Black and Blue warm-up almost all blue

Inshore: The barracuda seemed to disappear this past week while bonito numbers held steady. The calico bass bite is still pretty good, but the average size is going back down, judging by the kept/release ratio of one for five. A couple weeks ago, it was about one kept for every two caught. Though the kayak and private boats are getting a few yellowtail, seems like they are thinning out quite a bit for the inshore sportboats. The ¾-day boats are getting a few yellowfin tuna in the mix outside the Coronado Islands.

Outside: Yellowfin tuna and bluefin tuna traded places in the counts this past week, with bluefin jumping from 627 to over 2000 and yellowfin dropping to under 1000. Dorado numbers are about the same as the week previous, but half of those were caught Sunday and their numbers have tapered off. Faith, a six-pack out on a two-day trip landed seven striped marlin (six released), which would be a good day on the East Cape of Baja. The Overnight up to 2.5-day trips are accounting for the good bluefin numbers, most of which are between 60 and 100 pounds.

8/28 – 9/3 Dock Totals: 4962 anglers aboard 235 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 172 dorado, (627) 2,181 bluefin tuna, (2,528) 994yellowfin tuna, 519 yellowtail, 606 calico bass, 32 sand bass, 3,453 rockfish, 22 lingcod, 32 sculpin, 815 bonito, 7 barracuda, 96 sheephead, 6 halibut, 2 halfmoon, 48 sanddab, 66 whitefish, 2 rubberlip seaperch, 33 bocaccio, 28 mackerel and 7 striped marlin ( 6 released).

Notable: As I wait for more on why the Invicta went down at the Coronados, I can report that the Bisbee East Cape Offshore Tournament went off with a strong entry field and a strong blue marlin bite. 430 anglers in 65 teams hit the Sea of Cortez from the launch at the hosting Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort for three days of points fishing. The tourney is considered a warm up for the Black and Blue coming up in October. There was one black marlin, 112 blue marlin (maybe a record number for any one tournament), 1 dorado, 14 sailfish, 36 striped marlin and 4 yellowfin tuna caught. The winner weighed in a blue marlin at 427 pounds and earned the crew aboard Bullrider $340,701.88. The top gamefish, a yellowfin tuna weighing 111 pounds netted the Pangalisa anglers and captain $108,900, or just under $1000 per pound.

Fish Plants: No plants scheduled this week.