Yellowtail (hamachi)

Inshore: Though there were very light loads with few boats leaving the dock this past week, the yellowtail continue to chew on the yoyo iron and dropper-looped live bait in 120 feet of water near structure or metered bait. The Coronado Islands, the 9 Mile Bank and La Jolla are the best local areas for both the jacks and the better-sized rockfish. La Jolla is also producing a few very nice white seabass for the kayakers stealthily fishing live mackerel or whole squid in 80 to 100 feet of water off the kelp edge. ¾ day trips are concentrating on the yellows and rockfish at the Islands. Along with an occasional yellowtail or halibut, half-day boats are getting a few calico bass, seaperch, sheephead and lots of sculpin.

Outside: It is early in the season for the spring Baja Coast 1.5 day runs and the fishing has been very productive for the anglers aboard those trips. Most boats are running one trip a week south to the high spots within 125 miles of the border, though, with the tuna all gone within 5-day range since mid-November, expect those coastal yellowtail trips to increase. The Vagabond scored 111 yellowtail and 159 rockfish on their last outing. 35 anglers aboard the Pacific Queen hauled 152 yellowtail and 70 rockfish over the rail. The Chief ran with 18 anglers and returned to the dock with 103 rockfish and 26 yellowtail in the hold.

1/31 – 2/6 Dock Totals: 235 anglers aboard 13 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 378 yellowtail, 5 calico bass, 9 sand bass, 661 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 1 lingcod, 82 sculpin, 5 rubberlip seaperch, 4 bonito, 100 sanddab and 40 mackerel.

Freshwater: All the local lakes that plant trout are reporting very good catches of trophy trout to 11 pounds. Lakes Poway, Wohlford, Jennings and the Santee lakes have all accumulated a decent population of stockers, including several large fish over 6 pounds per load. As usual, this is firing up the chunkier largemouth bass in deeper water. Also noted over past years, as the stocking year progresses and a percentage of those fish die as they adjust or break off after being hooked, the catfish tend to get more active on cutbait, especially mackerel. Crappie are biting well in the brush at Lake Wohlford, with a couple ‘barn door’ sized slabs reported at over 2 pounds.

Scheduled trout plants (lbs): Feb. 12, Santee Lakes (800), Feb. 15, Jennings (1000), Feb. 17, Poway (1500)