Slow trolled greenback mackerel for local yellowtail

Inshore: The yellowtail continue to show well off the Coronado Islands for the ¾-day boats running south of the line. As the water temps hover around 62 degrees, the yellowtail have been both on the surface in their summertime feeding mode and down deep, which is more typical in cooler water during winter months. Still, the surface bite on the iron can be a bit sketchy and most of the fish are being caught on the yoyo iron off the islands. Not so off La Jolla, where the kayakers are loading up on quality yellows, mostly on a fly-lined 8- to 10-inch live greenback mackerel on the slow troll. Also near the Coronados, the San Diego picked up a double handful of bluefin tuna on a ¾-day outing.

Outside: The overnight and 1.5 day trips are focusing on the deep yellowtail bite off the coast near Punta Colonet, about 150 miles south of San Diego. Along with the yellows, they are getting occasional lingcod and good-sized reds and vermilions. Bluefin tuna have been showing up occasionally inside 10 miles off the coast, though they are a bit finicky. That said, the boats finding a good weather slot for an offshore run out to the 60 Mile Bank are reporting a solid bite when they get on the fish.

3/27 – 4/2 Dock Totals: 1624 anglers aboard 69 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 147 bluefin tuna, 703 yellowtail, 38 calico bass, 99 sand bass, 3,186 rockfish, 13 lingcod, 988 sculpin, 30 bonito, 76 sanddab, 142 barracuda, 37 halfmoon, 14 blacksmith, 46 sheephead, 53 whitefish, 139 mackerel, 11 bocaccio, 4 halibut and 6 chili pepper.

Whale Watch: Though the season is about over for most operations as the gray whale migration winds up and before the summer blue whale season, there are still whales out there and options for an excursion to view them. April sightings of grays with calves still straggling up the line, a few humpbacks and large pods of dolphin are not uncommon. San Diego Whale Watch is running trips year-round out of Mission Bay. Also, boats are available for group charters at most landings. Also, those that want to have a chance at a real close encounter can join one of the guided kayak tours out of La Jolla, though you obviously need to be healthy, able to swim, and meet minimum age requirements.

Scheduled fish plants (lbs): 4/6 Wohlford, trout (1500), Dixon, trout (1500), 4/12 Cuyamaca, trout (1000), 4/13 Poway, trout (1500)