Happy Holidays Everyone! 

I apologize for the delay in the monthly newsletter but better late than never. I will start off with a fishing report from what I know. The Bluefin are still an option with the boats that make it to the Cortez Bank and I see the San Diego Sportboat caught a 217lb on a kite rig yesterday on the local banks. There have been some Yellowtail caught the past couple weeks at La Jolla and the Deep Drop guys are catching some Swordfish in the local canyons. The Marlin fishing has slowed down but last month there were a few caught right out front. The High Count weighed in the biggest of the year with a 190.5lb marlin with Steve Milligan as the angler. Congratulations!

Fish of the Month for October went to Dan Banks aboard the Tuna Tank with a 261lb Bluefin Tuna caught at the Cortez Bank. I have been in the club since the 90’s and I can’t remember when a 190lb fish lost FOM; especially in October. Congratulations  Dan on an awesome fish!

We are sad to say Goodbye to our Treasurer Trish Carlin. Trish did a great job and is leaving to spend more time with her new grandson. Thank you Trish! We are in NEED of some more board members for next year. Please consider giving a couple hours a month max to making our club better as we all look forward to things returning to normal. If interested, please let one of the board members or myself know….we could use the help trying to make 2021 a banner year for all members. We have been meeting via Zoom until Covid restrictions allow us to meet in person.

Membership for next year will be going out soon with an early bird prize being raffled off to those who sign up before the deadline. 2020 has been a tough year for all members. Despite the many setbacks, the year has provided some excellent fishing for those that were able to spend some time on the water. We all expect 2021 to be more of the same, if not better. 

Covid Restrictions have affected the club like it has everything else and we are doing our best as a board to make the club as safe, lawful and fun as possible. We will discuss how to plan our annual awards banquet and membership meeting and let you know what we come up with as soon as possible.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving Holiday,

Shawn

Hello club members….as a follow up to the recently distributed email regarding the October 2020  What’s Hot tournament, the MBMC board would like to clarify the rules pertaining to the release of a Striped Marlin (updated Rules link). In the interest of promoting release for those that wish to do so, we have agreed to issuing points for any Marlin released.
 
With that, any Marlin released will count for 150 points.  In comparison, any gamefish weighed (whether it be Marlin or any other qualifying gamefish) will be counted at one point per pound. For example, a 170 pound weighed Marlin or Tuna will be worth 170 points and will beat out a 150 point Marlin release.

 ***Important!!! A qualifying Marlin release MUST be accompanied by the standard photo to include hand on leader with the fish in the background.

All Marlin release catches will be ranked based on time of release. First release will rank higher than subsequent releases and so on down the line.
 
We are hoping to build off the momentum of last month’s Marlin tournament with a good turn out for this last club tournament of the season so looking forward to seeing you all on the water.
 
Feel free to respond to this email or contact a board member with any questions regarding this addendum.
 
 Tight lines and smooth seas,
 Shane

WHAT’S HOT ?! 

Covid is hot!  Politics are hot!  Weather is hot!  Water is kinda hot!

But most importantly Fishing is hot?  Marlin, Tuna, Yellowtail are still around. Make plans to fish the MBMC What’s Hot Tournament  on October 24 & 25, 2020.  Although all sorts of gamefish are around, no singular species has been HOT – HOT – HOT.  Therefore the Tournament director has decided this tournament will be heaviest of any Gamefish species (sharks, rays & skates are excluded and are non-qualifiers). This is the last tournament of the year, so don’t miss out.  The following links to Rules and Entry Forms.

Get out on the water and have some fun!

Hello Mission Bay Marlin Club Members,

Fall is upon is and with it comes some of the best fishing of the year. The offshore fishing has warm water, multi-species fishing, less pressure and generally calm seas. Inshore fishing can be good as well of the beginning of Lobster hoop netting. All in all its a great time to spend a day with family and friends on the water.

The 46th annual Mission Bay MARLIN Tournament was held last weekend and was a fantastic event for this Covid 2020 Season. We had 18 club boats and 58 anglers enter this year and a great turnout for our Captain’s meeting which was held outside our clubhouse next to Dana Landing Market and Fuel dock. The Early Bird Raffle was won by Jerry Martin. This was a Trinidad 30 (donated by Jerry Lively) and a custom caster (donated by Doug Kern of Fisherman’s Landing Tackle). Thank you both.

The tournament action began early Saturday morning with the boat High Count reporting in to Tournament Control with a hookup for angler Steve Milligan. Minutes later Captain Bob Nelson called in that they had boated the fish. The fish weighed 158 lbs,  A nice fish. Shortly after that Team Bucket List called in their hookup with John Brudvik as the angler. They released their fish after a short fight. Good Job! The boat Profishent called in a double hookup after that only to have both fish come off. Heartbreaking! Tournament Control was manned by Kyle Stamper, who did a great job keeping us all engaged with the hourly on the water raffles. On Sunday, MBMC Weigh-Master Billy Vitale drew between the two anglers that caught fish and Steve Milligan took home the $1000 First Place Gift Card to Dana Landing and John Brudvik was awarded 2nd place and a $700 gift card. Third place $500 Gift card was decided by a drawing from all the anglers who fished, with Bill Wilkinson as the lucky winner. There were no Tuna weighed in and the Side Jackpot money will be returned to each angler. This event was a success because of Bill Vitale, Shane Hurt, Jarred Gilbert.   Thank You!   I would also like to thank these club members for their support and donations Bob Nelson, Jeff and Linda Winters, Ken Yasuda, John Brudvik, Jeff Meeker, Paul and Gloria Himmelberger, Jerry Lively, Doug Kern, and Bob and Donna Hargraves.

Fish of the Month Winner for September is Steve Milligan with his tournament winning 158lb Striped Marlin. Congratulations again.

Marlin News. The Marlin season was started off by Team Chiqelin as Shane Hurt released a fish from a group of eight tailers they found on the Avalon Bank. They qualified for the First Release Flag and the first fish released on 50lb. Next Jeff Meeker caught the First Taken Fish of the season aboard Jeff Zachery’s Fire Escape. Next up Ken Yasuda on the Encounter had found the fish and caught 3 in a week’s time. Two of the fish were first ever marlin caught by new members Shannon Carpenter and Nick Kane. These fish were very special for each of them in honor of their past Father and Mother respectively. Ken also released another caught by  member Sean Burke as angler. Then Team Chiqelin  released a fish caught by non-member angler Steve Dillingham.  Next was Steve Milligan  who landed his  tournament winning 158lb fish on 80lb to take the First Marlin on 80lb title. Last but not least Team Bucket List released a fish on 50lb line with John Brudvik as angler. The Top Boat has Team Encounter with 3 fish, Team Chiqelin with 2, and Bucket list, Fire Escape, High Count with 1 each.

New Members. We welcome Waynne Yasuda, Lane and Dylan Snider, Thomas Goetz, Shannon Carpenter, Sean Burke, Lisa M Kitagawa and Lisa TS Kitagawa to our club. We hope to see and meet you all whenever the Covid Restrictions allow us to gather again. New Member Lisa TS Kitagawa has a pending IGFA Jr Girls World Record for a 135.7lb Bluefin Tuna caught aboard The Impulse. She and her mom have joined the club in part because we have the local IGFA weigh station in Mission Bay. They will be pursuing records all across the world. I hope to be reporting some of their adventures in the future.

As this season is winding down The Board of Directors will be looking for some new board members who are willing to give a couple hours to help run and grow the club. grow. Please email any of the board members if you are interested.  

Tight Lines ,

Shawn

This is a reminder that Early Bird Entry deadline for the 46th Annual Mission Bay Marlin Club Marlin Tournament is this Sunday, September 20, 2020.  All angler entries received on or before September 20, 2020, will be entered in the Early Bird Drawing for a Custom Rod and Reel donated by the Crew of the Lively One.  Don’t miss out on a chance to win this nice combo! 

Undecided? … This ought to get you revved up! Several marlin have been caught in local waters recently.  Shannon Carpenter and Sean Burke each landed a  marlin aboard the Encounter skippered by Ken Yasuda  and Jeff Meeker landed one aboard his boat the Doghouse!  It is shaping up to be good fishing for the tournament. 

This year’s tournament is set for September 26th and is open to MBMC Member Boats only. Tournament prize awards will be Gift Cards from Dana Landing and Fisherman’s Landing  – 1st place $1000, 2nd place $700 and 3rd place $500.  There will also be a Tuna side pot.  See Entry Form and Rules linkfor details!

If you miss the Early Bird deadline, you can still enter at the Captain’s meeting on Friday, September 25, 2020, 6:00 PM at Dana Landing Tackle Store. 

Not an MBMC Member?  Now is a great time to join MBMC. Join now and receive membership for the remainder of 2020 and all of 2021! The Fish of the Month (FOM) entry fee is optional and must be paid for each year in which the member wishes to participate.   Membership Application link

Good luck everyone!