Anchovies?

[fishmounter]

I have been away from the saltwater way too long, so I have no clue.. Are live anchovies available anymore, do they still net them by the thousands, or are they pretty much a thing of the past? Used to be that when you rented a skiff in NPH, you would get plenty of live anchovies, enough to last all morning. Last time I rented a skiff, they gave us some big live sardines, actually too big for the bay. Now I hear they give you a bag of frozen squid? Do the bait receivers that are in most of our major harbors have anchovies?

[vanillagurilla]

Most times they do, Davies locker no longer has love bait at the dock and hasn't for quite a few years. The bait barge near the end of the harbor usually has anchovies or sardine, some times both and some times only one. I went out Saturday in my boat out of Los Alamitos and all they had was squid, no fin bait. Don't count out the big sardines, I've caught 14" Halibut on 7-8" sardines in nph.

[DockRat]

Been lots of Chovies around. Sardines have been off and on. Talked to a commercial (rod/reel) guy today and he has been using dead squid and doing good on the Sand/Cali bass.
People have to learn how to fish the Chovy cause they have been using Dines the last few years. Whole new ball game for the noobs. Lighter gear, #2 hooks ect.
DR

[bobabocker]

Havent seen a dine north of davys in like 3 years.... been fly lining chovies or the occasional squish they manage to bring in. It's either that or pull the octopie straight out of whatever fish pukes it up when you bring them on deck.

[FrankyG]

I fished Newport harbor on Monday in a rental skiff with my buddy blakeB, the bait barge had live squid for sale and chovies. The chovies were nice sized ones as wel. Hope this helps

[etucker1959]

Been lots of Chovies around. Sardines have been off and on. Talked to a commercial (rod/reel) guy today and he has been using dead squid and doing good on the Sand/Cali bass.
People have to learn how to fish the Chovy cause they have been using Dines the last few years. Whole new ball game for the noobs. Lighter gear, #2 hooks ect.
DR
So true!!!!!!! In the 70's and early 80's there was no such thing as a sardine for bait. Exotic game fish will eat chovy's just fine, as DR said, "it's a whole new ball game." Or as the old timers would say, "It's old school all over again." I feel this is going to be a cracker jack season, with WFT off of Newport in August. Better start practicing now on how to fly line a chovy on #30 test. lol Here's something else I never thought I would be doing again locally, fly lining a big green back mackerel for yellowtail!!!!!! As soon as the squid dries up during the summer, it's going to be mackerel time at our local Islands. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!

[DockRat]

5" to 8" Sardines at Oceanside, Dana and Newport bait barges. SP Bait has squid and 4" Chovies.
DR