Vermilion rockfish. Counts went up per angler for the bottom-dwellers.

Saltwater

Dock Totals Sept 24 – Sept 30: 4,080 anglers aboard 175 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 113 bluefin tuna, 5,312 yellowfin tuna, 567 skipjack tuna, 825 dorado, 1,215 yellowtail, 184 calico bass, 60 sand bass, 3,838 rockfish, 13 lingcod, 175 bonito, 2 barracuda, 363 whitefish, 73 sheephead, 5 halibut, 3 sanddab, 2 bocaccio and 1 striped marlin

Though the fishing for pelagic species on the surface remained good into the first week of autumn, more of the local ½ and ¾ day runs are focusing on rockfish. That is why the counts went up per angler for the bottom-dwellers over the week previous, including whitefish, vermilion rockfish and red rockfish as well as lingcod and sheephead. That said, the boats looking for kelp patties, birds working or porpoise porpoising are finding scattered spots of yellowfin, skipjack, and bluefin tuna still within a day’s run out of San Diego.

Yellowtail and dorado are showing well in the counts-per-angler over the week previous, especially considering there were over 1,500 fewer anglers and a lot less of a ‘parking lot’ on the various fishing grounds from San Clemente Island south to the border and beyond. Though there were a few packed extended ¾ day runs, most of the boats running had plenty of elbow room for the anglers aboard.

Along the surf zone on the sandy stretches, the shallows have been turning out some California corbina and barred surf perch for the anglers targeting them, especially where there are sand crabs and along the edges of the rip current channels whether perpendicular or parallel to the beach. Areas sometimes overlooked by anglers fishing the beaches are alongside the piers and smaller sheltered beaches between the bluffs, jetties and rock outcroppings.

Usually, a regular surf rig or Carolina rig with a #6 or #8 hook and a fingertip-sized sand crab or two casted just beyond the first break will do the trick. Along with the surf perch and corbina, expect the occasional yellowfin or spotfin croaker, shovelnose sand shark or stingray. The latter of which are fairly thick, so always do the stingray shuffle.

Top boats of the week:

Sept 30 – 15 anglers aboard the Voyager overnight run caught limits of 75 yellowfin tuna along with 19 skipjack tuna.

Sept 29 – The Pegasus called in with limits of 170 yellowfin tuna and limits of 68 dorado for the 17 anglers aboard their 2.5 day trip. The Diawa Pacific returned to the dock with limits of bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna with 30 and 75 respectively for the 15 anglers aboard their overnight run.

Sept 28 – 28 anglers aboard the Tribute overnight run put 20 skipjack tuna, 1 yellowtail and 133 yellowfin tuna in the hold.

Sept 27 – The Condor reported double limits with 22 dorado and 55 yellowfin for the 11 anglers aboard their 1.5 day trip.

Sept 26 – 1 dorado, 117 yellowtail and 142 yellowfin tuna were caught by the 17 anglers aboard the Pacific Voyager on a 3 day run.

Sept 25 – 20 anglers aboard the Mustang overnight trip caught limits of 40 dorado along with 52 yellowfin tuna.

Sept 24 – The Dolphin reported 1 dorado 99 yellowfin tuna and 4 skipjack tuna caught by the 44 anglers aboard their ¾ day run offshore.

Fish Plants: No plants this week.