San Diego fishing report for the week of September 10, 2026. September is peak season for the Southern California offshore fleet, and this week the boats out of Point Loma, Mission Bay, and H&M have been finding bluefin on the offshore banks, yellowtail at the Coronados, and a good mix of dorado and yellowfin on the kelp paddies. Warm water has pushed north and the bait is thick, which has set up one of the better weeks of the year for anglers making the run.
What’s Hitting
This week the bluefin are the headline for the overnight and 1.5-day boats. Fish from 30 to 150 pounds are on the offshore banks and the high spots south and west of the Coronados, with the best action on the sinker-rig and the flat-fall jigs at night and early morning. Yellowtail are at the Coronado Islands and on the kelp paddies, with fish in the 10 to 25-pound range. Dorado and yellowfin tuna are on the paddies in the warm water offshore, and the day boats have been finding both within 40 to 60 miles. Inside, calico bass are on the kelp along the Point Loma and La Jolla kelp beds, and there are halibut on the flats in the bay and along the beaches.
Bonito and barracuda are along the kelp line and around the bait schools nearshore.
Where to Find Them
Bluefin are on the offshore banks — the boats have been fishing the 60-Mile Bank, the 43, and the 425 area, following the bait and the temperature breaks. Yellowtail are at the Coronado Islands on the ridge and the middle grounds, and on any kelp paddy in the warm water. Dorado and yellowfin are on the paddies in the 70-degree water south and west of the islands. Calico bass are on the kelp edges at Point Loma and La Jolla at dawn. Halibut are on the sand in San Diego Bay and off the beaches in 20 to 40 feet.
Tides & Conditions
The new moon this weekend means dark nights, which has historically been good for the bluefin on the sinker rigs and flat-falls. Winds have been light and variable in the mornings with a west wind building in the afternoons, and seas have been 2 to 4 feet offshore with a moderate swell. Water temps offshore are in the 68 to 72-degree range, with warmer water south. The kelp line inside has been in the upper 60s.
Tackle & Tactics
For bluefin, a 40 to 60-pound sinker rig with a live sardine or mackerel at night, and 100 to 200-gram flat-fall jigs when the fish are deep. Bring a heavier outfit for the big fish. For yellowtail, a live sardine on a 2/0 hook with 30 to 40-pound fluorocarbon fly-lined at the islands, or a surface iron cast to the paddies. Dorado and yellowfin want fly-lined sardines on 25 to 30-pound line. Calico bass are taking swimbaits and plastics on the kelp edges. Halibut want a live smelt or a swimbait dragged on the sand.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: the Shelter Island ramp is the busiest launch for the offshore grounds, the Dana Landing ramp on Mission Bay serves the north side, and the Chula Vista ramp covers south San Diego Bay. The party boats out of Fisherman’s Landing, H&M Landing, Point Loma Sportfishing, and Seaforth are running full schedules on the offshore trips. Fish are concentrating on the offshore banks and the paddies in the warm water, and at the Coronados on the ridge. Check current California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations before keeping fish — bluefin have a daily limit, and Mexican fishing licenses and permits are required for the Coronados and any water south of the border.
This Week’s Tip
On the paddies, the fish are almost always under the kelp on the down-current side, not next to it. Approach from upwind, shut down 50 yards out, and fly-line a sardine so it drifts toward the paddy. A bait that swims naturally into the shadow of the kelp gets eaten. One dropped on top of the paddy spooks the whole school.
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