The water temperature has been declining with every weather system that passes through Southern California but the fall surface fishing season has continued to hang on and provide an opportunity to catch some of the warm water species that are more often associated with the summer months.
The last weather system that passed through was just a couple of days ago and it caused the offshore water temperatures to fall into the 61 to 64 degree range. There have not been any boats out looking for offshore bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, yellowtail, swordfish or marlin since that stormy weather came through but there were reports about all of those species prior to that recent bad weather.
Prior to the last weather system there were fair numbers of 18 to 50 pound bluefin tuna biting in the area of the Tanner Bank. Bluefin were being caught while fishing on the anchor near the high spot as well as in the deeper water around and about the Tanner Bank. Down in Mexican waters, there were also some yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds biting in the offshore waters between Punta Colnett and the area to the south of San Quintin.
Yellowtail have also been in the picture with occasional flurries of yellowtail activity being found by boats fishing on the anchor at the Tanner and the Cortes Banks as well as at San Clemente Island, La Jolla and Los Coronado Islands. Those interested in billfish have found an occasional swordfish biting while using the deep drop method out by the 181 Spot, 182 Spot, 289 Spot, 178 Spot, 9 Mile Bank, the Oceanside Canyon and the Carlsbad Canyon. The last striped marlin activity that I know of was a tailer that was seen in the Desperation Reef area out by San Clemente Island.
With the holidays coming and with more stormy weather in the upcoming forecast I am not sure when the next boats might be out looking for bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail, swordfish and striped marlin but there were some of these species around prior to the most recent episode of bad weather.
The International Game Fish Association held their 2024 SoCal Swordfish Open Tournament on November 8 and 9 and had 21 boats participating. The two days of fishing resulted in two boated swordfish that were hooked by boats using the deep drop method.
The first day of fishing saw Cold Turkey hook a swordfish just 2 minutes before lines out at the end of the fishing day and that hookup resulted in Cold Turkey catching a 360.8 pound swordfish. The second day of fishing also saw one swordfish boated. The fish was caught aboard Bull Rush and weighed 328 pounds. One of the swordfish was caught in a grid that had the Carlsbad Canyon and the Oceanside Canyon in it and the other was caught westerly of the 289 Spot inside of San Clemente Island. Congratulations go out to the teams aboard Bull Rush and Cold Turkey!
The yellowtail fishing at Los Coronado Islands has been slowing down and has become hit or miss but there have been occasional flurries of yellowtail activity to go with good fishing for rockfish, reds, whitefish and lingcod.
The best yellowtail fishing tends to be during the morning hours using yo-yo iron while drifting over meter marks or sonar marks found in the region of the Rockpile. There is also occasional yellowtail activity being found along the weather side of North Island. Good choices for yo-yo iron include Salas 6X jigs in blue and white, blue and chrome and scrambled egg colors.
The bottom fishing around Los Coronado Islands remains very good and the best areas for the mixed bag bottom fishing have been to the northwest, north and northeast of North Island in 25 to 60 fathoms. Also productive has been the rockfish fishing on the Mexico side of the border at the lower end of the 9 Mile Bank.
As a reminder, Southern California anglers need to take note that between October 1 and December 31 that the take of “Nearshore” rockfish, cabezon and greenling is prohibited and these may not be possessed. In addition, “Shelf” and “Slope” Rockfish and lingcod cannot be taken shoreward of the 50 Fathom Rockfish Conservation Area Boundary Line. The 50 Fathom Rockfish Conservation Area Boundary Line is a series of connected waypoints as defined in Federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C). You can view the specifics of the regulations regarding this seasonal closure in detail at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website at wildlife.ca.gov.
The fishing along the San Diego County coast has been good for a mix of calico bass, sand bass, rockfish, reds, sculpin, whitefish and sheephead along with a chance at a bonus halibut or yellowtail. Most of the fish are being caught at hard bottom and structure areas.
La Jolla has been the best place for a chance at a yellowtail. San Diego out of Seaforth Sportfishing was out on a local three-quarter day trip and had 28 anglers catch 2 yellowtail, 1 calico bass, 2 sand bass, 5 sheephead, 61 whitefish and 4 sculpin. The best areas for a chance at a yellowtail at La Jolla have been around the outskirts of the MLPA closure area at the lower and of La Jolla and to the west of The Hotel at the upper end of La Jolla.
Productive baits for yellowtail have been sardines and mackerel. In addition to the live baits, yellowtail have bit on surface iron with good choices for surface iron including Tady 45 and Salas 7X light jigs in blue and white, mint and sardine colors.
The best areas for fishing the reds and rockfish have been the 9 Mile Bank (while fishing on the United States side of the Mexico border), Del Mar, Leucadia, South Carlsbad, Box Canyon and the 14 Mile Bank.
The Imperial Beach area is producing a lot of sculpin at the Imperial Beach Pipeline and there have also been some sand bass and an occasional halibut biting in 30 to 45 feet of water in the area outside of the Imperial Beach Pier. What has been even more consistent for sand bass has been the hard bottom to the north and northwest of Buoy #3 at Point Loma.
Private boater John Carroll had Justin Brown and Westin Brown out on a recent trip and reported a good sand bass bite while fishing to the southwest of the Whistler Buoy at Point Loma. Their biggest sand bass was 19 inches and they had a 16 inch sand bass in their catch as well. A dropper loop rig baited with fresh frozen squid was working best
In north San Diego County waters, Captain Joe Cacciola of Sea Star with Sea Star Sportfishing and the Oceanside Sea Center reports that there has been very good rockfish fishing in 600 feet of water at spots between Carlsbad and the Swami’s MLAP. Recent half day trips have been coming home with near limit to limit numbers of chili peppers and Mexican rockfish. Cacciola also mentioned that the boats out on three-quarter day trips have also been doing very well at spots off Del Mar.
A few halibut have been biting along the San Diego County coast and one of the better areas has been outside of the Imperial Beach Pier in 30 to 45 feet of water. Other areas that might be worth a try include the sandy bottom next to the structure of the Yukon Shipwreck off Mission Beach and the sandy bottom next to the structure of the sunken NEL Tower off Mission Beach. Going further north, look for a chance at finding some halibut activity in the area below the MLPA closure zone at the lower end of La Jolla. In north San Diego County waters, areas that might be likely to produce a halibut include South Ponto Beach, the sandy bottom next to the structure of the Buccaneer Pipeline and the sandy bottom next to the structure of the artificial reefs outside of Oceanside.
The fall fishing season continues to evolve and is heading toward winter. There has been a chance of still being able to catch bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail, marlin and swordfish but as the water temperature continues to drop those chances will likely continue to decline. Good news is that there looks to be plenty of good fishing for bottom fish species available when the surface fishing fades away for the cold water months. I hope you can get out on the water and enjoy the fishing for whatever might be biting no matter what the season! Keep on fishing and I hope to see you out on the water sometime soon!
Bob Vanian is the voice, writer and researcher of the San Diego-based internet fish report service called 976-Bite which can be found at www.976bite.com. Vanian also provides anglers with a personal fish report service over the telephone at (619) 226-8218. He always welcomes your fish reports at that same phone number or at [email protected].
