First bluefin tuna of the season reported off Colonet

On February 4, the first bluefin tuna of the year was landed aboard the Eclipse at Colonet. It was reported as a small 15-pounder though signs are good for another epic season for the hard-fighting and highly-prized "sashimi meat" tuna.

The yellowtail action from Colonet south to Asunción is picking up quite a bit with many limits caught by those fishing from the Pacific side of the peninsula aboard pangas. The one caveat is weather: When the seas are calm enough for the boats to get out and fish, the yellows are still being found. Rockfishing along the northern Baja peninsula on the Pacific side has been very good as well, with some good-sized lings and reds coming over the rail. Whitefish are biting well on the flats near the high spots in 120-200 feet of water.

As it has been the last couple of years, there are a lot of red crab (also called pelagic crab, or tuna crab) in near and offshore waters off the Baja coast. As the year progresses, we should start seeing the little lobster-looking crabs on our local beaches again. There were so many red crab around last year that the rocks normally painted white by seagulls were pinkish by autumn.

Dock Totals January 29 - February 4

560 anglers aboard 37 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 111 yellowtail, 101 calico bass, 168 sand bass, 922 rockfish, 177 sanddab, 6 halfmoon, 1 rubberlip seaperch, 12 blacksmith, 1 spanish jack, 140 whitefish, 8 barracuda, 3 sheephead, 22 lingcod, 1 finescale triggerfish, 2 halibut, 44 mackerel and 558 sculpin.

Top performing boats of the week

January 29: The Tribute out of Seaforth Landing carrying 34 anglers to the Colonet area off Baja for a 1.5 day trip reported 90 whitefish, 3 lingcod, 90 rockfish and 2 yellowtail caught. The Eclipse, also out of Seaforth, called in with 107 yellowtail, 8 barracuda, 2 lingcod and 108 rockfish for the 16 anglers aboard their 2.5 day trip south of the border. The Electra out of Helgren’s Landing in Oceanside reported 130 sculpin and 50 sanddab caught by 26 anglers on a ½ day run. Running out of H&M Landing, the Relentless took 16 anglers south on a 1.5 day run and returned with limits of 160 rockfish. The Chubasco II carried 12 anglers out to the local kelp on a ½ day run and returned to the dock with a pair of sculpin and 25 keeper calico bass.

February 1: The Electra out of Helgren’s called in with 45 sanddab and 75 sculpin for the 15 anglers aboard their local ½ day run.

February 2 The Dolphin out of Fisherman’s Landing took a mere 8 anglers on a ½ day run and returned to the dock with 26 sand bass, 9 sculpin and 45 calico bass.

February 4: The Premier, on a half-day trip out of H&M Landing with 26 anglers at the rail reported 3 halfmoon, 18 sand bass, 4 calico bass and 6 sculpin in the gunnysacks. The Point Loma out of Point Loma Sportfishing fished near the Coronados on a ¾ day run with 17 anglers aboard and called in with 71 rockfish, 2 sculpin, 2 sheephead and 32 whitefish for the day. Running out of Fisherman’s Landing for a ½ day trip with 23 anglers aboard, the Dolphin returned to the dock with 10 calico bass, 14 sand bass and 6 sculpin.

Fish Plants: 2/10 Santee Lakes, trout (amount TBA, fish up to 12 pounds, tagged trout worth prizes), 2/14 Cuyamaca, trout (1,200)