Constitution yellowfin on a bluefin trip, not a bad problem to have at all!

Dock Totals 6/25– 7/1: 3408 anglers aboard 149 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 370 barracuda, 3045 bluefin tuna (up to 150 pounds), 45 bocaccio, 5 bonito, 1 cabezon, 470 calico bass, 1 halfmoon, 6 halibut, 27 lingcod, 5524 rockfish, 74 sand bass, 15 sanddab, 1 sand sole, 110 sculpin, 48 sheephead, 416 whitefish, 2 white seabass, 48 yellowfin tuna, and 186 yellowtail.

Saltwater: Those finicky bluefin tuna quit being so finicky this past week, and anglers were more than happy to let them chew away. Many of the 1.5 to 2.5-day trips posted limits for their efforts, with many of the fish coming from areas 40 to 50-miles due west of the border, such as the Corner and The 43 high spot, then south past the Butterfly and down to the Upper and Lower Finger banks off Ensenada. Though the water has been warming, the yellowtail bite has been slow to develop thus far this year. I expect that should change soon, while bluefin will continue to edge their way closer to the San Clemente area, including the Cortez and Tanner area, where they seem to be concentrated by late summer/fall.

Full-day and shorter rides have been mostly catching rockfish, barracuda, and bass in San Diego nearshore waters down to the Coronado Islands. Occasional flurries of bonito thinned out quite a bit over the past week from the week previous, which may be an indication of less bait in the water, which, in turn, may also be the cause lower yellowtail count. Then again, it’s fishing, and early in the season, so things can change in a day or two at any point with a slight shift in current and/or water temperatures. When the yellowtail do bite for the full day boats at the Coronado Islands, they have been a little larger than normal, with some good-quality fish caught from 20 to 30 pounds.

Having a little extra time can make all the difference. The Jig Strike and Producer worked the same basic area due west of Point Loma; the Jig Strike on a 1.5-day run while the Producer was on an overnight trip. The extra time allows some dark and gray light fishing with more time at the rail, and it paid off for the anglers aboard the Jig Strike, with 12 anglers catching limits of two bluefin tuna per, while the anglers aboard the Producer did well, but only managed about one bluefin each for their two dozen anglers and a handful of yellowtail for the trip. Just to add to the options, boats heading south to the offshore areas in Baja waters are finding a few yellowfin tuna in the mix as well.

Half-day boats have been focusing their efforts on Calico bass when the current is set up well, and rockfish when conditions favor fishing deeper moreso than along the kelp. An interesting note is that they are catching a bit of white seabass just outside the kelp, and though most have been short of the minimum 28 inches, they have managed a couple of keepers. The Grande also snagged a legal white seabass at the Coronados, so things are looking up on all fronts for those looking to go out on a sportboat. The problem is deciding what you want to target; it is all out there.

For shore and pier-based anglers, a good bit of news is that the Ocean Beach Pier has been reopened to the public as of July 1st. For a while, it sounded like the pier would have to undergo major structural repairs, or be replaceed altogether. But a structural consultant’s assessment in May allowed that the structure itself was solid, though the railings and pump station needed repair or replacement in the short term. With the railings repaired, the pier is now safe to use, though until the pump station gets replaced, the restrooms will not be open. The re-opening comes 57 years and one day since the grand opening of the pier on July 2nd, 1966.

OB

Ocean Beach Pier was originally built with fishing in mind, and at 1971 feet long, is the longest concrete fishing pier extending into the Pacific Ocean on the west coast of the US. The original name was ‘The San Diego Fishing Pier’, as witnessed by the original plaque still there at the entrance. Adding the T at the end gives just about one-mile of railing from which to fish, beginning in the breakers and on out to nearly 30-feet in depth on high tide at the end of the pier. Reportedly, the first fish caught from the pier was an 8-inch barred surf perch. The second was a gray smoothhound shark.

Unless compromised by another storm, the pier should remain open to the public through lobster season, and should again be a popular spot for hoop-netters. Though no license is needed to fish from Ocean Beach Pier, lobster report cards will be necessary for the hoopsters beginning in the fall when lobster opens to recreational take. Another fun thing to do doesn’t really require the pier, but given access and location, the tide pools at the pier base are a great place to take the kiddos to start their learning experiences about the local marine biospheres.

They’re out there, so get out and get ‘em!