Sportfishing

With no moon in sight, the Pegasus sportfishing boat sailed from its port in San Diego toward the dark Pacific ocean.

On board, Thomas McKenzie and John Hill were among 19 men who paid $400 each for a chance to catch albacore and bluefin tuna in the northern waters of Mexico, just west of Ensenada.

Sportfishing San Diego is a down and dirty trip. Rubber boots and dirty jeans are standard uniform on sportfishing boats, and sleeping arrangements are tight.

But once most men get a taste for deep-sea sportfishing charters, they tend to make it a yearly ritual.  “I first went deep sea fishing about 15 years ago and caught several different kinds of fish: calico bass, barracuda, yellow tail, and mackerel,” said Hill.  “I was really impressed  with how hard ocean fish fought compared to fresh water fish.”

On Aug. 31, the L.A. Times reported more than 100 albacore per day in the 30 to 40-pound range being caught in the waters off San Diego. There have also been big scores of dorado, yellowtail, and yellowfin tuna.

McKenzie caught 10 albacore on the sportfishing boat trip, including one of the largest at over 40 pounds.

“I’m sure I lost another 10 that snapped off my line,” McKenzie said. While albacore prefer the cooler offshore waters, the best yellowfin tuna, yellowtail and dorado fishing is found in the warmer waters close to shore.

One of the most important tips for California sportfishing, said McKenzie, is to keep your thumb on the reel after you cast.  “It’s very easy to get excited and forget,” he said. “Your thumb prevents the  line from getting tangled and creating a huge mess called a ‘bird’s nest.’ If you don’t keep your thumb on the reel, you’ll spend the next 30 minutes untangling your line while the others are pulling in fish.”

After a catch, the crew tags each fish and places it in the boat’s 8-ton refrigerated fish hold.

Upon return to San Diego, they are filleted by the crew and returned to their owners.

While at sea during a saltwater sportfishing charter, it’s not uncommon to spot whales, squid, birds and several species of dolphins. The ride is usually smooth with few reports of sea sickness.

Upon return home, Hill canned his fish using a pressure cooker, while McKenzie froze most of his steaks. “Once you have fresh, canned tuna like this, it’s hard to eat regular processed canned tuna again,” said Hill. 

Pegasus Sportfishing San Diego is located at 2838 Garrison St., San Diego, CA  92106; (619) 223-4293; www.fishpegasus.com

HOW TO CAN TUNA

Here's what to do with all that tuna after you come home with the big catch:

1. To begin canning tuna, fill up a wide-mouth, one-pint canning jar about three-fourths full of raw, boneless tuna. Add one-quarter teaspoon of white vinegar and about 1/8 teaspoon salt.
   
2. Put cans in a 12-jar pressure cooker for 90 minutes outside over a Coleman Stove.
   
3. If desired, add a mild chile pepper or clove of garlic to each jar.
   
4. To make tuna salad, drain canned tuna and add mayonnaise, lemon juice and sweet pickle relish. It’s great on crackers, sandwiches or on a green salad.