Intrepid Sportfishing

Antonio Rosales with his 142.2-pound jackpot winning bluefin caught aboard the Intrepid using a knife jig.

Dock Totals 4/16– 4/29: 3509 anglers aboard 151 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 2607 bluefin tuna (up to 180 pounds), 2 bocaccio, 243 bonito, 3 calico bass, 16 lingcod, 9357 rockfish, 10 sand bass, 59 sanddab, 158 sculpin, 40 sheephead, 4 queenfish, 203 whitefish, and 279 yellowtail.

Saltwater: Bluefin and rockfish were the stars of the San Diego fishing scene through the last two weeks of April. As the county shuddered off the effects of a wet and cold winter during the first half of the month, bluefin began filling in the area from the ‘Corner’ south to the Finger Bank off Ensenada. Most of the early-caught tuna were in the 18- to 25-pound range, but as the numbers rose, so did the average weight. The new arrival ‘footballs’ are still out there but are more mixed in with previous years’ schools that are between their arrival and departure weight. Over the past couple weeks, several fish over 100 pounds hit the decks of 1.5- to 3-day boats. With this and better conditions offshore, anglers are gearing up and booking trips. The count rose from 230 fish caught during the first half of April to 2607 caught over the second half of the month.

A short explanation is merited here, as most migratory or pelagic species come and go every season. Bluefin tuna are different. Every year, some come to the eastern Pacific, and some depart. Those that come stay a few years before returning to their spawning grounds. Thus, we’ll see fish anywhere from 15 to 400 pounds in our area every year. Once they return to their spawning grounds in the Sea of Japan at around five to seven years old, northern Pacific bluefin tuna stay put, and can grow to over 1000 pounds. There is no evidence of them spawning in the eastern Pacific, and very few bluefin, historically, have been caught off California or Baja at over 400 pounds. The world record northern Pacific Bluefin tuna is 907 pounds and was caught off New Zealand by Donna Pascoe in 2014.

As water temps remain a little lower than other pelagic species prefer, yellowtail numbers are creeping up slowly, and rockfish is still the main target for shorter trips and boats not targeting bluefin. That said, yellows are showing everywhere from the Coronado Islands to off San Quintin in smaller schools, and signs are good for the year moving forward. Still, if you’re yearning for hot yellowtail action this time of year, a trip to the Sea of Cortez anywhere from Gonzaga Bay to La Paz will get you on them. Be sure to take your heavier gear if you do go south; Baja yellowtail are caught in waters with a lot of reef rocks, and those fish down there know how to use them to break you off. In our area, an angler can get away with 20-pound test and a fly-lined bait. In Baja, you will need heavy line: at least 40-pound, and many go to 60 or 80-pound braid mainline with a 40 or 50 lb leader just to be able to have a chance to wrench the fish away from the rocks.

For those trudging the beaches, surf fishing has been great for barred surf perch. Though sand crabs are still thin, perch have been hitting plastics near rips and alongshore cuts at the beaches from Pacific Beach and up the coast, with the action improving as you go north. Many of these fish are in spawn mode and are full of baby perch. Those ready to birth will often start dumping live fry under the stress of the fight, but if not, a slight squeeze of the belly near the vent will usually release those that are ready. Under close examination, barred surf perch can be sexed by the number of openings between the anal and pelvic fins. Males will have two openings and maybe a lump, females will have three openings. But really, it can be hard to see the tiny urinary vent closest to the anal fin on either. Males have the “genital lump” only during mating season, and that can help differentiate, but I look at the girth and for a large, round reddish spot just behind the anal vent.

If the fish is fat and has a red dot of thin skin behind the anal vent, that is a pregnant female. The red spot on the females is the birth port, and will open with a little cut or pressure, which will also help in getting the fry out. It is always better to release pregnant females, but if the fish is mortally wounded or has little chance of survival, get the fry into the water as soon as possible. You will know if the fry are ready if they are bright and shiny with clear eyes, and they will usually swim as soon as they are born. If you’re worried that they’ll be eaten, they probably will. As with most species of fish, the vast majority of fry is fed upon by predators naturally, but you will at least give them a chance if you get them out and into the water as soon as caught.

They’re out there, so go get ‘em!

Hot Trips:

4/16 – The second half of April began with a bang, with 221 bluefin tuna to 150 pounds caught by 81 anglers aboard three of Fisherman’s Landing 1.5 to 2-day boats; the Pacific Queen, Pegasus, and the Tomahawk.

4/20 – 22 anglers aboard the Polaris Supreme 3-day run smoked ‘em, with limits of 132 bluefin tuna hitting the deck.

4/23 – 21 anglers aboard the Legend posted limits of 84 bluefin tuna during a 2.5-day trip.

4/29 – 38 anglers aboard the Dolphin ¾-day run sacked up 331 rockfish and 1 lingcod, while the Liberty’s 40 anglers caught limits of 80 bluefin tuna on a full-day outing.

Fish Plants: 5/5 – Santee Lakes, catfish (1000)