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
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Stories by Daniel Powell
Fishing great between weather systems in fresh and saltwater
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
2023 promising to be another excellent year for bluefin tuna
Dock Totals 4/2– 4/15: 2560 anglers aboard 106 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 230 bluefin tuna, 4 bonito, 4 calico bass, 1 halibut, 28 lingcod, …
April 16, 2023
The albacore are coming! No, they’re probably not.
Dock Totals 3/19– 4/1: 1,359 anglers aboard 62 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 18 bluefin tuna (to 120 pounds), 39 bocaccio, 17 calico bass (21 …
April 2, 2023
A few early-season yellowtail off the Coronados
Dock Totals 3/5– 3/18: 1,363 anglers aboard 74 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 15 calico bass (45 released), 1 halfmoon, 2 halibut, 138 lingcod, 11 …
March 19, 2023
Major changes for rockfish coming April 1st
Dock Totals 2/19– 3/4: 684 anglers aboard 34 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 1 barracuda, 22 calico bass (88 released), 21 halfmoon, 1 halibut (released), …
March 5, 2023
Bluefin tuna sighted from the air in the Catalina Channel
Dock Totals 2/5– 2/18: 808 anglers aboard 46 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 1 blacksmith, 27 calico bass (103 released), 43 halfmoon, 1 halibut, 3 …
February 19, 2023
Lake Cuyamaca Upper Basin Full and Fishable
Dock Totals 1/22 – 2/4: 1,063 anglers aboard 51 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 9 barracuda, 1 black seabass (released), 2 bonito, 33 calico bass …
February 5, 2023
Stormy weather keeping you in the slip?
Dock Totals 12/25 – 1/7: 1108 anglers aboard 45 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 10 bluefin tuna, 24 bocaccio, 2 bonito, 1 black seabass (released), …
January 8, 2023
365-day Licenses go into effect on New Year’s Day
Fish Pix Win Fish Tix! Submit your best fishing photo and every 2 weeks we’ll pick our favorite and run it in this column. Winner will also receive 2 half-day passes plus rod and reel …
December 25, 2022
Winter storms shift offshore fishing to the bottom
Fish Pix Win Fish Tix! Submit your best fishing photo and every 2 weeks we’ll pick our favorite and run it in this column. Winner will also receive 2 half-day passes plus rod and reel …
December 11, 2022
Bluefin still holding out as season turns
Fish Pix Win Fish Tix! Submit your best fishing photo and every 2 weeks we’ll pick our favorite and run it in this column. Winner will also receive 2 half-day passes plus rod and reel …
November 27, 2022
Yellowfin and dorado head south while bluefin unfazed by stormy seas
Fish Pix Win Fish Tix! Submit your best fishing photo and every 2 weeks we’ll pick our favorite and run it in this column. Winner will also receive 2 half-day passes plus rod and reel …
November 13, 2022
Tyler Reid catches bluefin tuna from waverunner 20 miles off Rosarito
Fish Pix Win Fish Tix! Submit your best fishing photo and every 2 weeks we’ll pick our favorite and run it in this column. Winner will also receive 2 half-day passes ($65–$75 value each) for …
November 2, 2022
Shortbill spearfish caught off Washington another first
Dock Totals 10/2 – 10/15: 7358 anglers aboard 372 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 4065 bluefin tuna (to 250 pounds), 864 bonito, 515 calico bass, …
October 16, 2022
240 lb Yellowfin Tuna Caught off Northern California
Dock Totals 9/18 – 10/1: 8,466 anglers aboard 383 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 8 barracuda, 2 black seabass (released), 2,292 bluefin tuna (to 250 …
October 2, 2022
Hurricane Kay, Albacore on the Intrepid
Dock Totals 9/4 – 9/17: 8736 anglers aboard 328 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings over the past two weeks caught 69 barracuda, 3663 bluefin tuna (to 242 pounds), 1 blue marlin …
September 18, 2022