…AND THE BEAT GOES ON!
So far, the 2025 fishing season has turned out to be a bit surprising. At this point in time, we are seeing a greater number of white seabass being taken than in previous years. Conversely, the yellowtail have made a solid showing but have not been as aggressive as usual. They are there, but we haven’t seen as many wide-open ‘forktail frenzies’ as is common this time of year around Cedros. Nonetheless, there are still several months of good fishing remaining, during which time, everything could turn around on a dime.
In the meantime, all of our guests, many of whom have fished with us previously, are busy pulling in a wide variety of the fish species’ that swim in the waters surrounding Cedros Island. Everything from California sheephead to white seabass, pinto bass, and ocean whitefish have been available along with the famous forktails that have made the Island famous.
Richard Kubota is a loyal angler that has been to the Island many times over the past years. As a matter of fact, he generally manages to make it down a couple of times a year. This time, he and his group arrived during the final week of July and stayed until after the first week in August.
Kubota reported, “We primarily came to fish for yellowtail, but also did well on white seabass, halibut, and calico bass. The yellowtail were all in the 20 to 30 pound class, which mostly came on surface irons and Rapalas. We never even needed to use live bait, which saved us hours every morning. It was wide-open action on quality fish. We also had some of the best white seabass fishing that we’ve ever seen! Big fish caught off El Norte and the Salt Works, mostly on 6″ white/sparkle Hookup Baits. At times we had double hook-ups going on both boats.”
He concluded by saying, “We enjoyed an Incredible early-season halibut bite using live bait from the receiver sent down to 100 to 150 feet on a trap rig. We caught some beautiful 20-pound-class halibut, with some even larger. The Calico bass fishing at El Norte offered up some 3 to 5 pound checkerboard that bit on red crab, blue patterns, old Sumo snipers, and double Hookup Baits.
The entire experience was top-notch! The kitchen ladies kept us happy with great food, Laundry service provided fresh clean clothes waiting on your bed, which was a real game-changer. The fish-processing team (Umberto & crew) did an outstanding job icing and preparing our catch. And, to top it all off, our massages after fishing were very professional and were truly appreciated after long days on the water.
We had an incredible trip with outstanding yellowtail, memorable white seabass, strong halibut, and non-stop calico bass action — plus excellent service all around. We’ll be back!”
Another regular, Bill Egan, Charter Master for Western Outdoor News, came down with his group in early August. He reported, “We had quality white seabass fishing throughout the trip, highlighted by one day where my son and I came just one fish shy of a two-person limit.
The Seabass bit best on Hookup Baits and Nomad Squidtrex lures. Yellowtail were a good grade, with larger models in the mix — most came on surface iron or slow-trolled mackerel. While the moon phase seemed to temper the bite compared to what’s happening now, there were still plenty of opportunities, and some bigger fish were hooked and lost.
The halibut fishing was also very good, and the calico bass bite this trip was off the hook, adding even more fun and variety. On top of the fishing, the food was excellent, and overall all passengers were very pleased — not only with the fishing, but also with the accommodations, crew, and captain.
Once again, Noli Yan Jr. and his group celebrating the yearly Jeff Long Memorial had a great experience and caught lots of fish. Upon departure, he offered, “Thank you for another fantastic stay. Your hospitality, and the love your Staff shows us, makes it hard to leave.”
I guess that pretty much says it all.
Another long-time regular, Esvin Hernandez, has been fishing with Cedros Outdoor Adventures since its beginning back in 2008. He paid us another visit recently, and also paid us a much appreciated compliment. Hernandez noted that one of the reasons he keeps coming back is the excellent personalized service as well as the way we respect our guests’ valuable catch.
Every fish that comes off one of our pangas is expertly handled in regard to cleaning, filleting, and vacuum sealing and preserving every tasty morsel into the makings of a gourmet-quality seafood meal once you return home. While this might not be the standard that is insisted on by other outfitters on Cedros Island, we pride ourselves on not only meeting, but consistently exceeding our guests’ expectations. Make your reservations now, while prime dates are still available.
