Dana Wharf fleet still finds yellowtail inshore and yellowfin offshore

Dana Wharf Sportfishing’s Sept. 10, 2026 South Coast wrap in The Log still has fish close to home, offshore, and at San Clemente Island. Half-day crews say flylined sardines are the most consistent bite; Alabama rigs, hard jerkbaits, and soft plastics are also drawing fish. Water has been unusually warm — to 79°F at times — so bass have been more reluctant near the surface some days, and sinkers or bottom presentations have been the better play.

Yellowtail backed off from the prior week’s wide-open bite, but quality fish are still 10 to 25 pounds on half-day and ¾-day trips, with firecracker yellows of 3 to 5 pounds mixed in. Large bonito in the 5- to 10-pound class have moved into local water on live sardines and Sniper-style jigs — troll stops, sonar schools, and hard bottom.

¾-day offshore boats are mixing skipjack of 5 to 10 pounds with yellowfin mainly on porpoise schools from about 8 to 40 pounds. Smaller ~5-pound yellowfin are showing on the troll with skipjack, plus some bullet tuna. Dorado of 8 to 15 pounds are still in the mix, though productive kelp paddies have been harder to find. At San Clemente Island, Fury is on quality calico bass, bonito, a few barracuda, and bottom sheephead and whitefish.

Photo: Dana Wharf Sportfishing / The Log.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: The Log — South Coast Fish Report (Dana Wharf Sportfishing, Sept. 10, 2026).