Fishing Report: Spotted bass record set at Nacimiento Lake

There’s a new spotted bass record at Nacimiento Lake.

But, Houston, we have a problem.

Three different weights were registered for the catch made by Heritage Ranch catch-and-release shore fisherman Dean Guzman.

Unquestionably, the Oct. 6 catch is a record, erasing the old mark of 5.49 pounds posted by Arroyo Grande’s Casey Langley in a bass tournament Nov. 11, 2006.

Guzman, a 49-year-old Heritage Ranch resident, may have willed this catch into being after an hour of reeling in 8- and 10-inch spots.

“About 9:30, I gazed upon a patch of water 20 feet out and told myself ‘There ought to be a big fish just beyond the first Heritage Ranch boat dock.’ I cast a Zara Spook and twitched it once and I was connected,” he said.

Lake fishing source Dave Rymal happened to be walking his dog nearby. It was obvious to both that this fish might be a lake record.

While Guzman went home to get a cooler, Rymal stood watch over the fish on a stringer.

On Guzman’s personal Berkley scale, the fish weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces.

The fish was deposited in the cooler filled with lake water and the duo was off to Oak Hills Market, where meat department manager Brad Theetge weighed the fish on a table top scale he uses for inventory purposes. The Taylor TE 150 scale revealed a 6-pound, 2-ounce weight.

During my Tuesday phone call to Theetge, he checked the scale’s accuracy by weighing a one-pound package of hot dogs. Accuracy verified.

At the lake marina, the fish was weighed on a hanging scale at 6 pounds, 5 ounces.

The fish was released alive where it had been caught. Employing his usual bait, a 4-inch tube, on Saturday, Guzman said he hooked into another big fish but lost it.

The record fish swims free and just might become a record for another fisherman. Guzman said he was comfortable with 6 pounds, 2 ounces being the official weight.

Tuna outlook for private boats

“Saturday’s weather looks to be the best this weekend,” noted Harrell Kimball after scanning his charts. “Barring a change, which always is possible, very little wind is predicted with a swell down to six or seven feet.” It was nearly 14 feet at the Cape San Martin buoy midday Wednesday.

Pacific Queen albacore schedule

The San Diego-based boat operating out of Patriot Sportfishing was slated to depart at 8 p.m. Wednesday night for a day-and-a-half tuna run. Return is scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday. Additional day-and-a-half trips depart at 8 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Sunday with the same $300 fare and $30 fuel surcharges. A 24-hour trip departs at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Cost is $225 with a $20 fuel surcharge. There is plenty of bait on board.

Last weekend, 30 anglers aboard the Pacific Queen caught 28 albacore with a 40-pound big fish.

Virg’s Landing albacore trips

Albacore trips have been canceled for this weekend.

On Sunday, six albacore to 30 pounds were caught by 22 anglers aboard the Princess with no jackpot. John Van Dam of Tipton took jackpot honors aboard the Admiral with a 30-pound tuna. Thirty anglers were on board. Two tuna were caught and two lost.

Central Coast Sportfishing

Skipper Michele Leary is offering albacore trips aboard the Rita G.

These are 12-hour trips limited to 15 passengers. Cost is $150. A $50 non-refundable deposit is due when reservations are made. There are no bunks on the boat and no bait. A trip is scheduled for Saturday.

Call 704-2084 or 772-3474 for reservations and more information.

On three rockcod trips last week, 58 passengers caught 219 red rockcod, 12 lingcod, 45 bolina, 148 assorted rockfish, 40 coppers and one kelp greenling. Joe Santos of Visalia was a jackpot winner with an 8-pound ling.

Patriot Sportfishing

A 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. rockcod/lingcod trip to Pt. Purisima aboard the 88-foot Pacific Queen is scheduled for Sunday. Cost is $78. For reservations and trip schedules, call 595-7200.

Last week’s jackpot winners included: D.J. Williams, Lompoc, 13-0 ling; Mike Bailey, Vista, 10-0 ling; Walt Wells, Madera, and Mike Little, Bakersfield, 8-0 lings; Jimmy Lau, Los Angeles, 8-0 cabezon; Bob Locks, Visalia, 6-0 ling; Aaron Quarles, Nipomo, 5-0 cabezon; David Ruiz, Fresno, 5-0 red rockcod. Brian Evans, San Luis Obispo, 5-0 vermillion. Last week 225 anglers caught: 47 lingcod, 414 red rockcod, 1,214 assorted rockfish, seven cabezon, one bocaccio, four kelp greenlings, 10 coppers.

Virg’s Landing

All six jackpot fish were lingcod last week.

Jackpot winners with weights of lings were: Nate Thielscher, San Luis Obispio, 11-0; Nick Treby, San Luis Obispo, 10-0; Connor McClure, Grass Valley, 9-0; and Jeff Palmcott, Bakersfield, Mike Green, Visalia, Ross White, Bakersfield, all 8-0.

For reservations and trip schedules call 772-1222.

The catch by 163 passengers included 43 lingcod, 380 red rockcod, 918 assorted rockfish, and 122 coppers.

Port San Luis Boatyard

Arroyo Grande’s Dallas Allen nabbed Whopper of the Week honors with the catch of a 13-pound, 5-ounce lingcod Sunday.

Anglers aboard 55 launched boats last week caught 43 lings, 28 albacore, seven halibut and two white seabass. No boats were launched Friday. Full limits were reported three days last week and three-quarter limits three days.

Nacimiento Lake

“Fishing is fantastic,” Rymal said.

Spotted bass are chasing shad on the surface. One and 2-pound fish are common. Zara Spooks and tiny torpedo lures are working best. Dana Smith trolled for a 3-pound, 3-ounce spot; Dean Shoup and his dad, Dean Sr., caught and released 20 tournament sized spots on Spooks and Mel Moore had a 4-pound catfish. All are Heritage Ranch residents and all of the catches were Tuesday.

Lopez Lake

The marina’s Jonathan Gomez reports these Oct. 7 catches: Charles Bell, Santa Paula, a 1 1⁄2-pound crappie and 25 bluegill on meal worms and crappie jigs; and Phil Brandenberg of Ventura, a 1-pound crappie and 25 bluegill fishing under the bridge. Wax worms are working also.

Santa Margarita Lake

Santa Maria 8-year-old Matt Sims caught a 6-pound bass on a nightcrawler while Roger Cartwright of Carmel Valley reeled in a 14-pound, 10-ounce catfish on a nightcrawler.

Lake San Antonio

Aurbree Kinkade of the marina reported: “It’s been a quiet week. Anglers tell us they are catching catfish.”

Cachuma Lake

Angling for catfish is the best option, notes marina manager Ken Hemer. Chicken livers, fly-lined mackerel and packaged dough baits are taking whiskerfish up to 8 pounds. Backs of coves, especially ones with creek channels are the best locations. Fishing for bass is still inconsistent.

Whale Rock

The catch of six trout by six anglers last week boosted this year’s total to 100 fish.

On Friday, Gary Collier enabled him to move into a tie with Joe Reynolds for the most fish this season at 28 Collier caught two 16-inch fish, plus a 12- and a 14-incher. Collier’s report stated he was using “a secret bait.” The other two fish caught last week, a 12- and a 13-incher, were bagged by an anonymous angler.