Yellowtail numbers drop dramatically

A lot of boats went out and worked hard for the tuna with mixed results from a long boat ride for nada to maybe a fish per rod on the best runs. It doesn’t seem to matter whether a ¾ day run or multi-day trip, the fish are out there, it’s more so if the fish will cooperate. The fish are there as spotter planes and boats continue to sight and meter schools but the tunny have been just a bit tight-lipped when it comes to eating a lure or bait this past week. Inshore fishing is heating up with calico bass on the feed in the kelp and rockfish are biting well on the high spots. The release versus kept ratio on the calicos dropped a bit from 10-1 to 8-1 indicating more bass over the 14” minimum length are being caught. The Coronado’s continue to produce the best yellowtail fishing for decent-sized models in the 20-pound class and though there are still schools of the smallish yellows around they weren’t mobbing the boats and the catch total on the jacks dropped about 70% from the previous week(s). Notably, two more opah were caught this past week; one on an overnight run and one on a 2.5 day run. These rarely-caught and colorful fish are excellent table fare, but there is no commercial fishery for them as nets or longlines don’t usually get them. In 2014, three large opah weighing in at 151, 180 and 124 pounds caught on the same trip aboard the San Diego-based long-range sportboat, the Excel, made the list of oddest catches in the world.

Dock Totals 5/28 – 6/3: 2645 anglers aboard 109 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 197 bluefin tuna, 12 yellowfin tuna, 286 yellowtail, 133 calico bass, 15 sand bass, 4,659 rockfish, 537 sanddab, 33 lingcod, 123 bonito, 1 barracuda, 149 sculpin, 36 mackerel, 95 whitefish, 17 sheephead, 3 halibut and 2 opah.

Top performing boats of the week:

6/3: The Pacific Voyager called in with 21 yellowtail and 20 bluefin tuna for the 17 anglers aboard their 2 day trip.

6/2: 28 anglers aboard the Liberty ¾ day run caught 15 bonito, 28 bluefin tuna and 15 yellowtail.

5/31: The Dolphin returned to the dock with 1 sculpin, limits of 40 rockfish and 1 lingcod for the 4 anglers on their ½ day run. The Mission Belle called in 6 bonito and 12 yellowtail for their ¾ day run south with 6 anglers aboard.

5/30: 20 anglers aboard the San Diego ¾ day run south accounted for 24 bonito and 25 yellowtail caught.

5/28: 13 anglers aboard the Point Loma ¾ day run caught limits of rockfish (130) and 8 sculpin.

Fish Plants: 6/13 Lake Cuyamaca, Trout (1,200)