The author and friend Gary with some nice California Yellowtail caught on a 3/4 day party boat out of San Diego.
Southern California Party Boat Fishing
I have spent a lot of time fishing on party boats in Southern California, and they have a special place in my heart. For those who are unfamiliar with them, they are larger fishing boats that accommodate groups of anglers (smaller ones might fit 10-15, while larger ones might fit more than 60). They are based in sportfishing landings all up and down the California Coast. They are an accessible and inexpensive way for people to be introduced to deep sea fishing. I still like fishing on them, but they definitely have their own rules. Because of the number of people, it can sometimes be "combat fishing" which can be frustrating, but it can also be quite exciting. There is nothing like the mayhem of fish crashing all around the boat while 30+ anglers frantically scramble around trying to grab bait, untangle lines, land fish, avoid the fish flopping on deck, etc all while deckhands are screaming at the top of their lungs and the captain is calling all the action over the loudspeakers. You just don't get that kind of craziness on a private boat. I have fished out of nearly every landing from Morro Bay down to San Diego, and below I have detailed some tips I have gained through experience which will hopefully help others as they embark on these trips.
Types of Trips
Party boats offer trips that range from 1/2 day to 16 days. Personally I have not gone on any trips longer than 2.5 days, because I like sleeping on land if I can. Also, the longer trips sometimes involve a lot of travel time and I like to maximize my fishing time if I am going to be away for a while. At any rate, as you might expect, your chances of catching larger fish generally increase with the longer trips as they tend to fish places that are farther away and less pressured. However, you do see the very occasional 50lb white seabass or something landed on a 1/2 day trip. Below are some general summaries of what you can expect on different types of trips.
1/2 Day Trips
These are the shortest trips, often running roughly from 6am-noon or 1pm-6pm or so. They tend to be the most crowded trips, and on weekends in the summer there can be 60+ people on some of these boats which can be a real nightmare. These trips tend to focus on spots near shore for local fish such as Sand Bass, Calico Bass, Pacific Barracuda, Bonito, Sheepshead, and Rockfish. A few Yellowtail and White Seabass sometimes find their way onto the decks of some of these trips occasionally, but that is the exception more than the rule. Because these boats are fairly slow and usually stop to pick up bait, you really don't get a lot of fishing time; maybe 3 hours or so on average. You also only get to fish a handful of spots before it is time to head back. If the captain doesn't find biting fish in the first couple of spots, it can end up being a tough trip. I have had some very good half day trips when things lined up right in the past, but now the shortest trip I will go on is 3/4 day.
3/4 Day Trips
These trips run roughly 6am-3pm and tend to target the same species as the half day trips, but you have a lot more time to fish so if the fish don't bite right away you can try some more spots or wait them out a little longer to see if they go on the bite. Because landings don't run two 3/4 day trips back to back on the same day like they often do with half day trips, sometimes the captains stay out longer to find fish or stay on a hot bite. For this reason, I much prefer 3/4 day trips to 1/2 day trips. Sometimes you can get double the fishing time of a 1/2 day trip. 3/4 day trips offer a higher chance at more "glamorous" species such as Yellowtail and occasionally even Yellowfin Tuna if they happen to come in close in a warmer water year. The 3/4 trips out of San Diego landings (Seaforth, Point Loma, H&M Landing) often offer a very good shot at Yellowtail, especially in the summer. In the Los Angeles area, some 3/4 day/full day trips will fish at Catalina Island which sometimes kicks out some really nice fish.
Overnight Trips
These trips leave the night before, usually around 9-10pm, and then return the next evening. They have bunks that you can sleep in on the ride out. The bunks tend to be a little small, and you are packed in like sardines, so if you are at all claustrophobic then these might not be a good option for you, but personally I usually sleep like a baby on these trips. I think it is a combination of the rocking and the seasickness medications I always take. These trips represent a big commitment because you are away from land for 20 or so hours, so if you get seasick on the way out you are in for an extremely long and unpleasant time. I don't recommend these trips unless you are are not prone to seasickness, because they often go pretty far offshore and can be kind of rough. That said, the fishing rewards can be great. These trips generally fish islands such as Catalina, San Clemente, or San Nicholas (or the Channel Islands if you are fishing out of the Oxnard/Ventura area) or offshore. The island trips generally offer a lot more fishing time and a very good shot at running into a good bite at some point during the day. Overnight trips often target tuna (typically Yellowfin or Albacore depending on the year) and those trips can be very hit or miss. If the tuna are far offshore, most of the trip may be spent running out to the tuna grounds and then looking around for tuna. Because it can often take 6-8 hours to get home, some of those trips only fish until around midday. If the fish are biting in the afternoon, you are out of luck and the whole boat might catch nothing. In addition to tuna, offshore trips sometimes produce Yellowtail or Dorado, which are often found under floating kelp paddies in warmer water.
If I am targeting tuna, I prefer the 1.5 day trips. These leave at night, fish all day, and then run back the following night arriving back in the morning. That way, you have the whole day at the tuna grounds. If fish are around, they generally come up and feed at some point during the day, and if you are on the grounds all day then you stand a good chance of being able to capitalize when that happens. As a result, the fish counts on 1.5 days are often much better than on the overnight trips for tuna.
Multi-Day Trips
Trips of two days or more offer many options, and in that time a good captain can usually find a decent bite of some sort at some point. I have never gone on a trip longer than 2.5 days, but anything longer than that is usually focused on tuna and yellowtail. Trips of 3 days or more usually leave out of San Diego and go down the Baja coast. Some of these longer range boats are quite luxurious and offer private staterooms and fine meals. There can be a lot of travel time, but they can be fun if you go with people you enjoy.
A nice haul of tuna from a 1.5 day trip out of San Diego.
A Wahoo caught on a 10-day trip on the Vagabond out of San Diego
Fishing Tips
Party boat trips are generally either involve surface fishing with free-lined baits or bottom fishing. People will be quick to point out the exceptions, and there are certainly are some, but for simplicity I will roughly divide these trips into those two categories.
Surface Fishing
There is nothing more exciting than a wide-open surface bite. When fishing near the surface, the crew will usually chum (throw baits out to attract fish). These can be incredibly effective, and I have seen schools of fish acres in size come right up to the surface to eat the chummed baits as they are thrown in. Party boats have very large bait tanks, and this offers a big advantage when trying to chum a school of fish to the surface. Generally speaking, you want to be tossing your bait into the same area that the chum is being thrown if you can. However, those areas (usually the corners of the boat) often get very crowded, so sometimes you are better off getting a little away from the crowd.
Speaking of bait, when surface fishing, the boat will usually have live bait such as sardines, anchovies, or mackerel. These will be held in big tanks, and then periodically put into smaller tanks for people to grab and use as bait. If the fish are biting on the surface, bring your rod with you to the bait tank rather than leaving it at the rail. If you leave it at the rail, it will get knocked over and there is a good chance your hook will snag someone. Bait selection is extremely important. I like to find the healthiest looking bait I can find, one without a red nose or wounds on its sides or missing scales. If I have to sift through a few baits to find one I like then I do it, because that can really make a big difference in getting a bite. There are times when the bite is so wide open that the fish will practically eat the paint off the side of the boat, but getting a good bait always increases your chances and is a necessity when the bite is slow.
Once you have selected a good healthy bait, you should cup your hand and scoop it up rather than reaching downwards to grab it. You want to squeeze it as little as possible; baitfish are fragile. It often helps to hold them upside down, as that disorients many fish without harming them and helps to make hooking easier. For finfish, many people like to hook them in the nose. That is fine, but personally I prefer to hook them behind the anal fin because that makes them swim away from the boat which is key to getting a bite much of the time. However, the hook tears out much more easily when hooking that way, so you have to be careful when casting. For this type of fishing, most of the time I just fish with a hook tied to the end of the line with no weight or swivels or anything.
Once you have the bait hooked, go to the side of the boat with the wind in your face (if drifting; doesn't matter as much if you are anchored) cast it out (usually more of a lob so that the bait stays on the hook) and then keep the reel in freespool so that the bait can swim out as unimpeded as possible. Sometimes you will have to feed line out with your hand if the bait doesn't swim that strongly. If you have a strong healthy bait, it will pull line out on its own. Note: It is extremely important to keep the line straight out in front of you. If your bait swims off to the side, you need to follow it to keep your line in front of you. If you do not, you will tangle other peoples' lines and greatly decrease the chances of either you or them catching anything. If you are drifting, the lines will usually all eventually head in the same direction, and everyone will constantly be moving that way in what is sometimes referred to as the "tuna shuffle".
You should be able to feel the frantic vibrations of the bait swimming away. If line starts going out as more of a steady pull without those vibrations, that means a fish has taken your bait. Let the line go out freely. If the bait is a tiny 3-inch anchovy, you should set the hook right away as most fish will immediately engulf that. If you are fishing with a larger 5-6 inch sardine, give it a slow 3 count point the rod towards the fish, and then put the reel in gear, and then set the hook hard once you feel the weight of the fish. If you are fishing with a bigger bait, like a 10-inch mackerel, you might want to count to 5 or more before putting the reel in gear. Don't set the hook until you feel the weight of the fish or else you won't get an effective hookset. If you are fishing with a circle hook, just point the rod towards the fish and reel; don't jerk the rod up to set the hook. It will set on its own.
Once you have a fish hooked, start reeling. Smaller fish, such as Sand Bass or Calico Bass, will generally come right in and you won't have to move. Once you get them to the boat, you can just hoist them over the side if they are small enough to not snap your line. Be careful to release all tension in your rod and line as soon as they hit the deck, because you don't want the fish to spit the hook and have it snap into someone.
Larger fish, like Yellowtail or tuna, will not come right in and will generally make some runs. If a fish is pulling line out against your drag, just let it go. Don't panic and tighten the drag (assuming it was set properly to begin with) unless you are on the verge of running out of line which very rarely happens. Let the fish run, but follow it if it goes to the right or left. Let people know by loudly saying "Coming through" or "Going under you" as you follow the fish. If your fish is one of the few that is being played, the crew will usually help clear a path for you, but if lots of people are hooked up then you are probably on your own. You need to be very assertive in this situation as some people may not move otherwise. If you let your fish run to the side and don't follow it, it can tangle everyone's line and make a huge mess. Some fish will take you around the whole boat more than once before you get them in. Once you have a bigger fish next to the boat, yell "gaff" so a crew member can come and stick a gaff in it and bring it on deck. Make sure to keep the fish's head in the water while waiting, as taking it out of the water can cause it to shake it's head and spit the hook out. Once the fish is gaffed, put the reel in freespool and breath a sweet sigh of victory/relief.
One variation of the above is to fish with lures. Popular party boat lures include surface iron lures such as the Tady 45, spoons such as the Krocodile, or soft plastics such as those made by Big Hammer. There are times when lures will outfish bait (and vice versa) so it pays to watch what the people catching the fish are doing and try to do the same thing. When fishing with lures, it is extremely important to look behind you before every cast, as people will often be passing behind you on party boats. They will not take getting hooked any better than you would. Many times people who want to cast lures will go up to the bow to have more room and not tangle with everyone clustered in the stern.
Bottom fishing
Bottom fishing is very simple - you use a weight and drop your bait to the bottom, and then wait for something to eat it. Bait selection is the same as above. However, when bottom fishing people don't tend to move as much, so you may want to leave your rod at the rail rather than bringing it to the bait tank. Make sure it is secure and is not going to fall over and snag someone though. Sometimes the bait is cut or live squid, which is a great bait for a wide variety of species. Bottom fishing on party boats is generally much less chaotic than surface fishing, but there can still be plenty of tangles when people don't use enough weight to get their line to the bottom quickly and maintain it vertical. Make sure you use enough weight.
Lures can also be used on the bottom. One popular lure technique is yo-yo jigging, where you drop a heavier iron lure over and then reel it back up from the bottom. Depending on where the fish are, you may not want to reel it all the way up, but just reel it a portion of the way up and then drop it back down.
Tackle for California Party Boat Fishing
Tackle can vary widely depending on the type of trip, style of fishing, personal preferences, etc. However, the below is a good starting point. You will note that there are no spinning outfits listed; those can work in some cases but I prefer conventional gear for this application most of the time. I also prefer braided line to mono for everything except surface iron casting, because it gives you a lot more line capacity and gives you flexibility because you can switch out leaders. More line capacity allows you to fish smaller reels than you otherwise would, which reduces fatigue over a long period of time. In general, you need heavier outfits for party boats than you do on a private boat because you have to get fish in faster and avoid tangles with all of the other passengers. Below are some recommendations that can serve as a starting point:
Party boat trips are generally either involve surface fishing with free-lined baits or bottom fishing. People will be quick to point out the exceptions, and there are certainly are some, but for simplicity I will roughly divide these trips into those two categories.
Surface Fishing
There is nothing more exciting than a wide-open surface bite. When fishing near the surface, the crew will usually chum (throw baits out to attract fish). These can be incredibly effective, and I have seen schools of fish acres in size come right up to the surface to eat the chummed baits as they are thrown in. Party boats have very large bait tanks, and this offers a big advantage when trying to chum a school of fish to the surface. Generally speaking, you want to be tossing your bait into the same area that the chum is being thrown if you can. However, those areas (usually the corners of the boat) often get very crowded, so sometimes you are better off getting a little away from the crowd.
Speaking of bait, when surface fishing, the boat will usually have live bait such as sardines, anchovies, or mackerel. These will be held in big tanks, and then periodically put into smaller tanks for people to grab and use as bait. If the fish are biting on the surface, bring your rod with you to the bait tank rather than leaving it at the rail. If you leave it at the rail, it will get knocked over and there is a good chance your hook will snag someone. Bait selection is extremely important. I like to find the healthiest looking bait I can find, one without a red nose or wounds on its sides or missing scales. If I have to sift through a few baits to find one I like then I do it, because that can really make a big difference in getting a bite. There are times when the bite is so wide open that the fish will practically eat the paint off the side of the boat, but getting a good bait always increases your chances and is a necessity when the bite is slow.
Once you have selected a good healthy bait, you should cup your hand and scoop it up rather than reaching downwards to grab it. You want to squeeze it as little as possible; baitfish are fragile. It often helps to hold them upside down, as that disorients many fish without harming them and helps to make hooking easier. For finfish, many people like to hook them in the nose. That is fine, but personally I prefer to hook them behind the anal fin because that makes them swim away from the boat which is key to getting a bite much of the time. However, the hook tears out much more easily when hooking that way, so you have to be careful when casting. For this type of fishing, most of the time I just fish with a hook tied to the end of the line with no weight or swivels or anything.
Once you have the bait hooked, go to the side of the boat with the wind in your face (if drifting; doesn't matter as much if you are anchored) cast it out (usually more of a lob so that the bait stays on the hook) and then keep the reel in freespool so that the bait can swim out as unimpeded as possible. Sometimes you will have to feed line out with your hand if the bait doesn't swim that strongly. If you have a strong healthy bait, it will pull line out on its own. Note: It is extremely important to keep the line straight out in front of you. If your bait swims off to the side, you need to follow it to keep your line in front of you. If you do not, you will tangle other peoples' lines and greatly decrease the chances of either you or them catching anything. If you are drifting, the lines will usually all eventually head in the same direction, and everyone will constantly be moving that way in what is sometimes referred to as the "tuna shuffle".
You should be able to feel the frantic vibrations of the bait swimming away. If line starts going out as more of a steady pull without those vibrations, that means a fish has taken your bait. Let the line go out freely. If the bait is a tiny 3-inch anchovy, you should set the hook right away as most fish will immediately engulf that. If you are fishing with a larger 5-6 inch sardine, give it a slow 3 count point the rod towards the fish, and then put the reel in gear, and then set the hook hard once you feel the weight of the fish. If you are fishing with a bigger bait, like a 10-inch mackerel, you might want to count to 5 or more before putting the reel in gear. Don't set the hook until you feel the weight of the fish or else you won't get an effective hookset. If you are fishing with a circle hook, just point the rod towards the fish and reel; don't jerk the rod up to set the hook. It will set on its own.
Once you have a fish hooked, start reeling. Smaller fish, such as Sand Bass or Calico Bass, will generally come right in and you won't have to move. Once you get them to the boat, you can just hoist them over the side if they are small enough to not snap your line. Be careful to release all tension in your rod and line as soon as they hit the deck, because you don't want the fish to spit the hook and have it snap into someone.
Larger fish, like Yellowtail or tuna, will not come right in and will generally make some runs. If a fish is pulling line out against your drag, just let it go. Don't panic and tighten the drag (assuming it was set properly to begin with) unless you are on the verge of running out of line which very rarely happens. Let the fish run, but follow it if it goes to the right or left. Let people know by loudly saying "Coming through" or "Going under you" as you follow the fish. If your fish is one of the few that is being played, the crew will usually help clear a path for you, but if lots of people are hooked up then you are probably on your own. You need to be very assertive in this situation as some people may not move otherwise. If you let your fish run to the side and don't follow it, it can tangle everyone's line and make a huge mess. Some fish will take you around the whole boat more than once before you get them in. Once you have a bigger fish next to the boat, yell "gaff" so a crew member can come and stick a gaff in it and bring it on deck. Make sure to keep the fish's head in the water while waiting, as taking it out of the water can cause it to shake it's head and spit the hook out. Once the fish is gaffed, put the reel in freespool and breath a sweet sigh of victory/relief.
One variation of the above is to fish with lures. Popular party boat lures include surface iron lures such as the Tady 45, spoons such as the Krocodile, or soft plastics such as those made by Big Hammer. There are times when lures will outfish bait (and vice versa) so it pays to watch what the people catching the fish are doing and try to do the same thing. When fishing with lures, it is extremely important to look behind you before every cast, as people will often be passing behind you on party boats. They will not take getting hooked any better than you would. Many times people who want to cast lures will go up to the bow to have more room and not tangle with everyone clustered in the stern.
Bottom fishing
Bottom fishing is very simple - you use a weight and drop your bait to the bottom, and then wait for something to eat it. Bait selection is the same as above. However, when bottom fishing people don't tend to move as much, so you may want to leave your rod at the rail rather than bringing it to the bait tank. Make sure it is secure and is not going to fall over and snag someone though. Sometimes the bait is cut or live squid, which is a great bait for a wide variety of species. Bottom fishing on party boats is generally much less chaotic than surface fishing, but there can still be plenty of tangles when people don't use enough weight to get their line to the bottom quickly and maintain it vertical. Make sure you use enough weight.
Lures can also be used on the bottom. One popular lure technique is yo-yo jigging, where you drop a heavier iron lure over and then reel it back up from the bottom. Depending on where the fish are, you may not want to reel it all the way up, but just reel it a portion of the way up and then drop it back down.
Tackle for California Party Boat Fishing
Tackle can vary widely depending on the type of trip, style of fishing, personal preferences, etc. However, the below is a good starting point. You will note that there are no spinning outfits listed; those can work in some cases but I prefer conventional gear for this application most of the time. I also prefer braided line to mono for everything except surface iron casting, because it gives you a lot more line capacity and gives you flexibility because you can switch out leaders. More line capacity allows you to fish smaller reels than you otherwise would, which reduces fatigue over a long period of time. In general, you need heavier outfits for party boats than you do on a private boat because you have to get fish in faster and avoid tangles with all of the other passengers. Below are some recommendations that can serve as a starting point:
15lb outfit - this is the lightest rig I will bring on a party boat. This can be used to cast lighter baits like small anchovies farther, which can be the difference on tough days. It can also be used to cast soft plastics. It is most suitable for sand bass, calico bass, bonito, and maybe barracuda. You could also use it offshore for smaller tuna (20lbs or less) when they are being finicky and hard to hook. This rig will not have enough backbone to horse fish away from kelp, so it is best used in more open water. I generally bring this on every trip just in case you need light line to get a bite, but I often don't end up using it. However, on tough days it can be a lifesaver.
Rod - 7ft to 8ft rated 15-30lbs. Soft tip for lobbing small baits. G Loomis makes some good inshore rods for this application.
Reel - My favorite reel for this application is the Daiwa Pluton, which unfortunately has been discontinued. The Daiwa Luna, Shimano Calcutta, and Shimano Curado are all reels to consider here. I would load it with 30lb braid like Daiwa Samurai. It is a small diameter line that is soft and lets small baits swim well. For a leader, I like the Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon in 15lb size.
Rod - 7ft to 8ft rated 15-30lbs. Soft tip for lobbing small baits. G Loomis makes some good inshore rods for this application.
Reel - My favorite reel for this application is the Daiwa Pluton, which unfortunately has been discontinued. The Daiwa Luna, Shimano Calcutta, and Shimano Curado are all reels to consider here. I would load it with 30lb braid like Daiwa Samurai. It is a small diameter line that is soft and lets small baits swim well. For a leader, I like the Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon in 15lb size.
20lb outfit - this is the next lightest rig to bring. It has many of the same applications as the 15lb, but can be used when you need a slightly heavier outfit for pulling bass away from kelp. I also like the 20lb for Pacific Barracuda, as they rarely bite through it. If smaller Yellowtail come through, this should handle them. You can cast bigger anchovies and smaller sardines on this, as well as smaller surface irons and bigger plastics. This is your go-to 1/2 day surface fishing outfit. It can also be used to fish the bottom for Halibut, Rockfish, and others.
Rod - 7ft to 8ft rated 20-40lbs. The Shimano Teramar West Coast series are very good starting rods. If you have more money to spend, consider either an off the shelf or custom Calstar or Seeker rod.
Reel - Shimano Torium 16 or 20, Daiwa Saltist Black Gold 20, Penn Fathom Star Drag FTH15. If you have a little more money to spend, the Shimano Trinidad, Daiwa Saltiga, and Penn Torque models in those sizes are all very good choices. Load it with 50lb braid (I like Izorline spectra) and top it off with a 20lb fluorocarbon leader.
Rod - 7ft to 8ft rated 20-40lbs. The Shimano Teramar West Coast series are very good starting rods. If you have more money to spend, consider either an off the shelf or custom Calstar or Seeker rod.
Reel - Shimano Torium 16 or 20, Daiwa Saltist Black Gold 20, Penn Fathom Star Drag FTH15. If you have a little more money to spend, the Shimano Trinidad, Daiwa Saltiga, and Penn Torque models in those sizes are all very good choices. Load it with 50lb braid (I like Izorline spectra) and top it off with a 20lb fluorocarbon leader.
25lb outfit - this is the most versatile rig, as it can be used for almost everything that you would likely fish for within 1-day range, with just a few exceptions such as large Yellowtail near kelp or rocks. You can use this on everything from Calico Bass to Yellowtail and school-sized tuna offshore. It can be used for any of the local bottom fishing species also. This should be brought on pretty much every type of trip. I sometimes bring two of this size rig because it is so versatile.
Rod - 7ft-8ft rated 20-50lbs. The Shimano Teramar West Coast series is again a good starting place. If you have more money, an off the shelf or custom Calstar or Seeker are good options.
Reel - Shimano Torium 20, Daiwa Saltist Black Gold 20, Penn Fathom Star Drag FTH 25N. You could also upgrade to the Shimano Trinidad, Daiwa Saltiga, or Penn Torque if you have extra cash. The Shimano Tranx is also popular. Load it with 50lb braid (I like Izorline) and a 25lb leader. You can also upgrade the leader to 30lb if there are bigger fish or down to 20lb if they are smaller and you didn't bring a 20lb outfit.
Rod - 7ft-8ft rated 20-50lbs. The Shimano Teramar West Coast series is again a good starting place. If you have more money, an off the shelf or custom Calstar or Seeker are good options.
Reel - Shimano Torium 20, Daiwa Saltist Black Gold 20, Penn Fathom Star Drag FTH 25N. You could also upgrade to the Shimano Trinidad, Daiwa Saltiga, or Penn Torque if you have extra cash. The Shimano Tranx is also popular. Load it with 50lb braid (I like Izorline) and a 25lb leader. You can also upgrade the leader to 30lb if there are bigger fish or down to 20lb if they are smaller and you didn't bring a 20lb outfit.
40lb outfit - this is a heavier rig for bigger fish such as larger (over 20lbs) homeguard Yellowtail. Actually, that is pretty much the only thing I use this for. You can use it for yo-yo iron, or bigger baits such as live squid, Pacific Mackerel, or bigger sardines. This rig has the pulling power to handle almost any fish found in local waters and most tuna you will encounter offshore. I don't generally bring a heavier rig than this.
Rod - 7ft-8ft rated 40-60lbs. The Ugly Stick Tiger rods work just fine for this, although they are a bit heavy. If you have a little more cash, consider an off the shelf or custom Calstar or Seeker Rod.
Reel - Shimano Torium 30, Daiwa Saltist Black Gold 35 or 40, or Penn Fathom Star Drag FTH 30 or 40. If you have the cash, you can upgrade to the Shimano Trinidad, Daiwa Saltiga, or Penn Torque in those sizes. Another great option that I use a lot is the Accurate Boss Fury 600N. Load it with 65lb braid (I like Izorline) and a good 40lb leader.
Rod - 7ft-8ft rated 40-60lbs. The Ugly Stick Tiger rods work just fine for this, although they are a bit heavy. If you have a little more cash, consider an off the shelf or custom Calstar or Seeker Rod.
Reel - Shimano Torium 30, Daiwa Saltist Black Gold 35 or 40, or Penn Fathom Star Drag FTH 30 or 40. If you have the cash, you can upgrade to the Shimano Trinidad, Daiwa Saltiga, or Penn Torque in those sizes. Another great option that I use a lot is the Accurate Boss Fury 600N. Load it with 65lb braid (I like Izorline) and a good 40lb leader.
How to Select a Boat
Southern California party boats publish their fish counts every day. You can find them at 976-tuna.com. They are, for the most part, accurate. You can see how many people were on the boat and what they caught. That is a good starting point, and it gives you a good idea of what types of fish are biting where. It doesn't tell you the size of the fish (100 Yellowtail could mean 3lbers or 30lbers), but you can always call the landing to get more details. I never go on a trip without doing some research on 976-tuna. I also try to never go on boats that have more than 35 people or so, no matter how big the boat is. It's just too many people to deal with. You can get an idea of recent trends in both catches and crowds on 976-tuna. Some boats offer limited load trips, which are a little more expensive but cap the number of people.
Not all boats are created equal. Some captains work harder to find fish than others and stay out later if necessary, and some crews are better than others. Most crews are good, but I have been on some trips where the crew is much more interested in fishing than helping the customers. One way you can get a sense of this is to read reports at BDOutdoors; I highly recommend that site. You can search by boat and read about others' experiences.
Here are some boats I like:
Aztec - Operating out of Seaforth Landing, which has the easiest parking of the San Diego landings, the Aztec is comfortable and catches fish on overnight and 1.5 day trips.
Freedom - The Freedom is my favorite overnight boat operating in the Los Angeles area. It is based in the 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro. It is comfortable and modern and catches fish.
New Lo-An - Operating out of Point Loma Sportfishing in San Diego, the New Lo-An offers a very wide platform for pursuing Tuna and other fish offshore.
Ultra - The Ultra offers very limited load trips (10 people) to the local islands on overnight and full day trips. They are based at the 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro. The captain works hard to find fish and it is really nice not to worry about constantly untangling lines on a crowded boat.
General Tips
"No angles, no tangles" - keep your line straight in front of you and you will have a much better chance of not getting tangled with others.
Listen to the crew - they are out fishing every day, so do what they suggest. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask. If other people are catching fish and you are not, ask the crew what you need to do differently.
Make sure your fish are properly tagged - on these trips you will be given a number. When you catch a fish, it goes into the sack with your number on it or alternatively may get tagged with your number and dumped in a refrigerated fish hold. Make sure it gets tagged with the right number. Occasionally fish get mis-tagged, and I have also seen people try to claim fish they didn't catch. It's rare, but I always try to make sure my fish is properly tagged before I go back to fishing. Once fishing is over, the crew sorts the fish by number and then you can have them cleaned for a modest fee if you would like.
Bring multiple rods - I usually bring around 5 rods on every trip, rigged up with a variety of different things for different situations (surface, bottom, lure, small bait, big bait, etc) The hot bite sometimes only lasts for a short time, and if you are spending all of your time re-rigging, you will miss it.
Jackpot! - many boats offer a jackpot, where everyone who wants to participate puts in $5 or $10 and then the person who catches the biggest fish wins the pot. Note that sharks and rays don't count, and neither do fish that are caught trolling. It is customary to tip a chunk to the crew if you win.
Tipping - Tips are customary and generally expected. This is up to personal discretion and based on the level of service. If the crew has worked hard and done a good job, I usually tip around 20% of the ticket price.
Southern California party boats publish their fish counts every day. You can find them at 976-tuna.com. They are, for the most part, accurate. You can see how many people were on the boat and what they caught. That is a good starting point, and it gives you a good idea of what types of fish are biting where. It doesn't tell you the size of the fish (100 Yellowtail could mean 3lbers or 30lbers), but you can always call the landing to get more details. I never go on a trip without doing some research on 976-tuna. I also try to never go on boats that have more than 35 people or so, no matter how big the boat is. It's just too many people to deal with. You can get an idea of recent trends in both catches and crowds on 976-tuna. Some boats offer limited load trips, which are a little more expensive but cap the number of people.
Not all boats are created equal. Some captains work harder to find fish than others and stay out later if necessary, and some crews are better than others. Most crews are good, but I have been on some trips where the crew is much more interested in fishing than helping the customers. One way you can get a sense of this is to read reports at BDOutdoors; I highly recommend that site. You can search by boat and read about others' experiences.
Here are some boats I like:
Aztec - Operating out of Seaforth Landing, which has the easiest parking of the San Diego landings, the Aztec is comfortable and catches fish on overnight and 1.5 day trips.
Freedom - The Freedom is my favorite overnight boat operating in the Los Angeles area. It is based in the 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro. It is comfortable and modern and catches fish.
New Lo-An - Operating out of Point Loma Sportfishing in San Diego, the New Lo-An offers a very wide platform for pursuing Tuna and other fish offshore.
Ultra - The Ultra offers very limited load trips (10 people) to the local islands on overnight and full day trips. They are based at the 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro. The captain works hard to find fish and it is really nice not to worry about constantly untangling lines on a crowded boat.
General Tips
"No angles, no tangles" - keep your line straight in front of you and you will have a much better chance of not getting tangled with others.
Listen to the crew - they are out fishing every day, so do what they suggest. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask. If other people are catching fish and you are not, ask the crew what you need to do differently.
Make sure your fish are properly tagged - on these trips you will be given a number. When you catch a fish, it goes into the sack with your number on it or alternatively may get tagged with your number and dumped in a refrigerated fish hold. Make sure it gets tagged with the right number. Occasionally fish get mis-tagged, and I have also seen people try to claim fish they didn't catch. It's rare, but I always try to make sure my fish is properly tagged before I go back to fishing. Once fishing is over, the crew sorts the fish by number and then you can have them cleaned for a modest fee if you would like.
Bring multiple rods - I usually bring around 5 rods on every trip, rigged up with a variety of different things for different situations (surface, bottom, lure, small bait, big bait, etc) The hot bite sometimes only lasts for a short time, and if you are spending all of your time re-rigging, you will miss it.
Jackpot! - many boats offer a jackpot, where everyone who wants to participate puts in $5 or $10 and then the person who catches the biggest fish wins the pot. Note that sharks and rays don't count, and neither do fish that are caught trolling. It is customary to tip a chunk to the crew if you win.
Tipping - Tips are customary and generally expected. This is up to personal discretion and based on the level of service. If the crew has worked hard and done a good job, I usually tip around 20% of the ticket price.
Some small Yellowfin Tuna caught on a 3/4 day boat out of San Diego.
Every once in a while, these giant Humboldt squid come up to Southern California and can be targeted from party boats. These bigger ones are a chore to bring up from the deep.
It is important to stay focused. I only got two bites all day on this trip to Catalina Island, but those two bites turned into these two Yellowtail. If I hadn't been paying attention, I could have easily gone home with nothing. Sometimes the difference between a bad day and a good day is just one bite.
This was the jackpot Barracuda caught on my second party boat trip in 1999.