Fisherman's Landing

Top two halibut in derby caught by angler Mike Lagrisola (center) within 20 minutes of each other

Dock Totals:

Feb 25 - Mar 3: 1114 anglers aboard 55 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 518 yellowtail, 67 calico bass, 53 sand bass, 3,065 rockfish, 247 whitefish, 13 lingcod, 10 bonito, 13 halibut, 234 sculpin, 425 sanddab, 43 sheephead, 127 bocaccio, 10 California lizardfish, and 16 spiny lobster.

Saltwater:

Opening day for rockfish was nestled nicely between two cold fronts and was somehow calm, warmish, and with light seas. The groundfish cooperated as well as the weather, and the sand bass and sculpin got a break from the pressure as boats scattered to their favorite spots where the deeper reefs and canyons hold large reds, vermilions and lingcod. The ¾ to 1.5 day boats going south of the border scratched up some yellowtail at a 2 or 3 fish per rod pace, but most of the effort was concentrated on the bottom. Still, when found biting, the yellowtail are eating yoyo iron and surface jigs.

The ongoing Wednesday halibut tournament on the Dolphin out of Fisherman's Landing ended on February 28th with a bang: Angler Mike Lagrisola used a "bounce ball" type setup with a live sardine to catch the largest two fish of the eight week long winner-take-all tournament. Mr. Lagrisola took home $2950 for his winning 43 pound halibut…that was caught just 20 minutes after landing a 23 pound halibut, which was the leading fish to that point. That is the true testament of the bounce-ball success when targeting halibut.

Typically, a three-way swivel is used with about two feet of leader going to the weight and a three foot leader to the hook. A baitfish, live or dead, is pinned on the hook and with the weight large enough to drag or "bounce" along the bottom causing a bit of "commotion," the halibut is attracted to the bait that is trailing along, just above the ocean floor. The bounce ball is the most common technique used by anglers in the northeastern Pacific while targeting the larger Pacific halibut that grow to several hundred pounds and live in deeper water.

California halibut get to about 60 pounds, and fish over 50 pounds are very rare. They tend to hang out in shallower water than the Pacific halibut and thus can be targeted with a broader range of tactics, including plastics on leadheads and even spoons casted and retrieved from the beach.

Top boats of the week:

Feb 25 - The Chief 1.5 day trip with 29 anglers called in with 290 rockfish. 43 anglers aboard the Liberty full day run to the Coronado Islands caught 86 yellowtail.

Feb 26 - 63 yellowtail, 20 rockfish, and 1 halibut were caught by 20 anglers aboard the San Diego full day trip south of the border.

Feb 28 - The Dolphin called in with 14 sculpin, 6 sand bass, and 36 halibut caught on the final day of their ongoing halibut tournament with 48 anglers aboard. 31 halibut were released.

Mar 1 - The New Seaforth ½ day run with 25 anglers aboard called in with 208 rockfish, 4 lingcod, 2 sheephead, and 15 whitefish caught.

Mar 2 - The Electra out of Oceanside reported 2 sculpin, 15 sanddab, 32 rockfish, 7 bocaccio, 41 mackerel and 55 whitefish caught by 9 anglers aboard their ¾-day run.

Fish Plants:

3/9 - Santee Lakes, trout (TBD)

3/13 - Cuyamaca, trout (1200)