san diego fish report

from February 3-16, 2023 The Log Digital Edition

A Southern California Fishing Guide with Something for Everyone

Anglers Hoping For Better Weather In February

By Bob Vanian of 976Bite.com

• With regard to fishing, the month of January in 2023 can be summed up by saying there were lots of days of bad weather that kept lots of anglers off the water. Many of the non-rainy days between storms were also days that were plagued by strong winds and high seas that kept boats tied to the dock. The good news is that despite all the days of bad weather there were also some good weather days when anglers were able to get out on the water and sample the fun wintertime fishing.

• I do not know of anyone out looking for bluefin tuna lately. The last reports are now several weeks old when boats were catching some 18 to 65 pound bluefin out by the Tanner Bank. A few days ago there were reports from a couple of boats that I believe were commercial drift net boats that were working in an area of relatively warm 62-plus degree water out by the Elephant Bank 125-plus miles southwest of Point Loma. As of their last report they had metered a couple of bluefin and had caught a swordfish along with a few makos and threshers. It was an area holding a decent amount of life as they were reporting having Humboldt squid, Spanish mackerel and greenback mackerel around the boat under the lights at night.

• With mostly bad weather during the month of January and with cool 59-to-60-degree water in local offshore waters there have been no recent reports of anyone trying to deep drop fish for swordfish. The most recent reports of local swordfish activity are now more than a month old but for someone who would like to give it a try in an effort to try and catch the first sport caught swordfish of 2023, areas that were last reported to have been showing signs of the possibility holding swordfish were the 9 Mile Bank, 178 Spot, the Radar Dome at San Clemente Island, the 152 Spot off the East End of Catalina, the Avalon Bank and 3.5 to 8 miles off Newport Beach.

• Some sportboats have been running 1.5-day trips down the Mexican coast to fish the Punta Colnett region and the area below Punta Camalu and they have been finding very good fishing for a mix of reds, salmon grouper, lingcod, and an assortment of rockfish and have also found occasional yellowtail activity. The most recent trips found good fishing for the bottom fish species including lingcod but found the yellowtail fishing to be slow. If you do locate some Punta Colnett area yellowtail, best bets have been to try yo-yo iron or dropper loop fished sardines.

• Fish counts from the past weekend were Relentless out of H&M Landing that had 18 anglers out on a 1.5-day trip who caught 80 reds, 54 rockfish, 25 whitefish, 2 sheephead and 19 lingcod. Seaforth Sportfishing had Pacifica out on a 1.5 day trip with 14 anglers who caught 65 reds, 33 rockfish, 2 sheephead, 2 barracuda, 3 calico bass, 20 whitefish and 15 lingcod. Seaforth Sportfishing also had Tribute fishing a 1.5 day trip with 35 anglers who caught 105 rockfish, 60 reds, 64 whitefish, 18 lingcod, 3 calico bass, 7 barracuda and 8 sheephead.

• Very few boats have been fishing at Los Coronado Islands due to the recent bad weather but the few reports are that the surface fishing has been slow in the 59 to 60 degree water. There is usually very good bottom fishing for a mix of reds, assorted rockfish, sculpin and a few lingcod. The best areas for the bottom fishing have been to the northwest and to the north of North Island in 30 to 60 fathoms and at the hard bottom at the South Kelp Ridge below South Island in 25 to 50 fathoms. One of the best areas for lingcod where there have also been some sculpin, whitefish and sheephead biting has been at the Rockpile in 18 to 23 fathoms.

Full story will be found online. 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 bob976bite@aol. com.

Solution from CROSSWORD, PAGE 16