The rockfish bite locally and south of the line is heating up with lots of reds and vermilions coming over the rail. The lingcod numbers, along with whitefish, dropped off a little even though they tend to bite well along with the rockfish. Sometimes, it is just a matter of getting a bait or jig down through the rockfish and the rockfish just won’t allow it. For that reason, when targeting lingcod in a good bite, I like to use a large plastic on a head large enough to get it down. Something around 8” with a lot of flashy flakes in it, regardless of color. Then, I’ll add a whole sardine or a strip of mackerel to up the action. This is not a guarantee to avoid the reds — the big ones will certainly eat a big plastic, but it does limit the little guys from eating up the bait before a ling or bigger rockfish does.

The yellowtail bite is pretty solid for the ¾ day boats out looking for the bluefin tuna. A lot of these fish are about 10 to 15 pounds but there have been a few in the 20s, the larger coming from closer in along the kelp beds off La Jolla. The smaller yellowtail are about 3 years old now and are probably entering their first year of sexual maturity and some anglers are keeping one or two and releasing the rest. The bluefin tuna are still around and biting well at times, while other times they seem to have sewn their lips shut. That’s early season tuna fishing. The fact that they are in U.S. waters and within ¾ day range makes the gamble worth it for most anglers, especially if a slow day on the tuna includes near limits of yellowtail.

Nearly 2000 anglers showed up to the landings last week, the fishing was very good all around, and as far as I can tell, nobody is crying the blues.

Dock Totals 3/26 – 4/1: 1,914 anglers aboard 71 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 84 bluefin tuna, 1,562 yellowtail, 3 calico bass, 9 sand bass, 3,395 rockfish, 371 sanddab, 6 halfmoon, 8 lingcod, 4 halibut, 5 bonito, 170 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 40 bocaccio, 1 rubberlip seaperch and 15 whitefish.

Top performing boats of the week

4/1 - It was no foolin’ when the Dolphin took 25 anglers out on a ¾ day run for limits of 125 yellowtail. The Tribute went offshore overnight with 33 anglers aboard and reported 13 bluefin tuna and 93 yellowtail caught.

3/31 – 38 anglers aboard the Electra ½ day run out of Oceanside caught a nice mix of 2 sculpin, 111 sanddab, 37 rockfish, 1 halibut and 6 bocaccio.

3/30 – The Malihini called in from their ¾ day run carrying 39 anglers with 1 bluefin tuna and 174 yellowtail in the gunnysacks.

3/29 – 22 anglers aboard the Liberty for a ¾ day offshore run caught 23 bluefin tuna and 20 yellowtail. The Sea Adventure II, also offshore on a ¾ day run, reported 21 bluefin tuna and 34 yellowtail for their 23 anglers at the rail.

3/26 – The Pacific Queen carried 19 anglers out on a 1.5 day trip and returned to the dock with limits of 95 yellowtail and 1 bluefin tuna. The Malihini also scored limits of 165 yellowtail and picked up 2 bluefin tuna along the way for the 33 anglers aboard their ¾ day run.

Fish Plants: April 11, Lake Cuyamaca, trout (1,200)