Catfish season approaches

Weekly Fish Report

½ Day - ¾ Day: Rockfish, sculpin and calico bass are the main catch on the ½ day boats. The kayakers are starting to get bit by the white seabass. I expect this to be a good spring for the big croakers. ¾ day trips to the Coronado Islands are still putting up good numbers on the yellows as well as lingcod, rockfish and bonito. Sand bass, halibut and calicos are starting to show.

1 Day to 2.5 Day: The yellowtail have slowed down a bit in the cool water between Ensenada and San Quintin, though the rockfish and lingcod are coming in good numbers and with size. Bonito and barracuda are abundant off the kelp edges in 100’ of water from Ensenada south.

Long-Range - Baja: Though the water has cooled a bit at Alijos Rocks, the wahoo are still on the chew there. Down at the Hurricane Bank the big yellowfin tuna are biting slow in the morning and then pretty much shutting down after noon.

Freshwater: On March 27, Santee Lakes will kick off the catfish season with a plant of 2,000 pounds of channel catfish for their opener on the 28th and 29th. There will be prizes for the five largest fish. March through October, Santee Lakes will stock a total of 24,000 pounds of Channel Catfish.

Whale Report: To date this season, Birch Aquarium’s Flagship Cruise has reported 713 gray whales, 12 humpback whales, 7,250 common dolphins, 1,260 Pacific white-sided dolphins, 53 bottlenose dolphins, 235 Risso’s dolphins and 30 pilot whales.

Trout Plants: 03/25/15 Dixon (3000), Wohlford (1500) 04/01/15 Cuyamaca (1200), Poway (1500)

Catfish Plants: 03/27/15 Santee Lakes (2000)