Bluefin tuna

Weekly fishing report

Inshore: The spotty weather early in the week put bit of a damper on the local inshore fishing out of San Diego landings. Even so, the rockfish and sheephead counts were very good considering the relatively low turnout of anglers. Calico bass are eating well when the currents are right for getting a bait or plastic along and between the kelp. Sand bass and a few halibut are being caught off the edges of the reefs and on the flats in 30 – 80 feet of water. The barracuda bite from last week all but disappeared while the lingcod count more than doubled.

Outside: Yellowtail are still biting very well off the Coronado Islands as well as occasional offshore paddies, if found, and banks. Skipjack and yellowfin tuna are still showing occasionally within ¾ day range, though most are found a bit further outside off the ridges from the 30-Mile Bank down to the Mushroom Bank. There are still some dorado, wahoo and marlin being found in the same areas as the tuna schools on the warmer side of the temp breaks, especially when there are lots of spooked flying fish or birds working. Anglers can now take two bluefin tuna per day in Mexican waters as it has been confirmed by CONAPESCA, the Mexican fishing authority, that the ban on the highly prized tuna has been lifted.

11/1 – 11/7 Dock Totals: 1,325 anglers aboard 70 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 6 wahoo, 386 yellowfin tuna, 4 bluefin tuna, 1,226 yellowtail, 52 dorado, 232 skipjack tuna, 385 calico bass, 237 sand bass, 4 barracuda, 3,258 rockfish, 97 sheephead, 1 rubberlip seaperch, 4 halibut, 399 bonito, 27 whitefish, 50 lingcod, 2 white seabass, 62 bocaccio, 20 sculpin, 1 striped marlin and 12 spiny lobster.

In the tap water: Kicking off the trout season in lower elevation San Diego county, Santee Lakes 2, 3 & 4 shared 2,500 pounds of rainbows from Jess Ranch Trout Farm on November 7 & 8. They stocked several trophy trout to over 10 pounds as well as their usual tagged fish for prizes during the season opener. The catfish are still biting well, though the last stock was at lakes 3 & 4 on October 16. Santee Lakes stocks the most catfish in San Diego with 24,000 pounds planted this past season. Their next trout plant (800 pounds) is scheduled for November 20.