(left): Jim Kelley with his solid 37.2-pound California Halibut caught while drifting a squid on the bottom.
(right)Angler Tracy Hartman with a nice nighttime bluefin caught while fishing aboard the Constitution on the outer banks 100 miles west of Point Loma

Dock Totals 9/1– 9/7: 4027 anglers aboard 161 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past week caught 15 barracuda, 3498 bluefin tuna (up to 220 pounds), 1 blue perch, 77 bocaccio, 3518 bonito, 2063 calico bass, 1 dorado, 7 halibut, 27 lingcod, 1 mako shark, 1449 rockfish, 416 sand bass, 91 sculpin, 174 sheephead, 1 thresher shark, 1 treefish, 141 triggerfish, 282 whitefish, 16 white seabass, 8 yellowfin tuna, and 497 yellowtail.

Saltwater: In what has been an odd year out of the past ten or so, bluefin tuna continue to bite well from off Ensenada up to San Clemente Island and the Tanner and Cortez banks. The meat of the action has been north of the border, with the larger fish coming from the outer banks. The New Lo An reported 34 fish over 100 pounds on a recent 2-day run out west to  where much of the fleet has been concentrating: an area 100 miles west of Point Loma.

The oddity this year has been the lack of semitropical species like yellowfin tuna and dorado. This time of year, we tend to see both species work their way north, with counts reflecting a solid catch into the fall, but this year, they have not shown up. Water temps along the Baja Peninsula’s northern half have been a couple degrees cooler than recent seasons, which is the leading theory as to why we aren’t seeing those warm water loving pelagic species in 2024 so far, and given that it is now September, we may not see them until next season — if then. 

With that cooler water, barracuda, bonito, white seabass, and halibut have all been biting better than average, but the predictions of albacore coming within range of the fleet never came to fruition. Though some northern California boats have been getting a few, it is still the best bet to go to the Westport Washington area if you want to load up on longfins. 

This year’s water temperature anomaly shouldn’t change much going forward: the past shows it takes several years to permanently affect migration patterns, as it did when, in the late '90s and early 2000s, warm trends drove the albacore north. As always with fishing, we will have to wait and see, though long range projections are of warming conditions, and not the several years of cooler trends that would make a return of albacore more likely. 

Yellowtail are still biting well at the Coronado Islands for the full-day and overnight runs, though the numbers did drop a bit from the week previous. Calico and sand bass have been steady for the boats fishing locally, with bonito, barracuda, and occasional white seabass, halibut and an odd yellowtail making it into the half-day counts. So, even with a lack of dorado and yellowfin, fishing has been very good for anglers getting out on any boat from half-day to three-day trips. 

San Diegan Jim Kelley Scored on a good 37.2-pound halibut this week. He hasn’t made the over 40 club yet, but this halibut was his 14th over 30 pounds. He was fishing with squid on a double dropper loop with the rod in the holder while on a slow drift. This is not unusual for me to hear. I can try my best at presenting a bait or lure for halibut, and tediously working at it, but it seems my best catches have come while simply dead-sticking plastics or napping with a bait on the bottom. Halibut can be a bit of an enigma, but low and slow in the hole tends to work best for me when fishing for them from a boat or kayak, especially on days with slower tidal flow or at the peak or valley of the tide.

Freshwater: Stockzilla is coming to Santee Lakes September 14 & 15. Some 3500 pounds of catfish will be stocked for this weekend event and Santee Lakes will be hosting a Catfish Derby on both days, with an adult and junior division. Guests can attend one or both Derbies. A Santee Lakes permit is required, but it is free to join the Derby. Derbies run from 6 am to 11 am (final weigh in at 11 am). Bring your catfish to the Santee Lake’s canopy at southeast Lake 4. Prizes will be awarded for several categories and participants will receive a raffle ticket for each catfish weighed in. Derby Results/Prizes/Raffle will be announced at 11:30 am both days at the Santee Lakes canopy. Gate entrance is $7 per carload. Fishing permits for adults are $10 and juniors & seniors are $6, and a second pole stamp is $4. You can purchase your permit in advance at the General Store.

Whether fishing in freshwater or salt, from the beach, kayak, float tube, or boat, they’re out there so go out and get ‘em!