In the past week, fishing activity around San Diego has been lively, with reports of anglers landing a variety of catches, including bluefin tuna, bocaccio, and sheephead, as whiskerfish season opens.
According to dock totals from April 6 to April 12, 1143 anglers aboard 51 half-day to 3-day trips out of San Diego landings managed to catch 30 bluefin tuna, 12 bocaccio, 4 calico bass, 6 halibut (with 15 released), 2 lingcod, 3221 rockfish, 61 sand bass, 238 sanddab, 758 sculpin, 55 sheephead, and 360 whitefish.
Despite the excitement of the bluefin that showed up for the Polaris Supreme last week, the fish have not been biting consistently.
After an initial flurry of action that saw the boat secure 30 bluefin weighing up to 40 pounds, further attempts to engage the fish resulted in little success.
Anglers returning to the fishing grounds found the bluefin holding at depths of 250 to 350 feet, swimming in tight formations, and refusing to rise to chum or take any deep-dropped bait or lures.
However, seiners in the area have reported sightings of much larger fish, ranging from 100 to 200 pounds, indicating the potential for excellent tuna fishing soon within 75 miles of Point Loma.
For those considering a fishing trip, checking landings for 1.5 to 3-day excursions to that area is advisable.
Should the bluefin remain uncooperative, anglers can still find high-quality rockfish and lingcod action at various high spots ranging from the 371 to the 60-mile Bank, ensuring that they can still fill their cooler with fresh fish.
But many long-time fishermen agree that nothing compares to the thrill of being on the first trip of the season that successfully lands the coveted 100-plus pound bluefin tuna that experienced anglers have enjoyed over the past decade.
On a related note, the yellowtail bite at the Coronados appears to have slowed in recent days, although fishing for them has been decent further down the coast towards the mid-peninsula region.
Typically, the cool water trend along the Vizcaino region leads to delayed pelagic action this time of the year, as the yellowtail season here runs later than in San Diego.
Historically, the best yellowtail fishing in that southern stretch below Cedros tends to kick off in August and fades by April.
Currently, the most promising yellowtail action is taking place in the Sea of Cortez, specifically from Gonzaga Bay down to La Paz, where conditions are reported to be strong.
Captain Juan Cook, operating out of Gonzaga this month, is witnessing good fishing for yellowtail, cabrilla, and grouper, and he is booking openings for interested anglers.
Kevin Trieu, a local angler, was hoping to catch a yellowtail from his paddleboard and managed to snag one small-sized fish after a larger one broke off.
Regardless of the size, catching a yellowtail from a paddleboard is a notable accomplishment.
Surf fishing has also been on the upswing along San Diego beaches, with halibut, spotted bay bass, and a few shortfin corvina making appearances in the bays.
Notably, many of the barred surfperch caught recently have been carrying fry, indicating that female fish — which have two vents and appear fuller when loaded with fry — should be released.
It is essential to take care when handling these fish, as many may not survive the ordeal, particularly if caught on bait and hooked deep.
In the event that a fish is fatally wounded, anglers can gently push a finger into the extended vent, which allows the fry to be released back into the water, giving them a better chance at survival.
While many may not survive, those that do contribute to the future fish stocks, making it worthwhile to try and save them when possible.
Moreover, anglers should be mindful of regulations: if Fish and Game officers see an over-limit in a bucket, citations can be issued.
Looking further north, boats operating from the Los Angeles area and fishing near the islands have been successful in landing quality white seabass, some weighing up to 40 pounds.
These fish have started showing up along the outer edges of the kelp beds near the coast and around Catalina and San Clemente islands.
While this may be early in the season for white seabass, further catches are likely in the upcoming week as conditions stabilize and schools of fish are located.
image source from：https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2025/apr/15/fish-report-bluefin-not-biting-yet/
