FISHING CLOSE TO THE KELP BEDS AT SAN JOSE REEF

Jan. 7, 2005, Sammy Susarrey, Lily Fleet, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico Fishing:

Ensenada fishing weather has not been that bad. This week, the Amigo fished two days. Fishing at the San Jose reef south of Ensenada has been good for bottom fish, including red rockcod, calico bass, and lingcod. The Amigo fished in a place only about 100 feet deep, very close to the kelp beds. The ocean water temperature has been about 60 degrees, unusual for this time of year, when it is normally about 55 degrees. But last year, the water temperature was also warmer than normal. The whitefish have been showing up more than in other years, and they have been bigger than normal. The biggest we caught at San Jose were 7 pounders, and lingcod up to 12 pounds.