pilot whales showed off Dana Point on the Orange County coast. Pilot whales are found around the world, including off Mexico, but it had been nearly 20 years since they were last spotted off Southern California. In late March, false killer whales, another ultra-rare visitor from warmer waters, thrilled whale watchers off Orange County. Marine creatures showing in odd places often portends strange happenings in their environment. Pilot whales, which had not been seen off California in almost 20 years, were spotted off Dana Point on June 7. Photo by ©Frank Brennan/Dana Wharf Whale Watching Fishermen are seeing signs, also. Anglers out of San Diego, on short excursions into Mexican waters, began catching yellowfin tuna in May. That’s unprecedented, according to some, as this sub-tropical species typically doesn’t show that far north until late summer, if at all. During the El Niño in 1983 to 1984 and 1997 to 1998, however, yellowfin tuna migrated north early and, during the summer, were caught well into U.S. waters. (The 1997-98 El Niño generated heavy rainfall throughout California during the winter, and prolonged periods of rough seas exacted a heavy toll on sea lions and other mammals. Sub-tropical fish species were biting as far north as Oregon.) “We’ve already started to see very unusual fish catches here,” Tim Barnett, marine research emeritus with the San Diego-based Scripps Institution of Oceanography, told KPBS. “The first yellowfin tuna was caught in May—that has never happened before to anybody’s recollection. “And the other thing too is the first dorado (mahi-mahi)—first of June. That has never happened before. They really like the warm water and you normally don’t see them here until September.” California brown pelicans, such as these two off Cabo San Lucas, are having a tough time in the Sea of Cortez, perhaps because of unseasonably warm water and a diminished bait fish supply. Photo by ©Pete Thomas Barnett said the 1997 to 1998 El Niño, the biggest in a century, caused a northward shift of the entire fishery population, and he predicts a similar event is developing. Water temperatures are unseasonably warm in some areas off Southern California, but only by a couple of degrees. Temperatures are significantly warmer than usual, however, off parts of western Mexico, including the Sea of Cortez. This not only drives fish populations and some mammals beyond their typical range, but it causes shifts in bait fish populations. This appears to have seriously affected California brown pelicans, about 90 percent of which breed and rear young in the Sea of Cortez. Researchers recently discovered that the 2014 breeding season was so poor that one scientist referred to it as “a bust.” http://cdn.grindtv.com/wp-content/up...lsekillers.jpg False killer whales off Dana Point in late March, in a very rare sighting; photo by ©Pete Thomas Sam Anderson, a UC Davis biologist and part of a survey team that visited traditional nesting sites, told ABC News that where they would typically encounter tens of thousands of breeding pairs of pelicans, there were only sparse numbers. Some nesting sites were alarmingly deserted. “That’s what we call a failure, a bust. The bottom dropped out,” Anderson said. Mark Rayor, who runs Jen-Wren Sportfishing in the Sea of Cortez, in Baja California’s East Cape region, said sardines and other types of bait fish are largely absent. Rayor has logged water temperatures as high as 86 degrees, which is more typical of late July or August. He said blue marlin and sailfish, which generally begin to arrive in early August, are already showing in the offshore blue water. (Above NOAA chart shows where sea-surface temperatures are abnormally warm in portions of the Pacific.) Anderson, however, was reluctant to place all of the blame for the pelicans’ plight on the developing El Niño. “During most El Niño events we’ve seen, numbers of nesting attempts drop by at least half to two-thirds, and production goes down, too. But it drops from thousands to hundreds, not 10 or less.” Whether El Niño is to blame or not, however, a powerful El Nino appears imminent, and the marine environment, on this side of the equator anyway, is already somewhat off-kilter. And these are just some of the early messengers of change; they probably won’t be the last. –Find Pete Thomas on Facebook and Twitter More on GrindTV Fake shark video creates online uproar The most extreme fishing video you’ll ever see Wedding photo taken amid forest fire goes viral Follow GrindTV on Google+ __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

06-17-2014, 10:45 AM	#2
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Love it! Hope this happens. The last El Nino I remember (97', 98' ish?) I caught one Dorado on one trip & two Dorado on another trip..............ON HALF-DAY BOATS out of H&M! Fun times. __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

06-17-2014, 11:07 AM	#3
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah zip-a-dee-ay My, oh my what a wonderful day! Plenty of fishing heading my way Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay looks like I am going fishing again. __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

06-18-2014, 07:10 AM	#6
walrus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Baja fish camp Posts: 478	The water was warm, less common fish were being caught, tunicate crabs were everywhere, the surfers delighted in the high surf, but like always the only people who caught fish were the ones who went fishing. Don't wait for the predicted fish, get out now!! You'll be surprised at what's already here in paddling distance all along the coast. Also it wouldn't be the first time an el nino was predicted to be building up and a week then later ................... cold water. Just saying, in three months while sitting at home watching the surf reports on the news you'll be sorry you missed out on the epic fishing in June 2014, . __________________

06-17-2014, 12:39 PM	#4
Pocoloco Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: el cajon Posts: 239	caught dorado off of o-side in 84. You could see the 5 from the 1/2 day boat. lots of big swells that year.

06-17-2014, 05:39 PM	#5
FlyFishinYakr Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Nor Cal...30 min from Bodega/Tomales Bay, 1hr from Clear Lake, 2+ hr to Berryessa & the Delta Posts: 729	I remember the El Niño of '84 we were sending half day boats to the channel to fish for Tuna until Oct. The fish were so close you could have probably launched out of Cabrillo and caught fish not too far off the entrance of San Pedro (boy you talk about a 'Zoo')!!! The down side I remember record rainfall those years making travel on regular city streets nearly impassable due to the flooding. :-O Just recollections from my memory! FFY

06-18-2014, 10:25 AM	#7
kayakfisherman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 715	George, Thanks for the write up and info! Hope it's a great year for all of us.

07-02-2014, 02:35 PM	#8
jruiz Large Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: La Verne, CA Posts: 1,011	http://www.petethomasoutdoors.com/20...ni%C3%B1o.html Yellowfin tuna caught in Newport Bay; could this be the work of a developing El Niño? YellowfinLast month this website published a story about odd whale sightings and other events in Southern California and Baja California waters, possibly related to a developing El Niño in the equatorial Pacific. On Wednesday morning, a yellowfin tuna was captured inside Newport Bay by scientists with Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. Whether it’s related to a developing El Niño or not, it's a very unusual catch, and the type of catch generally associated with warm-water events such as El Niño. The photo was posted on the Cousins Tackle Facebook page, with this introduction: "If this isn't a sign of an 'El Niño' we don't know what is. This morning, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute did their periodic scientific sampling inside Newport Bay. They came across this unusual find. A Yellowfin Tuna was found during their testing. Inside the bay! Where there is one, there are many more!" The photo was shared by AFTCO - American Fishing Tackle Co., with these words: “El Niño has been a hot topic here on the West Coast. This morning an interesting sign of great things to come was uncovered by Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute with this Yellowfin Tuna pulled while conducting scientific sampling inside the back bay of Newport Harbor, CA!” Yellowfin tuna typically inhabit tropical and sub-tropical waters, and are rarely caught off Southern California, especially this early in the summer season. That is, unless something very fishy is happening! –Pete Thomas Posted at 02:14 PM in Fishing \| Permalink ShareThis Reblog (0) Pin It! Comments

07-02-2014, 05:08 PM	#9
dmrides Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Point Loma Posts: 584	I keep thinking this thread is going to be about some dude who loves surface irons. Oh well, warm water is cool too.

07-02-2014, 07:08 PM	#10
Widgeon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Clairemont Posts: 175	Shweeeet. Bring it on. Let's fish!

07-02-2014, 07:15 PM	#11
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	Guess some diver out here was telling the truth when he said he spotted 2 bluefin outside the kelp in my hood.