Yellowfin top the counts

Weekly Fish Report

½ Day - ¾ Day: The calico bass bite is in full force off the kelp in 20 to 80 feet of water and the sand bass are on the chew in their normal haunts off the flats in 60-100’. Yellowtail have been showing well in the ½ day counts, especially in the afternoon along with a sporadic barracuda/bonito bite. The yellowfin tuna are still close and taunting the ½ and ¾ day boats away from the kelp edge and out into open water.

1 Day to 2.5 Day: Several large bluefin tuna approaching 200 pounds have been reported caught in San Diego waters within 1 day range. Most of these fish are fat with bellies full of pelagic crabs. Even so, the bluefin bite has slowed a bit and the yellowfin tuna and dorado have taken over as the main offshore attraction. Dorado and yellowtail can be found under or near most kelp paddies offshore and tuna under birds or porpoise.

July 19-25 Dock Totals: 6,777 anglers aboard 259 boats out of San Diego landings caught 4,517 yellowfin tuna, 859 bluefin tuna, 3,207 yellowtail, 933 dorado, 730 rockfish, 26 skipjack tuna, 3 white seabass, 874 calico bass, 1,523 sand bass, 13 lingcod, 458 barracuda, 10 sheephead, 23 halibut, 130 mackerel, 65 bonito, 2 sculpin 1 cabezon, 5 spotted bay bass and 1 opah.

Freshwater: Most area lakes are at very low levels. Southerland, Barrett and Morena are well under 10% of capacity at 8.0%, 5.5% and 3.0%, respectively. El Capitan is at 27.9%, Hodges is at 36.4% and San Vicente is at 47.3%. The healthier city reservoirs are Lower Otay at 75.2%, Miramar at 82.6% and Murray at 88.3%. The city-wide average is now at 40% of capacity. Lakes Meade and Powell combined are at 40% as well.

Whale Report: There are still lots of blue whales in the area, with many sightings of cows with calves in the mix. Expect to see large pods of common dolphin offshore and a few bottlenose inshore as well. The great fishing and large amount of bait in the water has made for a lively summer season as large tuna boils and occasional predatory sharks, including a couple of rare for the area hammerheads, have been sighted.

Fish Plants: 07/31/15 Santee Lakes (1000)