Fishing: SoCal Fishing Targets
The dynamic marine ecosystem off the coast of San Diego provides an array of year-round species of fish to try. About 1/2 mile offshore parts of San Diego County are dense kelp forests home to countless fish species. San Diego provides some great fishing grounds, as well as great open sea for many water sports. Much better for most boats the trip to the grounds is very short. Average journeys to the Kelp areas are around 20-30 min. travel. The Coronado Islands and areas off Imperial Beach (near the border with Mexico) run for about 45-60 minutes. For the fleets of La Jolla, the kelp beds are north of Mission Bay and south for the boats from Dana Landing. For San Diego boats from H&M Landing, Point Loma Sport fishing, and Fisherman’s Landing, the Point Loma kelp Beds are just around the base of Base Loma at the Cabrillo Monument. The most popular goals you’ll be fishing for in these fishing grounds are (note that certain species are part of frequent and scheduled closures of the DFG and are off limits for some months of the year.
Yellowtail: Targeted throughout the year but mostly captured by fall during late Spring. That fish offers one of the best battles of any fish in the waters of San Diego and Mexico. Fishing Information- Prime yellowtail areas are found around the Coronado Islands, La Jolla kelp beds, the area between Oceanside and Dana Point, Horseshoe Kelp, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Catalina Island and San Clemente Island. Much of the California anglers’ yellowtail is landed on boats that anchor at locations where yellowtail is known to accumulate, and then chum the fish into the boat with live anchovies. Anglers then use anchovies, mackerels, or squid to capture them while the fish mill around the shore. Small boaters can take yellowtail in areas where these fish occur by trolling jigs or feathers in.
White Sea Bass: The spring season is the best time for this great fish. Caught all along the coast of San Diego and around the island of San Clemente (Hot Spot!), the big fish is fine dining. There is a one fish cap during peak season. To survive this fish is important if you intend to release it or catch one too small to maintain proper and cautious handling and release technique. For this fish, squid is candy as well as I like a white plastic swim bait with a squid strip bait and fished tightly along the outer edge of the kelp bed. Tuna and other game fish (Dorado, Marlin & Wahoo) — From around late spring to late fall much of San Diego’s big fleet heads south to fish the rich waters off Baja, California as far as Panama for tuna and other exotic game fishes. Yellowfin Tuna to over 300 pounds later in the fall into the winter months, as well as Wahoo and other exotics are a common target. Late spring to late fall is Albacore’s key season, Bluefin and Big Eye Tuna’s.
Bonito: Another explosive surface fighting feeder sporadically captured during the year but mainly in the summer months and fall.
Calico Bass: A favorite to fish in the kelp patties for. The highly esteemed and elusive Calico Bass can be evasive to catch as well as a favorite of local San Diego and my personal favorite to catch and eat for fish tacos particularly. I release bigger “bulls” or females and urge others to do the same as this fish is a slow grower and it doesn’t produce a lot of babies. Usually caught spring, when the surface temperature rises. Bites are better in a high tide and current.
Sand Bass: Most common year-round catch, from spring through summer, typically caught off or near the shore, at the kelp beds or various common way points. These fish are hardy and plentiful off San Diego at Pt. Loma, and the Coronado Islands. Wide north also from Oceanside Harbor and south to Encinitas. Another healthy fish to feed. Again, I tend to release the bigger fish and breeders, and hold just a few for food. Please suggest releasing large females as they keep the populations up and as the size of this fish has decreased over the past few years the females are not as large and carry less eggs.
Halibut: January to May and September to December. California Halibut average about 15-30 lbs. but get up more than 50 lbs. It is better to fish either off Imperial Beach or north from Oceanside Harbor along the offshore flats. They take something from the jigs and scampi filled with strip bait squid or sardines and use special rigs such as a Carolina rig with red beads that fish the bottom with squid, sardine or anchovy. If you want to directly target this fish in San Diego consider grunion fishing times as the summer spawning Halibut gorge itself on this rare treat.
Sculpin and rockfish: Except during times of DFG closures, these fish are captured off the bottom between September and April. Keep in mind closures during breeding months for certain animals. It’s best to ask the boat or landing before planning your trip which are currently open season targets. Often boats will make the journey to Mexico a little farther, where those fish are a fair game for fishermen. Sculpin is a great to eat, especially in fish tacos. Just don’t poke yourself, because they have very poisonous spines that, when trapped, inflict great pain. Know what this fish looks like and ask the deckhand or captain if you’re uncertain what you’re carrying onboard.
Barracuda: Planned round the year. This fish is everywhere you look at summer months it sometimes seems. Unlike the “logs” on the East Coast (Barri’s), the West Coast (Cuda) are smaller or “twigs.” They are long and slender with sharp teeth so be careful when you carry them aboard and treat. Contrary to what other locals say, this fish is okay to eat when properly prepared. I just like it fried with a little flour, and “Original Everglades Seasoning.” This fish will often strike any jig or take live bait but among other colors and bait choices, a blue / chrome is irresistible to them.
In these areas, there are countless other fish that you hook in, including Thresher Sharks, but this provides a basis for what to expect and how to plan for the famous 1/2 and 3/4 day trips. Once this Covid 19 there will be plenty of San Diego Charter’s to put you on the fish from H&M Landing and Fisherman’s landing.
“Get on the Fish!!”
-By Jimmy Bot for TunaGodz.com
