Yellows on the beach

Inshore: There were some thrills for kayakers as a couple hammerhead sharks were spotted just offshore. The sand bass tapered off a bit last week though they are still being caught on the flats in 50-80 feet of water. Calico bass are still in the kelp and eating the plastics and bait voraciously in anywhere from 20 to 80 feet of water. Bonito and barracuda are still cruising just off the kelp with a few local yellowtail in the mix.

Outside: Warm water and plentiful bait has the pelagic species moving north steadily. Yellowfin, skipjack and bluefin tuna are being found all over the chart outside. Whether on kelp paddies, dolphin, or under working birds, odds are, if there is activity, there are tuna, dorado or yellowtail feeding. Striped marlin and shortbill spearfish are still being caught within one-day range of Point Loma.

8/30 - 9/5 Dock Totals: 6,552 anglers aboard 259 boats out of San Diego landings caught 13,610 yellowfin tuna, 583 bluefin tuna, 1,483 yellowtail, 4,660 dorado, 2,844 skipjack tuna,1 white seabass, 1,043 calico bass, 272 sand bass, 6 lingcod, 208 barracuda, 518 rockfish, 20 sheephead, 8 halibut, 2,824 bonito, 4 sculpin, 2 whitefish, 8 Spanish jack, 1 cabezon, 5 striped marlin and 3 shortbill spearfish.

Freshwater: The old saying goes, “When summer turns to autumn and leaves begin to fall, that’s when you hear the big cats call.” Mackerel, chicken livers, night-crawlers and even hot dogs are working well on the “whiskers” in most area lakes. Largemouth bass are feeding in 10 to 30 feet of water off points during the day and up on the edges in the late evening. Try the plastics on the drop shot when the sun is high and the shallow running rattletraps or Rapala-type lures near dusk. The next scheduled catfish plant is 1,000 pounds on September 11 at Santee Lakes.

Northern Baja Pacific Coast: As you work south of the Coronado Islands towards Ensenada the inshore fishing is fantastic for good grade yellowtail and calico bass. A little further offshore, the tuna and dorado are putting anglers gear to task. South of Ensenada to Santa Maria Bay, cooler water inside is keeping the tuna, marlin, dorado, and even a few wahoo 12+miles offshore. Closer inshore, it is all about the yellowtail. Yesterday, yellowtail to 35 pounds were caught within casting distance of the beach in 10 feet of water inside and east of Cabo San Quintin.