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UPDATED June 16, 2026

NORTHERN CHANNEL ISLANDS

San Miguel – Santa Rosa islands — There is a bit of squid around but not much. Most boats were picking it along the way at Santa Cruz. Overnighters found a few nice seabass and halibut at Santa Rosa Island. Winds laid down last week some and these islands kicked out 20-fish limits buoyed up by a bonanza of big rockfish and whitefish. 

Santa Cruz – Anacapa islands — Barracuda invaded and numbers were big, iron, bait all. Bass fishing was good. Always rockfish to find between the islands and elsewhere, but also a few white seabass, halibut and even yellowtail already. The seabass and halibut game takes concerted effort scanning the waters with sonar to find the seabass, then going down quickly with dropper rigs or tossing a white fluke of some kind. Rockfish and whitefish are easier of course, with double dropper and fresh-cut squid strips. 

SOUTHERN ISLANDS

San Nicolas Is. — There was a break in the breezy weather and that allowed for some great bottom biter opportunities, whitefish, huge sheephead and rockfish. 

Santa Barbara Is. — Big yellowtail and seabass reported from here with the boats mostly fishing the classic squid zone just above the MPA, outside the anchorage in 100 feet of water or so. It’s picky but there are some fish around for the few squid there. Otherwise there are plenty of big rockfish on the banks nearby and whitefish on the rocks around the island. 

Catalina Is. — Really good fishing for this island going on right now. The bass are on the chew and though there are a lot of less than legal sized ones, there are also plenty of bigger bass for those who know how to target them. Bonito are abundant, there are barracuda and most of all the yellowtail chances are pretty darned good with now a mixed grade of fish as more 6 to 10 pounders recently arrived. These are much easier to drag past the rocks, weeds and hungry sea lions than the 20 to 30 pounders that have been the mainstay. Lots of perch and whitefish for squid-chip dippers too. 

San Clemente Is — Good yellowtail and bonito action plus limit-style calico any way you want to fish for them, — fly-line, plastic, iron. There is some squid at the island to jig. Bag filling rockfish are on tap too so bring gear for that. The San Pedro, to Dana Point overnight boats are your best bet to find a ride out here.   Navy ops closure map/schedule at: https://www.scisland.org/schedule.html Navy island info links and kite regs: http://www.scisland.org/ 

U.S. OFFSHORE

Tanner and Cortes banks — Some great bottom fishing as ever. Yellowtail on the bank and now bluefin just south of the Cortes by 10 miles or so. 

Inner pelagic waters — Yellowtail are being fouind on the kelp paddies ever more frequently and even a few dorado this side of the border. 

Outer pelagic waters — Could be, but it’s a lot of water. Likely there are bluefin tuna to be found somewhere other than those recently located just south of the banks. 

MEX TERRITORIAL<12mi (Mex license, passport and FMM)

Coronado Islands region, 3/4- full-day range — Yellowtail bite kicked off over the past week again as water conditions improved. Traffic got heavy over the weekend and shared what was there. Expect the mid-week days to offer the best chances so long as the water conditions hold. The bite was Richter late last week. Barracuda, bass and bonito are also on tap. 

Southern coastal 1.5- 2.5-day range — Likely great bottom fishing as well as solid opportunities for yo-yo yellows. 

MEX PELAGIC>12mi (Mex license only)

Open waters to full-day range — lots of Big bonito and some yellowtail was the word but most of the recent effort focused on the Coronado Island zone instead. 

Open waters 1.5- to 3.5-day range — Not much word as it had been pretty dry and then bluefin were located out west in U.S. waters. There are a few yellowfin tuna around in the zone was the word, as well as yellowtail on the occasional kelp. 

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