June 8 Harbor Police stored a dinghy that was adrift near the Bali Hai dock in North Bay. Harbor Police responded to the A-3 Laurel Street Anchorage for two suspicious subjects attempting to pull a …
June 12, 2018
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Stories by Daniel Powell
Stolen car submerges itself at National City launch ramp
Wooden boats — family, love, inspiration, life
“BOAT – Break Out Another Thousand." "A hole in the water you throw money into." "High-priced yard art.” To boat owners, these are common. Wooden boat owners, however, refer to their boat as family, love, …
June 12, 2018
Water warming, yellowtail less finicky
Dock Totals June 3 – June 9: 2,863 anglers aboard 123 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 96 bluefin tuna, 1 yellowfin tuna, 1,597 yellowtail, 735 calico bass, 53 sand bass, …
June 11, 2018
Tastes like summer out there
Dock Totals May 27 – June 2: 2,468 anglers aboard 115 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 36 bluefin tuna, 358 yellowtail, 310 calico bass, 146 sand bass, 3,543 rockfish, 372 …
June 4, 2018
Electricity theft next to Tuna Harbor
May 23 Harbor Police responded to Marina Cortez [Harbor Island] for two subjects physically fighting. Harbor Police found one of the subjects pushed the other into the water. Both subjects declined to press charges on …
June 1, 2018
The bunkers of Point Loma
During World War II, anti-motor torpedo boat guns at Point Loma protected San Diego harbor from attack. Capable of downing enemy vessels or aircraft over four miles distant, the more accurate and rapid-firing 90mm guns …
May 29, 2018
One marlin equals five yellowtail
Head: Over limits in Mexico? The math ain’t that hard. Dock Totals May 20 – May 26: 2,227 anglers aboard 93 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 24 bluefin tuna, 645 …
May 28, 2018
Stopping fights and starting hearts
Apr 29 10:15 Medical: Multiple lifeguard units and vessel respond to a report of a 50 year-old male, conscious and breathing. Call upgraded to CPR in progress, three shocks given with defibrillator. Medical unit transports …
May 22, 2018
Follow the grunion to get the 'buts
Dock Totals May 13 – May 19: 1,947 anglers aboard 93 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 111 bluefin tuna, 442 yellowtail, 205 calico bass (1,003 released), 36 sand bass, 2,808 …
May 21, 2018
The swimming tongue
Channel catfish are the most commonly caught freshwater fish in the country. As a hardy species they can survive in brackish water and are easy to farm. That their firm flesh prepares well baked or …
May 21, 2018
Small sailboat rams Californian
May 8 Harbor Police issued a citation to a boater that was in a slip at the Harbor Police guest slips without a valid permit or reservation. Harbor Police responded to National City Pier 32 …
May 15, 2018
Anglers are never crabbin’ for nothing
Dock Totals May 6 – May 12: 2,144 anglers aboard 93 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 58 bluefin tuna, 1,814 yellowtail, 114 calico bass, 25 sand bass, 3,199 rockfish, 336 …
May 14, 2018
Not your normal (yawn) grass soccer
Soccer is a game of running, lots of running, and we who enjoy the beach know that running in the soft sand above the tideline is not easy. That’s why the beach runs for runners …
May 14, 2018
Seal molesters slip away
Apr 15 08:24 Enforcement: SDPD requests Lifeguards to stop traffic under Ventura Bridge while they diffuse an M80 found on rocks. 11:22 Boating: Person calls Lifeguards reporting two PWCs speeding in the Ski Beach area. …
Bluefin stubborn
Dock Totals Apr 29 – May 5: 1,592 anglers aboard 60 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 64 bluefin tuna, 955 yellowtail, 13 calico bass, 34 sand bass, 2,149 rockfish, 519 …
May 7, 2018
Dockless scooters tossed from docks
Apr 19 Harbor Police were dispatched to a female who was observed swimming in the bay around the Marriott Marina. HP located the subject as she was already out of the water, extremely cold and …
May 1, 2018
Bluefin tuna moving closer to Pt. Loma
Dock Totals Apr 22 – Apr 28: 1,887 anglers aboard 60 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 130 bluefin tuna, 555 yellowtail, 2 calico bass, 14 sand bass, 3,324 rockfish, 291 …
April 30, 2018
Lake Elsinore — our largest freshwater lake
About twenty miles north of the San Diego-Riverside county line, and situated at the lowest point within the San Jacinto River watershed, lies the largest natural freshwater lake in Southern California — Lake Elsinore. At …
April 30, 2018
Large cows, medium bluefin
Dock Totals Apr 15 – Apr 21: 1,390 anglers aboard 60 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 50 bluefin tuna, 53 yellowtail, 24 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 3,618 rockfish, 370 …
April 23, 2018
Only the young in the outrigger canoes
Long before the magnetic compass, the sextant, global positioning systems and other navigational aids, Polynesians sailed solely by observation of the sun, stars, and ocean swells coupled with other signs of nature such as the …
April 23, 2018
Ripped in a rip current
Mar 18 07:11 Swimmer: Lifeguards respond to two swimmers in South Mission Jetty rip. One swimmer with obvious intoxication. Two rescues in high-hazard area. 11:55 River: Lifeguard unit responds to San Diego Police Department request …
April 16, 2018
Lots of bait off La Jolla
Dock Totals Apr 8 – Apr 15: 1,423 anglers aboard 52 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 28 bluefin tuna, 90 yellowtail, 6 calico bass, 15 sand bass, 3,812 rockfish, 251 …
April 16, 2018
Boat owner sells vessel to different people — duplicate pink slips
Mar 31 Harbor Police Harbor Police issued a citation for illegal mooring at the Harbor Police guest dock for a person who did not have a reservation. Harbor Police assisted a vessel in distress that …
April 10, 2018
Mission Bay Classic kayak fishing
For those of us that have it in our blood, fishing can be a cathartic thing; a way to purge stress. The more one can quiet the noise of human hustle and bustle, the better. …
April 10, 2018
Yellowfin at the beach in Cabo
Dock Totals Apr 1 – Apr 7: 1,729 anglers aboard 73 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 58 bluefin tuna, 63 yellowtail, 5 calico bass, 18 sand bass, 6,363 rockfish, 259 …
April 9, 2018
Man jumps from OB Pier at midnight, body washes up at 3 a.m.
Mar 11 11:28 Diving: Lifeguard, emergency and medical units respond to diver being dragged out of the water at 2100 Vallecitos. Diver suffering from 70’ rapid ascent. Patient advised with medical. 12:49 Boating: Lifeguard vessel …
April 2, 2018
Rockfish bonanza — yellowtail return
Dock Totals Mar 24 – Mar 31: 2,477 anglers aboard 94 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 479 yellowtail, 12 calico bass, 26 sand bass, 6,795 rockfish, 1,877 whitefish, 16 lingcod, …
April 2, 2018
Look to mountaintops for bottom fish
Dock Totals Mar 18 – Mar 24: 1,457 anglers aboard 64 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 5 yellowtail, 3 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 4,617 rockfish, 1,490 whitefish, 9 lingcod, …
March 26, 2018
Missing crab pots at Tuna Harbor
Mar 10 Harbor Patrol responded to the Harbor Patrol Guest slips to investigate a fuel spill. Harbor Patrol located the suspect vessel and issued a citation to the owner. Mar 8 Harbor Patrol documented a …
March 20, 2018
Lobster done, white seabass limit, and Fred is back in town.
Dock Totals Mar 11 – Mar 17: 1,186 anglers aboard 54 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 9 yellowtail, 9 calico bass, 30 sand bass, 3,770 rockfish, 874 whitefish, 19 lingcod, …
March 19, 2018
Boater and dog rescued off tidepools at Point Loma after running aground
Feb 22 Harbor Patrol documented some graffiti that was painted on the underside of a bridge. Feb 20 Harbor Patrol issued a citation to a boater in the A-1 La Playa Cove anchorage for not …
March 13, 2018
Time to head to Gonzaga Bay
Dock Totals Mar 4 – Mar 10: 1,253 anglers aboard 61 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 2 bluefin tuna, 176 yellowtail, 14 calico bass, 12 sand bass, 4,321 rockfish, 816 …
March 12, 2018
Grunion Invasion!
The headline of the Malibu Sandpiper screamed “Grunion Invasion Tonight” in the largest font possible to allow the three words in a single row. Granny came from the kitchen with a double-barrel shotgun, sounding the …
March 12, 2018
Forty-three-pound halibut wins angler $2950
Dock Totals: Feb 25 - Mar 3: 1114 anglers aboard 55 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 518 yellowtail, 67 calico bass, 53 sand bass, 3,065 rockfish, 247 whitefish, 13 lingcod, …
March 5, 2018
Give outrigger canoeing a try
As first noted by Magellan’s assistant in the 16th Century while in the Mariana Islands, outrigger canoes were faster and more maneuverable than any of the like-sized craft used by Europeans. The narrow canoes were …
February 28, 2018
Great yellowfin tuna fishing
Dock Totals February 18 to February 24: 791 anglers aboard 38 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 521 yellowtail, 124 calico bass, 322 sand bass, 880 rockfish, 22 whitefish, 6 lingcod, …
February 25, 2018
Stolen vessel not stolen
February 17 Harbor Patrol located a subject in the Glorietta Bay area that was having difficulty rowing his 16' vessel back to the dock due to his engine being disabled. Harbor Patrol Towed the vessel …
February 25, 2018
Biggest 'but on Dolphin wins
When my father was a boy and Mission Bay wasn’t dredged from the reed-choked estuary of the San Diego River, my grandparents would tote the kids to the Bathtub Rock area about where Torrey Pines …
February 20, 2018
Lifeguards to the rescue
Jan 28 09:05 Swimmer: Lifeguard responds to Tourmaline fur surfer with head injury, treated on scene. 13:00 Boating: Lifeguard shore, Jet Ski and boat units respond to 5 PWCs inside surf off Ocean Beach. Warnings …
February 19, 2018
A SoCal angler’s Groundhog Day
Dock Totals Feb. 4–Feb. 10 980 anglers aboard 43 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 44 bluefin tuna, 14 yellowtail, 312 calico bass, 878 sand bass, 1,155 rockfish, 44 whitefish, 14 …
February 18, 2018
"Skiff on the rocks" not an adult beverage
Jan 14 10:10 Boating: Lifeguard boat unit responds to skiff on the rocks at Hospitality Point. Boat towed to Dana Rental reception dock after engine lost on rocks. 10:12 Medical: Lifeguard, emergency and medical units …
February 12, 2018
When a ‘normal’ week seems slow, you’ve been spoiled by El Niño fishing.
Dock Totals Feb 4 – Feb 10: 847 anglers aboard 44 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 27 bluefin tuna, 20 yellowtail, 91 calico bass, 645 sand bass, 493 rockfish, 3 …
February 12, 2018
The skinny on catching fat fish
Eleven out of the world’s top twenty-five largemouth bass have been caught in San Diego county lakes; Dixon, Murray, Miramar, Hodges and Wohlford have put out fish over nineteen pounds. Only the famous Castaic has …
February 12, 2018
The death of a whale
The following comes from a story posted on Daniel Powell's Facebook page. The juvenile gray whale popped up off the end of the jetty on the eastern shore that separates the upper San Quintin Bay …
February 8, 2018
Super blue blood moon tide swings make for tough fishing
Dock Totals Jan 28 – Feb 3: 1,108 anglers aboard 52 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 91 bluefin tuna, 331 yellowtail, 64 calico bass, 470 sand bass, 1,362 rockfish, 10 …
February 5, 2018
Attempted yacht theft — suspect caused $50,000 in damage
Jan 13 Harbor Patrol units were dispatched to retrieve numerous dinghies around SD Bay that were broken loose after the storm. Harbor Patrol towed all the dinghies to the impound dock and are attempting to …
January 29, 2018
Tuna fishing hot behind cold front
Dock Totals Jan 21 – Jan 27: 594 anglers aboard 31 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 131 yellowtail, 37 calico bass, 293 sand bass, 175 rockfish, 2 bonito, 10 halibut, …
January 29, 2018
Hanohano Huki Ocean Challenge ramps up buzz on Bahia
The Hanohano Huki Ocean Challenge is one of the longest running paddle-sport races in California, featuring OC-1, surfski, traditional paddleboard, standup paddleboard and kayak. This year’s races on Saturday will take place amid controversy across …
January 23, 2018
Sand bass biting inshore — large blue catfish at Lake Jennings
Dock Totals Jan 14 – Jan 20: 980 anglers aboard 41 boats out of San Diego landings this past week caught 115 bluefin tuna, 408 yellowtail, 51 calico bass, 504 sand bass, 1,035 rockfish, 36 …
January 22, 2018
Poachers beware
Lifeguard reports for December 25 to January 1 Dec 31 13:08 Enforcement: Reporting person observes 3 people possibly taking abalone from reef at Garbage. Lifeguard investigates, unable to locate. 13:30 Enforcement: Fish & Wildlife, short …
January 19, 2018