Jesse Mena with large redear sunfish from Diamond Valley Lake.

Weekly Fish Report

½ Day - ¾ Day: Rockfish, sculpin, and calico bass are the main catch on the ½ day boats, with the occasional yellowtail. The ¾ day runs are concentrating on the good yellowtail bite at the Coronado Islands. Sea lions are in the action fairly thick at the Coronados, expect to lose about 30-50% of the yellows hooked if the bite is not full on. More anglers hooked up increases the odds of getting the fish to gaff instead of feeding a sea lion.

1 Day to 2.5 Day: There is a good showing of yellowtail off San Clemente Island. They have been biting yoyo-style lures, like Salas 6x jrs and Tady 9 in scrambled egg or blue and white. Down the coast, the lingcod and rockfish are the main catch, as the yellowtail have slowed down a bit in the cooler water past Ensenada to San Martin Island.

Freshwater: Low lake levels have concentrated the fish and, along with the trout stocks, seem to have fired up the big bass and catfish. Several largemouth bass over 10 pounds have been caught this past month, including 3 over 12 pounds out of Lake Dixon alone. All the lower elevation lakes have been steady on redear sunfish and largemouth bass.

Baja: Still fishing a summer/winter mix down in the southern Baja, with striped marlin, good-sized yellowfin tuna, and roosterfish showing along with the normal pargo, cabrilla and sierra for this time of year. Yellowtail are showing well from Bahia De Los Muertos and Cerralvo Island north to Mulege.

Whale Report: A federal court announced on March 31 that the U.S. Navy’s five-year plan for training and testing activities harms millions of marine mammals, including whales and dolphins, while conducting high-intensity sonar exercises and underwater detonations. The U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii, found that the National Marine Fisheries Service — the agency charged with protecting marine mammals — violated multiple requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act when agreeing to the Navy’s plan.

Trout Plants: 04/15/15 Cuyamaca (1200), Poway (1500) 04/22/15 Dixon (4500), Wohlford (1500)