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Stories by Daniel Powell

Bluefin tuna thick off the coast of Baja

Dock Totals 1/28 – 2/3: 325 anglers aboard 15 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 27 calico bass, 34 perch, 275 sand bass, 128 sculpin, 4 triggerfish, …

February 4, 2024
The cows are on the chew down south

Dock Totals 1/21 – 1/27: 286 anglers aboard 15 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 1 cabezon, 13 calico bass, 1 lingcod, 18 lobster (46 released), 12 …

January 28, 2024
It’s all about that bass

Dock Totals 1/14 – 1/20: 478 anglers aboard 22 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 40 calico bass, 21 lingcod, 20 lobster (24 released), 54 perch, 89 …

January 21, 2024
Pygmy in peril

My trusty canine sidekick Flash Gordon and I were heading up the beach twoard the point after a rain squall to check out the fishing on the third day of the new year. I’d heard …

40-pound homeguard yellow boated on a half-day run

Dock Totals 1/7 – 1/13: 229 anglers aboard 13 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 60 bonito, 7 calico bass, 3 croaker, 2 halibut, 1 lingcod, 29 …

January 14, 2024
Nightime wahoo bite for the Intrepid

Dock Totals 12/30 – 1/6: 568 anglers aboard 33 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 151 bonito, 58 calico bass, 1 lingcod, 129 lobster (251 released), 28 …

January 7, 2024
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 …

December 30, 2023
Comparing 2022 to 2023 after the rockfish depth change

Dock Totals 12/17 – 12/22: 257 anglers aboard 14 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 6 bluefin tuna, 1 bonito, 52 calico bass, 1 halibut, 6 lobster …

December 23, 2023
Spotted Bay Bass – It’s What’s for Dinner

Dock Totals 12/3 – 12/9: 364 anglers aboard 21 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 8 barracuda (released), 4 black seabass (released), 158 bluefin tuna, 1 cabezon …

December 17, 2023
‘Tis the Season for Local Trout

Dock Totals 12/3 – 12/9: 486 anglers aboard 26 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 60 bluefin tuna, 14 calico bass, 14 lobster (33 released), 2691 rockfish, …

December 10, 2023
Long-Range Season is Upon Us – Whales and Whale Sharks in Baja

Dock Totals 11/26 – 12/2: 395 anglers aboard 21 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 97 bluefin tuna (up to 60 pounds), 14 calico bass, 1 lingcod, …

December 3, 2023
Winter blues beginning to settle in? Try bluefin, they’re still around

Dock Totals 11/19 – 11/25: 982 anglers aboard 45 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 408 bluefin tuna (up to 150 pounds), 28 calico bass, 2 halibut, …

November 26, 2023
Few anglers, lots of bluefin, and departing yellows

Dock Totals 11/12 – 11/18: 696 anglers aboard 37 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 977 bluefin tuna (up to 150 pounds), 21 calico bass, 1 lingcod, …

November 19, 2023
Yellowtail and yellowfin heading south

Dock Totals 11/5 – 11/11: 1425 anglers aboard 74 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 1359 bluefin tuna (up to 207 pounds), 32 calico bass, 22 dorado, …

November 12, 2023
Avenida de la Playa brings a kayaker as near to big game fishing as one can get

In 2005, my brother Russ and I launched a couple of kayaks into the Sea of Cortez and paddled out to inter our father’s ashes off Punta Willard in Bahia de San Luis Gonzaga. After …

November 8, 2023
Good fishing continues late into fall

Dock Totals 10/29 – 11/4: 1502 anglers aboard 70 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 1 black seabass (released), 280 bluefin tuna (up to 100 pounds), 43 …

November 5, 2023
Pending record swordfish caught in local waters – San Quintin surf fishing tournament

Dock Totals 10/22 – 10/28: 2198 anglers aboard 106 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 822 bluefin tuna (up to 210 pounds), 24 bonito, 1 cabezon, 57 …

October 29, 2023
High Winds and Speedy fish

Dock Totals 10/15 – 10/21: 2427 anglers aboard 115 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 2104 bluefin tuna (up to 267 pounds), 22 bonito, 219 calico bass, …

October 22, 2023
Big cats and the yellowtail blues

Dock Totals 10/8 – 10/14: 3066 anglers aboard 137 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 3513 bluefin tuna (up to 240 pounds), 5 bonito, 156 calico bass, …

October 15, 2023
Migratory species on the move

Dock Totals 10/1 – 10/7: 3319 anglers aboard 163 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 2450 bluefin tuna (up to 276 pounds), 5 bonito, 258 calico bass, …

October 8, 2023
Yellowtail from the rocks at Punta Banda – The loss of San Diego fishing icon Fox Ludwig

Dock Totals 9/24 – 9/30: 3859 anglers aboard 185 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 4455 bluefin tuna (up to 220 pounds), 107 bonito, 286 calico bass, …

October 1, 2023
Inshore rockfish closed – Tuna thick on the Corner

Dock Totals 9/17 – 9/23: 4107 anglers aboard 189 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 4942 bluefin tuna (up to 280 pounds), 10 bonito, 361 calico bass, …

September 24, 2023
San Diego, the best of both worlds for fresh-caught fish

Dock Totals 9/10 – 9/16: 4309 anglers aboard 192 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 4078 bluefin tuna (up to 265 pounds), 2 bocaccio, 15 bonito, 466 …

September 17, 2023
Picky Bluefin, yellowfin on the rise, Dorado the headline act

Dock Totals 9/3 – 9/9: 4185 anglers aboard 178 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 2 barracuda, 1841 bluefin tuna (up to 160 pounds), 19 bocaccio, 35 …

September 10, 2023
Black Seabass – A legal take and a healthy population in Mexico.

Dock Totals 8/20 – 8/26: 2927 anglers aboard 145 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 1 black seabass (released), 2369 bluefin tuna (up to 260 pounds), 2 …

August 27, 2023
Hilary downgrades quickly but stays her predicted course

Dock Totals 8/13 – 8/19: 4614 anglers aboard 204 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 18 barracuda, 4250 bluefin tuna (up to 250 pounds), 85 bocaccio, 101 …

August 20, 2023
Another ‘Dorado Bonanza’ coming?

Dock Totals 8/6 – 8/12: 4923 anglers aboard 212 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 167 barracuda, 2447 bluefin tuna (up to 220 pounds), 147 bonito, 1 …

August 13, 2023
Rough conditions, the return of a yellowtail tournament

Dock Totals 7/30 – 8/5: 4711 anglers aboard 189 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 1 albacore, 88 barracuda, 12 blacksmith perch, 2687 bluefin tuna (up to …

August 6, 2023
Warm water effects and the fishery

Dock Totals 7/23 – 7/29: 5087 anglers aboard 216 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 1 albacore, 29 barracuda, 3575 bluefin tuna (up to 220 pounds), 35 …

July 30, 2023
Beat the summer heat on a twilight run

Dock Totals 7/16– 7/22: 5193 anglers aboard 219 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 92 barracuda, 3087 bluefin tuna (up to 255 pounds), 90 bocaccio, 117 bonito, …

July 23, 2023
Dorado beginning to show for within 1.5-day range

Dock Totals 7/9– 7/15: 4803 anglers aboard 192 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 85 barracuda, 3200 bluefin tuna (up to 270 pounds), 72 bonito, 923 calico …

July 16, 2023
San Quintin – Baja's fishing secret

Moving to the San Quintin area in 2015 was more accident than planned, but it wasn’t entirely random. Whenever I’ve pulled up stakes and moved on, for whatever reason — work, family, relationship, or a …

July 12, 2023
Catching Yellowfin and Bluefin on the same one-day trip

Dock Totals 7/2– 7/8: 4852 anglers aboard 190 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 150 barracuda, 2737 bluefin tuna (up to 240 pounds), 85 bocaccio, 29 bonito, …

July 9, 2023
Bluefin and more bluefin with a scratch of yellowfin mixed in

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, …

July 2, 2023
"San Polvin" surf fishing excellent – Yellowtail warming up at the Coronado Islands

Dock Totals 6/18– 6/24: 3785 anglers aboard 150 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 345 barracuda, 1127 bluefin tuna (up to 175 pounds), 24 bocaccio, 715 bonito, …

June 25, 2023
Fun for all at Santee lakes – Offshore fishing heating up

Dock Totals 6/11– 6/17: 3465 anglers aboard 150 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 78 barracuda, 2008 bluefin tuna (up to 180 pounds), 7 bocaccio, 293 …

June 18, 2023
Bluefin tuna counts edging up with more fish showing on the surface

Dock Totals 5/28– 6/3: 2854 anglers aboard 130 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 1 barracuda, 756 bluefin tuna (up to 180 pounds), 45 bocaccio, 21 …

June 11, 2023
Bluefin and yellowtail stubborn? Go heavy and deep for big reds – and bring a descender rig.

Dock Totals 5/28– 6/3: 3466 anglers aboard 126 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 24 barracuda, 620 bluefin tuna (up to 200 pounds), 9 bonito, 1 …

June 4, 2023
Cool Start for a Predicted El Niño Year

Dock Totals 5/14 – 5/27: 5081 anglers aboard 247 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 1 barracuda, 2849 bluefin tuna (up to 186 pounds), 30 bocaccio, …

May 28, 2023
Bluefin counts dip during the full moon

Dock Totals 4/30– 5/13: 3,889 anglers aboard 189 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 892 bluefin tuna (up to 180 pounds), 35 bocaccio, 334 bonito, 133 …

May 14, 2023
Bluefin tuna numbers explode

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 …

April 30, 2023

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