Fishing great between weather systems in fresh and saltwater

Dock Totals 12/23 – 12/29: 960 anglers aboard 44 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 92 bonito, 104 calico bass, 5 halibut, 2 lingcod, 63 lobster (89 released), 76 perch, 24 rock crab, 3497 rockfish, 375 sand bass, 1 sanddab, 256 sculpin, 108 sheephead, 1 triggerfish, and 462 whitefish.

Saltwater: The final week of the year turned out pretty well for the short-run fleet, though most of the trips were half-day to full-day rockfish outings as folks loaded up before the season closure January 1 until April. A large swell rolled in, pushed by a system out of the north, from Saturday through New Year’s Eve and pretty much shut down any boat, surf, pier or shore fishing outside the bays. That said, the short week from Christmas day to Friday was highlighted by great nearshore, surf, and bay fishing for folks taking advantage of days off or trying out their new Christmas gifts.

Sand bass are biting very well in their normal schooling winter mode. This time of year, sand bass tend to pile up on the meter and are usually found in 60 to 120 feet of water along the coast in the flats near structures from Oceanside to the border. The bay channels, especially San Diego Bay in the deeper stretches toward the mouth and Point Loma flats, can also be very productive for “grumpy” sand bass. Halibut action has been heating up as well, with many private boaters scoring on keepers inside the bays and along the coast. Haven’t heard of any spawners sliding up into the surf zone so much as fish coming from the holes and channel edges inside the bays and the sand ruts between structures or off the flats outside in the same areas where the sand bass are being targeted.

The surf has been producing a lot of barred surf perch and occasional California corbina. As sand crabs become tougher to find, this is the time of year to turn to the C-rigged mini jigs or small tubes and other leadhead/plastic combos. Try the peaks and valleys of the tides on the big winter tide swings, as the fish have been feeding well at those phases. Look for rips during the falling and rising phases, as where there are rip currents, there will be deeper cuts and more bait stirred into the water, which attracts species feeding in the surf zone or just behind the breakers. Rip currents will often be where the last of the wave breaks, but are more defined by looking like a slightly muddy river flowing away from the beach. These can be very easy to spot when the surf is pushing hard, especially on incoming tides. Or, ask a surfer; they tend to ride the rips out for an easier trip to the line-up and know well how to spot them.

A rarity for this past year in the counts is the lack of any bluefin tuna, though they are still out there, and the long-range fleet has been taking advantage of them on the return leg of their multi-day trips south toward the end of the Baja peninsula. There are some larger fish in the mix, as the Royal Polaris reported bluefin caught to 275-pounds, with the average being between 60 and 120 pounds. The fish are still being found from outside the Corner up to the San Clemente Island area and are biting well both in the daytime and at night. That’s some great wintertime fishing within 100 to 150 miles of Point Loma, and as long as the conditions allow access, I’m sure the 1.5- to 3-day boats will take a shot at them in the coming weeks, though this first week of the year looks like it will be limited, with a couple of systems stirring thing up a bit.

Freshwater: Those systems affecting our near and offshore saltwater chances don’t quite hamper the freshwater scene, at least between squalls. Even then, it is easier to gear up and access the shores of San Diego area lakes for stocked trout, winter bass, or even some left-over channel catfish from this past summer/fall plants. With each system being cooler through the week, snow levels will be lower, and the dusted mountains always seem to make a nice backdrop for trout fishing, here where winter days are often balmy. 

Santee Lakes have been kicking out lots of good-sized trout, both rainbows and lightening varieties for the anglers fishing from the banks of the series of small lakes. Though all lakes hold fish, watch their announcements, or ask at the General Store which lakes are being or most recently stocked, as they do not stock all at any given plant event. Their most recent plant was on December 29, with 1000 pounds of rainbows. The next plant will be in Lakes 2, 3, and 4 with a total of 3000-pounds of both rainbow and lightning trout on January 12 in preparation for their Trout Re-opener on the weekend of the 13th and 14th. On January 12, the lakes will be closed for fishing until the Re-opener.

Lake Jennings is also reporting good fishing following their recent stock on Christmas Day. Most effective lures have been mini-jigs and small tube baits. Powerbait in yellow or rainbow colors was also working well, and as always, a fly-lined nightcrawler might result in a shoreline-cruising stocker trout, a largemouth bass, or even a wintertime catfish. For the latter, winter catfishing will be even better when they reopen night fishing on January 13 for their New Moon fishing event that will run to 10pm. 

The rest of the area lakes are reporting good action as well, so really, just pick a favorite, take some mini-jigs and/or Powerbait, and you’ll probably do just fine. A bit of chicken liver or better yet, some cut mackerel, might add a nice channel cat or two to the catch.. 

Happy fishy 2024. They’re out there, so go get ‘em!