SAN DIEGO–While California remains in the midst of the COVID-1 9 crisis, some anglers have been able to get out on the ocean to be able to enjoy the improving weather and do some fishing. Sportboat operations are still closed down as of the time of this writing but some private boaters have been able to get out on the water and do some fishing.

All of the San Diego County harbours are still closed except that commercial-grade barges can come and go through San Diego Bay. San Diego Bay just opened up to allow kayak, paddle boarding and swimming activities and I would think that is a good sign that recreational boating undertakings might open up some time in the not more distant future. In looking at the recreational boat portrait in Orange County, the current status is that Dana Point Harbor and Newport Harbor remain open.

The past weekend construed quite a few boats out fishing mainland coastal waters, the inshore oceans around Catalina and San Clemente Islands and offshore waters in pursuit of bluefin tuna. The weekend’s bluefin tuna fishing was scratchy but there were a few bluefin sting for crafts fishing the region of the San Clemente Basin Weather Buoy that is located at 43 miles 246 grades from Point Loma. There was scattered bluefin pleasure observed around and about the Weather Buoy proper as well as between the Weather Buoy and the Corner that is located at 30 miles 256 grades from Point Loma.

Earlier in the week there were bluefin witnessed between the region of the 289 Spot and the lee of San Clemente Island, but that area hushed down during the weekend. The trawl on April 25 also discovered some spots of bluefin seen in the Catalina Channel, in the area to the southwest of the 14 Mile Bank. A skipper fishing that area the next day, nonetheless, did not find any spots of divulging bluefin.

The bluefin have been in the 30 – to 100 -plus pound range and most have been caught by molding jigs to blots of cracking fish. Beneficial jigs have included the mint color and the blue and grey color Salas 7X beacon face cast-iron, Flat Fall Jigs, Colt Snipers, poppers and Yo-Zuri Hydro-Minnows. Slow trolled and flylined mackerel and sardines have been previously rendered occasional bluefin action.

Boats fishing San Clemente Island were learning good trawl for rockfish and calico bass together with an occasional bonus yellowtail or white-hot sea bass. The best regions for an opportunity at a yellowtail were fishing recognizes along the breast back of the Island between Gold Bluff and Purse Seine Rock. Pyramid Cove and Desperation Reef also plied an opportunity at scratching out a yellowtail and there was a recent report about a few cases 20 – pound white sea bass being scratched out at Pyramid Cove. Good calico bass net has been spotcheck around Purse Seine Rock, White Rock and off Gold Bluff.

Private boater Tony Dileva of Esperanza fished at San Clemente Island on April 25 and reported detecting excellent fishing for an assortment of rockfish at Desperation Reef. Dileva also reported procuring a school of yellowtail under acting birds in Pyramid Cove. He supplemented the yellowtail were up and down quickly and did not want to bite. While net their behavior back home on April 26, Dileva received some jumbo sized 10 – to 15 -pound bonito chewing while trolling to the west and northwest of North Island.

At Catalina Island there were some good numbers of calico bass sting at various kelp bed neighborhoods along the back side of the Island and there were also some calicos burning around Church Rock. There were also reports of good fishing for bonito and barracuda reported off the Rock Quarry.

The main target categories at Catalina were lily-white sea bass and yellowtail and there was a chance at scratching out a white-hot sea bass or yellowtail while fishing off Church Rock, fishing the squid soils off the V’s and fishing the Orange Rocks area. Among those areas, the best bet for lily-white sea bass continues to be in the Orange Rocks area where the past couple of weeks have verified periodic flurries of act on 30 – to 50 -pound lily-white sea bass, while fish around areas of bottom structure in 40 to 50 feet of water.

There have also been some coastal white sea bass sting with occasional reports of white sea bass to 40 pounds getting caught by boats fishing off Salt Creek, Box Canyon, the upper tip of La Jolla and Mission Beach.

There are fish around and chewing but I do not want these reports to encourage anyone to violate the current lockdown regulations. I urge you to play things safe and adhere to the current regulations and social distancing specifications. My feeling is that on countless private barges it would be very difficult to adhere to the “social distancing” guidelines of deterring 6 feet away from other beings. I promote you to stay home as much as your place earmarks and to mistake on the side of caution in your decision making. I rehearse what I preach as I have left home only once in the past six weeks. Be safe, keep healthy and I hope to see you back out on the sea when the COVID-1 9 crisis recedes. I cry every day that this time comes very soon!

Bob Vanian is the voice, writer and researcher of the San Diego-based internet fish report service announced 976 -Bite which can be found at www. 976 bite.com. Vanian also provides anglers with a personal fish report service over the telephone at 619 -2 26 -8 218. He always welcomes your fish reports at that same phone number or at bob9 76 burn @aol. com.

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