Vermillion rockfish

Inshore: Rockfish continue to dominate the local catch as is usual for this time of year. Bonito are biting well on the surface just off the kelp edges and the calico bass are turning on when the current is right. Try letting just about any 5”-9” plastic grub or swimbait freefall along and parallel to the kelp. Best colors are root beer or reddish-orange as the tuna crabs are still around. Some good sized yellowtail are being caught on the yoyo iron in 100-150 feet of water when found. Meter those depths for marks along the canyon edges, 9-Mile Bank or off the Coronado Islands and let the jigs drop to the bottom, wind up ¼ to ½ way back up and let them fall again.

Outside: Yellowtail are biting well on the yoyo iron down the coast of Baja into and south of the cool water plume from Punta Banda to Vizcaíno Bay. The same area is producing good action on reds and large whitefish to 8 pounds. 5-day and longer boats venturing to Cedros and points south are still getting wahoo to bite on the high spots as well as some yellowtail surface action and decent yellowfin tuna to 80 pounds. Further south, the offshore banks off Bahia Magdalena and Cabo San Lucas are turning out some large yellowfin tuna to 300 pounds and the occasional large dorado.

12/20 - 12/26 Dock Totals: 562 anglers aboard 19 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 61 yellowtail, 54 calico bass, 27 sand bass, 964 rockfish, 33 sheephead, 94 bonito, 12 whitefish, 2 lingcod, 100 mackerel, 1 giant seabass (released) and 1 white seabass (released).

Long-Range: Report from the Red Rooster III 10-day trip from 12/13-12/23 to the Alijos Rocks/ Bahia Magdelena area: 100 yellowfin tuna to 292.2 pounds, 20 wahoo to 63.2 pounds, 10 yellowtail and 20 grouper. 1st place jackpot was a 292.2 pound yellowfin tuna caught by David Atherton of San Diego, Ca., the 2nd place jackpot a 208.6 pound yellowfin tuna caught by Ed Samay of Red Bluff, Ca., 3rd place jackpot 200.2 pouinds yellowfin tuna caught Robert Cohn of Van Nuys, Ca. and trolling jackpot was a 63.2 pound wahoo caught by Kurt Miller of Fairbanks, Al.

Scheduled trout plants (lbs): 1/1 Santee Lakes (800), 1/2 Wohlford (N/A), 1/4 Jennings (2000), 1/5 Cuyamaca (1000)