22nd Street Landing Sportfishing

Went on the pursuit yesterday and a great time! The yellowtail were fun to catch I’m glad i wasn’t the only woman on the boat, the crew made me feel very welcomed and they make a great burger. I will definitely be going back they have made me a fisherwoman! I’m hooked. Thank you to the captain and crew. Fish on!

Heads up all Anglers,
Went on a day fishing trip aboard the Pursuit Mon. 6÷13÷16 out of 22^nd Street Sportfishing Landing in San Pedro, CA. There were 52 passengers aboard. Fished Catalina island. Got underway to the fishing grounds at 6am. We were all informed by deckhand Albert that if we wanted to fish the squid, we would all have to fork out five bucks, to use that bait to fish with. There bait company did not supply that boat with squid, just small anchovies which was used for chumming. The boat had a tank of squid, and a tank of anchovies already aboard to fish with. Everyone aboard shelled out the extra five bucks! Squid is the candy bait for Catalina island fishing. We had a little action on the first stop of the morning. Mind you it takes over two hrs. of traveling to get the best fishing grounds. Most of the yellows were 3 to 6 pounds, with a couple handfuls of the yellowtail in the 10 to 20 pound range. I landed two yellowtail. My first fish was gaffed aboard, thrown to the deck on the bow. I was told by the deckhand to bag my on fish. He left me to un-​tangle my line from three other anglers. I landed another bigger fish on the bow again, a crew member gaffed the fish, which I resumed un-​tangling and bagging of my catch. Most of us anglers continued doing our own tangles and bagging our own catch during the bite.
We left that first stop which we landed our days catch after a couple of hrs. of fishing to get some more squid from a commercial boat at another area of the island. The deckhands filled the squid tank back up with live squid. Guess the captain does that so he can have the boat set up for the next days fishing trip. We pretty much did not catch any more fish the rest of the day.
John, the boats Captain, never came down to the deck ounce to help his three crew members and the 52 customers during the morning bite action. He just barked orders and remarks from the bridge deck at his passengers and crew, demanding that he needed everyone of those yellowtail aboard for the boats fish count.
Gang, I could go on! Most anglers caught a fish, some went home with nothing for there efforts.
I am writing this in hopes that the crew aboard the Pursuit takes better care of there customers in the future. We ride the boats for hopes of a fun fishing experience. Good fishing is a bonus. Customer service keeps us coming back. There are many other sportfishing operations to choose from. Most hold customer service as a top priority, along with a great fish count.

We just got back from a ¾ day trip on the «Native Sun». I haven’t been deep sea fishing since I was a kid. I consider myself a novice when it comes to ocean fishing. The crew makes it easy as they are always there to help you.
I have to say our trip was awesome. A special thank you to Mark the deckhand. He noticed our gear wasn’t really set up for what we going to do. He quickly set up our equipment and we were fishing. He always was there to help us get our fish off our line, helped untangle my line and helped my girlfriend when she ended up with a birds nest on her reel. The crew was excellent and helped me know which fish were good, which were too small. As soon as I pulled up a fish, I often heard «let me help you with that» from the deckhands as they took the fish off of the hook and put it in my bag.
I had Mark filet up my fish and he even gave me tips on how to cook the fish I caught ($ 1 each fish is well worth not having to clean your own fish)
I would recommend these guys if you want a fun trip and don’t know anything about deep sea fishing. We’ll definitely be back!

My husband and I went today! Best experience ever! We had so much fun! Everyone was so nice and helpful! Every person who worked on the boat was extremely nice. Between my hubby and I we caught over 20 fish of 4 different kinds! We will definitely be returning! And they have a café on the boat and the guy whips up some bomb breakfast burritos! I highly recommended the Monte Carlo! Can’t wait for tuna season this summer!

Good and Bad. I have had both here. A big help would to be going during the week. If you try and go during the weekend, especially on the half day boat, there are so many anglers there its hard to maneuver around and you line get tangled a lot with other people.
Usually the crew is very helpful. The cook has always been great!
When it comes to the jackpot… that is more of a person preference. It is either $ 5.00 or $ 10.00 per person. I have lost many many times, but I did win once and took home a nice $ 90.00 bucks.
I bought a gift card for a friend here and with it I asked for enough to cover, (2) people half day boat, (2) Fishing lisences, (2) fishing polls and (2) sets of equipment. I costed me $ 153.00.
So don’t go there thinking, all im paying is the $ 45.00 fee for the half day boat trip.
TIPS–
— Get there early, You can stake a better spot for when you start fishing and more important you can grab a spot in the galley and get a pretty good breakfast while your waiting to get out to the fishing spot. Don’t forget to stroll back to the galley after 10:00am and grab a burger if your into burgers.
— Before you leave the docks when you first get on the boat, TIP the deckhands like $ 20.00 and ask if they will help you out if you get in tangles or anything you might need. You will not have to wait if something happens, they will be right there to help you.
— BRING CASH! everything is done in cash on the boat, and sometimes even in the deck house before you leave.
— Keep in mind if you don’t have equipment already you will need to grab some and get a fishing license for everyone fishing. Also a bag per person to put your fish in. This can add a little bit more to your tab.
License is around $ 15.00 per person per day.
Equipment is around $ 5.00 — $ 7.00 per person.
Polls are going to cost you another $ 12.00 per person or so.
Bag is only $ 1.00 per person.
— This is optional but, they will cut and fillet all your fish right there on the boat and bag it up for you on the trip back. This is normally $ 1.00 per fish.
— Last but not least, if you had a good trip or even if you didn’t, if the deck hands busted their buts and tried to help you the whole trip, give them a little something, It helps them a lot and the will remember you the next time you go. =)
Have fun and good luck fishing!

Went out of 22^nd on the Ultra. One of the smaller boats. Had a good day of fishing and catching! Despite the winds we did good out near San Clemente Island. Love boarding at night and waking up to fish at the spot! Ultra now has a fish hold to keep your catch fresh. And the JOC breakfast waffles are tasty! Like the small boat with just 9 anglers as we cooperate better and have room at the rails more. Try the Ultra. You’re going to like it.

Ive been fishing on many local boats in southern california and 22^nd street landing is by far the best one! Big shout out the the Pursuit for working so hard and putting us on the bite! Ive have never seen deckhands run so much for a gaf. Capt John, Gus, Chris and everyone on the pursuit that made this trip awesome. We will be back soon. Thanks for thr great service

The pursuit is an excellent boat, rental rods aren’t easy to use but the captain works hard to put people on the fish. People like to crowd the stern (back) so if you are new and don’t want to spend your whole time untangling line move a little closer to the bow. First timers flyline is a bad idea, dropper loop with a heavy sinker to the bottom. You will catch fish and not be discouraged untangling line!

I chartered the Ultra for an overnight trip to Catalina with some friends and had a great time. We had 10 people fishing which was more than enough elbow room for everyone. We all caught quality yellows and calicos. But I must say that the Captain (Jacob) and crew (Brian, Blair, & John) were first class in all aspects. They helped everyone with their fishing needs and then some. They all worked together and knew their shit!
The sleeping quarters were small and convenient but most of all air conditioned. The galley is small too but it was cool for the amount of people we had on the boat. John was a great cook and if you ever get the chance to try anything on his menu it has to be the JOC burger! That was da bomb! I think 10 is the max they take onto their boat. It’s a good number to take. No more than that. Everyone was comfortable and there was a good choice of beer in stock. They even had IPA’s and my favorite (Heineken). All of the members of my group had nothing but good things to say about the boat and crew. Capt. Jacob was first class and was knowledgeable in everything he did. I was very impressed in him and his crew. They made this trip a lot of fun. The only thing bad I can say about this trip was the shortage of bait and that the flatscreen wasn’t working (it would have been nice to watch some college football).
But if you ever have a chance to fish on this boat… GO FOR IT! It’s worth the extra cash and it beats fishing on a cattle boat any day.
~PEACE~

Went on the Monte Carlo AM Half Day Sportfishing trip today (Saturday, September 6, 2015).
After reading so many recent negative reviews, I was skeptical about this place. But decided to find out on my own as everybody should. Nothing about this place disappointed me and I didn’t experience anything negative like what other Unilocalers recently reviewed about this place.
I made reservations the night before and perused the website for the fish report and different trips they offer. I also called and listened to the fish report which can be heard first by calling their main phone number. After the fish report was complete I was transferred to a human and all of my questions were answered.
Parking is free. Park across the street in the lot.
The staff at the check-​in area were straight forward and unremarkable. The area was clean. They did their jobs checking people in, issuing licenses, renting rods, selling gear and offering advice. The Monte Carlo will fit 80 people and the boat was full this morning. Although the boat departs at 6:30 you will want to arrive early for check in (regardless of a reservation) if you care about your fishing position on the boat– the positions are assigned. The back is where you want to be. We got stuck on the side.
A few mimutes before our departure time the boat loaded up with passengers. We found our assigned fishing spots and ordered some breakfast burritos from the galley which were pretty good. The boat was clean for a fishing boat. When we departed from the dock the captain informed us that there was a bait shortage and we would need to fish for bait (mackerel) and stop at the bait shop boat to load up on bait if they had any. We fished for bait for a couple hours and everybody caught a lot of mackerel. All of it went into the boats bait tank for everyone to use.
After we had enough bait for the trip we hit the first spot to do some real fishing. Within five minutes of the anchor being dropped the first yellowtail tuna was caught. At this point things were looking good. We fished there for another hour and no one else got so much as another bite. We anchored up and cruised it to the next spot where we dropped anchor for another hour. At this spot one yellowtail tuna was caught, as well as a Calico Bass and a couple Rockfish. Seals were everywhere stealing our bait so we went to another spot and the seals followed us. Only a couple more small fish were caught. We went back to the first spot and stay for about another hour. Someone caught a yellowtail tuna and a couple more small fish here and there. Then it was time to head in. The Captain informed us that because the wind was blowing into the current the fishing conditions sucked.
There was a total of three Yellowtail Tuna caught, a few different bass, a couple rockfish.
Throughout the trip the deckhands walk around and help you rig your bait, hooks and weights. They help you undo birds nests in your line. They coach you when you have a fish on the line and move people out of the way when your fish makes you chase it around the boat.
I’m no expert fisherman but I do like to fish every now and again. Although only about 10 fish total were caught I know that is how fishing goes!
FYI:
Half Day AM trip $ 45
Rod Rental $ 10
Fishing License $ 15.12
Weights & Hooks $ 5 — 10
Breakfast Burritos $ 7.50
Burgers $ 6 –8
Domestic Beers $ 4
Import Beers $ 5
If you haven’t been sportfishing or haven’t been to 22^nd St. Landing before:
Bring a backpack with some beers, waters, snacks etc, a couple old hand towel rags, a little knife and some needle nose pliers. Keep cash on you to order food, beer, buy fishing supplies on the boat and tip the deck hands and the galley cook. If you catch fish and want them filleted the deckhand will do it for you and give you zip lock bags for about $ 5 per fish. You are going to get wet. Your hands and clothes will get dirty. Keep an eye on your belongings!

Went on the afternoon half day boat, The Monte Carlo, on a Friday. Had a great time during one of the best tuna seasons ever. My dad and I each caught yellowtail and bonito. If you have the flexibility, I recommend you check the fishing reports up to the day you plan to fish to see what they’re catching (full day, ¾, ½ am or pm). You can make reservations the night prior online. Monday and Wednesday thru Friday are the least crowded (usually). I guess they have a two for Tuesday special (many anglers). Weekends can be shoulder to shoulder too which is way too crowded.
No coolers are allowed but we brought our waters and snacks in a backpack. They have a good cheeseburger and all the beer you’d like. Wear wader boots or water resistant hiking boots if you have ‘em because they occasionally hose the deck off, bring a rag for your hands (golf towel clipped to your belt loop is perfect) and pliers (needle nose) for removing hooks from fish lips.
The crew changes from time to time (went on this boat a couple years ago on a full Saturday) but the current was also great and willing to help out with beginners.

As always this charter sucks!!! If you read my last review then you probably know what I am talking about. However, this time I called to make a reservation they supposedly put me down for three people. I called a day before to confirm and they did not have my reservation. This place has the worst customer service ever. Glad I called a day before or else l would have showed up without a reservation. When will this place get it right?

Entire 12 hour boat caught ZERO fish, no refund offered…
No one caught anything, as the one deckhand put it «the captain is an idiot»…We had a backup Captain, due to the main being on vacation, who clearly didn’t know what he was doing… We stopped to fish about a dozen times, yet they were all 5mins stops meaning by the time you got your bait into the water you hear over the intercom «nothing here, let’s move on»…Some dude was wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey and that was probably why no one caught anything…

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THE ¾ DAY PURSUIT FOR BEGINNERS OR FIRST TIMERS DURING SUCCESSFUL YELLOWTAIL SEASON (typically summer months). Yellow tail fish count has been high this summer so I decided to try the pursuit with one of my best friends and father in law. We have never fished for yellow tail so we did not know what to expect. Took the pursuit last Wednesday July 15, 2015 to celebrate my father in laws birthday. I want to forget this trip as much as possible.
Although my experience was one of the worst fishing trips ever the captain was awesome and knew where the fish were and took us there! There were lots of yellowtail biting, especially at the first spot he took us. The captain made every effort to ensure we were in the right spots to catch fish. One of the deckhands «Curtis» was super helpful, knowledgable and really wanted to help. He was engaged, attentive and made every effort to ensure everyone was having a good time and catching fish. The captain and Curtis are the reasons I would even give a star to this trip.
The experience and business model to fill the boat to capacity compels me to give this business no stars. It was a terrible fishing experience for me personally. The boat was extremely crowded! People were casting lines right over your line, which caused immediate tangles. A majority of the time you have to maneuver yourself around people and their lines. Most of the patrons were pushy, rude, inconsiderate and out for themselves. Which I guess will naturally happen on an excessively overcrowded boat with yellowtail biting.
If you’re an intermediate and or advanced angler and have fished for yellowtail you probably know what to expect in these situations. You have to be aggressive, you have to basically muscle your way in to key spots on the boat and act like other people do not matter in order for you to get your line out etc. Which is the nature of these type of fishing trips if you really want to catch fish.
If you choose to go on this trip I highly recommend you bring your own equipment or borrow someone’s. Bring a heavy reel with at least 30lb test line or braided line. And bring extra line since you’ll most likely get tangled and cut. Amidst the crowd I got three strong bites and lost them all due to my line snapping! I made the mistake of renting their poles. Their poles were not maintained, old and possibly the lines have not been changed for some time. My father in law and best friend experienced the same thing. They got 2 – 3 strong bites each but either lost their fish due to tangles or their lines snapping.
Lastly, the cook and the other deckhand lacked professionalism. They were cursing each other out and insulting each other in front of everyone in the galley. They were very nasty with each other, it felt like a Jerry Springer episode, definitely not something I would want my family to be around.
Again, I wouldn’t recommend this trip for first timers and families. If you want a pleasant experience, although it will cost more I’ve heard private charters are the way to go.

Out on the Pursuit once again. The captain, cook, and the crew are fantastic.
Charter with 976-​tuna.
FISHON.

We came. On the freedom on 4^th off July eve for over night fishing normally the boat go fishing on San Clemente island but it look like the captain was Taierd from good fishing all week so he jus take the boat to Catalina island with it save over s few he boating to San Clemente
We I call to see reports and how meany anglers on boat for this trip they told me with me and my fraind we are 12 max 20 anglers but when I show up we was 45 anglers on board more then dobel sevens I ask what is the size off the fish they reporting fishing they told me its 29 pounder and up what we catch its berly keeper and when I complaint to the deck hand a captin Jeff came to to like a gangster almost lift is hand on me lucky one off the angler see this and stop him this is my last time in this landing and I hop you do the same they care only befor you pay them they at Bach off laires the reports they post on line aren’t real don’t go with this boat freedom they are lazy help go with did rent landing not this guys

Terrible fishing experience on the Pursuit. Let me tell you, I think they loaded too many anglers. Everyone was trying to fight for a spot on the stern. Captain was only positioning that part of the boat when he spotted yellow tail. Then he would be in that spot for 5 minutes or less.
Cook and crew were bad mouthing customers. They absolutely hated when dad’s would take their «inexperienced little kids.» They hated the fact that their company had deals like 2 for Tuesdays. Everything out of their mouths was F%#*this and F%#* that!
We spent more time traveling then fishing. He took us all the way from San Pedro to Catalina Island!
Don’t waste your money! They don’t appreciate their customers! And listening to some of the other anglers don’t use Daveys Locker either.
Oxnard way better!

Our group of 10 booked our tickets online for $ 45 per person for a 12 hour fishing trip on the Pursuit! We went on a Wednesday from 6am to 6pm. It was extremely painful having to wake up at 3am and to leave by 4am in order to make it out to the landing in San Pedro before 6am. The boat leaves at 6am SHARP. I felt like such a zombie on crack! Upon arrival to the landing, you will need to claim your tickets, buy a fishing license, & if you need to rent a rod or/​and buy fishing supplies like gunny sacks, hooks, sinkers, tackle, etc., there’s an on site shop for all of those things.
On the boat, the deckhands in training, Blair and Anthony were so professional and very skilled! These 2 guys made our full day fishing trip that much more enjoyable. Adored them! Be sure to tip the crew!!! They are extremely helpful, sooo patient, funny, and work tirelessly to help those in need of assistance. They were untangling lines, gaffing, preparing bait, cleaning the decks, helping with catches, giving proper instructions, and helping everyone with their rigs and setups throughout the day. The galley cook, deckhand Gus, and the captain were all terrific. The waves were quite strong the day I went. 2 friends and I were the only ones out of our group of 10 who didn’t get seasick, thank goodness! Instead, I was hungry for most of the day, so I kept ordering grilled cheese & ham sandwiches from the tiny kitchen (which has sitting booths) on the 2^nd level of the boat! They had burgers, sandwiches, sodas, water, chips available for purchase.
Overall, the trip was a great experience. Deep sea fishing on a public charter like this isn’t glamorous, so prepare to see people vomit/​vomit yourself, to feel unkempt in certain areas on the boat (bed bunks, dated booths, the dirty and smelly bathroom), to feel overwhelmed by the stench and stains of fish, bait, fish guts on your hands/​body, and the unsightly view of blood if anybody reels in a big fish. So, mentally prepare yourself!!! The captain will take the boat out to many desirable fishing locations, but it takes about 2 – 3 hours to sail to the destinations from San Pedro. Many people on the boat caught yellowtail, various types of sea bass, different types of rock fish, and halibut. The deckhands will filet the fish for you for a small charge, too.
Happy fishing, everyone! Don’t forget to bring a hat, sunglasses, water (since it’s a bit expensive to purchase on the boat), and sunblock! Whatever you do, do NOT bring bananas. They are considered to be bad luck and the crew will go bat shit crazy on you if they see any!

I grew up fishing my entire life. I’ve fished out of almost every landing from Malibu all the way down to San Diego. But the Pursuit is the only boat I can vouch for wholeheartedly. And I’ll tell you why.
First of all, the crew is phenomenal. Captain John is as close to being a fish whisperer as any. This past Monday 5/​11, I set out for a full day fishing trip to Catalina Island. The previous days’ fish counts indicated that we’d be doing a lot of bottom fishing (targeting fish that live at the bottom of the sea: rockfish, boccacio, grouper, etc). Although it’s not the most exciting brand of fishing, any day out on the water is a good day by my count.
Anyway, that’s what I was expecting. Typically, it takes 3 hours to get from the landing to the fishing grounds. On this particular day though, we had been driving for four hours and we still hadn’t stopped. If I was on any other boat, I would have been irritated. But I trusted Captain John, knowing that if anyone was going to put us on the fish, it was him.
Suddenly, the boat stopped. This signaled to all the veteran anglers that the Captain had seen something on his fish finder. He told one of the deckhands to start chumming – scooping small amounts of the live sardines we had gotten at the bait barge and throwing them into the water to see if we could get any of the fish to bite. They did. From that moment, it was FISH ON!
Bent rods, fishermen scrambling from the railing to the bait well, men calling «Fresh one!» «Hook up!» «Get’em!» and all sorts of fishermen’s jargon that made me feel right at home. The fishing was incredible. I saw the biggest yellowtail I had ever seen being pulled up and over the deck left and right. It was, in short, an incredible experience. Two hours and two sore arms later, I had four of the biggest yellowtails I had ever caught in my sack. I couldn’t have been happier.
However, none of this would have been possible unless I hadn’t received play-​by-​play advice and guidance from one of the veteran deckhands, Gus. Gus taught me how to fight the fish, how to follow it around the railing, when to crank, when to let it go on a run. He did this all without making me feel like I had no idea what I was doing (which at many times was the case). And he also did this with his own brand of wry humor which cracked me up on multiple occasions.
In particular, there was one CRAZY situation where three of us were hooked up on Yellowtail at the same time. In the mêlée that ensued, our lines got tangled and it seemed like all the fish would be lost. Gus jumped into the middle of the fray, barked out instructions in an authoritative but calm manner, and even took the line that was connected to my fish, CUT IT, and then RETIED it back to my main line… all in a matter of seconds. Not only was I able to bring in my fish, but the other two anglers were able to bring theirs up as well. I was in awe.
They say that a boat is only as a good as its crew, and Gus proved that on Monday in spades.
All in all, if you’ve been looking to go fishing but just «haven’t had the time,» don’t let that stop you. And if you do decide to go, make sure it’s with the Pursuit out of 22^nd street. There’s no better boat out there – I guarantee it.
TIPS:
— Get to the landing EARLY. The Pursuit always leaves at 6am sharp. Ticket office opens at 5am, but if you want to get a good spot on the boat (which means the stern/​back), you need to get there by 4am… if not earlier.
— Make sure you make a reservation beforehand.
— Bring a variety of setups: 15lb test, 20lb test, 30lb test. You never know what kind of fishing you’ll encounter and you want to be ready for anything.
— As soon as you get onboard, hang up your gear/​tackle and make a beeline for the beds below deck. It’s a LONG ride out to Catalina and a LONG ride back. The beds are first come first serve. Reserve yours by throwing a sweater or backpack on it so that you can catch some rest on your way there and back.
— LISTEN TO THE DECKHANDS. They’ve been doing this EVERY DAY for more years than you can imagine. Don’t try to go rogue or «experiment.» 9 times out of 10, you’ll be wasting your time and missing out on the fishing.
— Bring cash. You’ll need to pay for gunny sacks (to put your fish in), galley tabs (whatever food/​soda/​beers you order during the trip), and fileting costs (the deckhands do a great job of fileting your fishing for you so that you don’t have to.
— If you’re flylining (aka using live bait like sardines/​anchovies), find the biggest, liveliest bait you can find and cast as far away from the boat as you can.
— Finally, RELAX. It’s called «fishing», not «catching.» Even if you’re not hitting as many fish as you had hoped, don’t let it get you down. Enjoy the cool breeze, the sun shimmering on the ocean’s surface, and drink it all up. If you do that, you’ll have a great time no matter what.

There is plenty of parking as well as several boats that will take you out in the Pacific ocean to fish. Trips can be as short as six hours or several days depending on your appetite for fishing. It’s best to call in advance for reservations, as some of the best boats fill up quickly when the fishing is hot. I personally prefer the freedom as it is one of the largest boats and as a consistently High fish count