If you own a boat in San Diego — or you’ve been thinking about getting out on the water — there has never been a better week to go fishing. The Southern California Bight is producing the kind of season old-timers talk about for decades: a nearly 500-pound bluefin tuna off San Diego, the best marlin bite in years, and lobster season opening October 2.
This is one of those “you’ll tell your grandkids” windows. Here’s what’s happening and how to get in on it.
A 500-pound bluefin off San Diego
In early September 2026, Markus Medak of Shearwater Fishing landed a bluefin tuna off the San Diego coast that weighed 446 pounds gilled and gutted — an estimated 500+ pounds whole. It’s being called the largest bluefin ever caught on rod and reel. The fish went to Tommy Gomes’s Tunaville Market in Point Loma, a San Diego institution.
We didn’t just read about it — we watched it happen. That fish was hoisted at the dock right next to our Point Loma Marina clubhouse. The photo below is ours, taken from our dock as the biggest bluefin ever caught on rod and reel hung from the hoist a stone’s throw away. When history happens close enough to photograph from your slip, you know the bite is real.
The day before, the Game Changer landed a 420-pound bluefin on a certified dock scale. Two 400+ pound fish on consecutive days. For perspective, a 310-pounder made statewide headlines as a purported record back in 2017.
And it’s not just the giants — Point Loma Sportfishing’s New Lo-An alone has reported more than 1,500 bluefin landed in 2026. The volume bite is as good as the trophy bite.
Marlin: best bite in years
Striped marlin are swarming throughout the Southern California Bight right now — Western Outdoor News is calling it the best marlin bite in years, with fish reported from the Channel Islands to San Diego waters. On day one of the Balboa Angling Club’s 2026 Master Angler Billfish Tournament, anglers reported 30 stripers caught.
Then there’s the exotics: on September 14, anglers aboard the Pegasus out of Fisherman’s Landing landed a 648-pound blue marlin — likely the largest gamefish ever landed aboard the San Diego sportfishing fleet. Blue marlin are a tropical species; seeing one off San Diego is extraordinarily rare. A free-jumping striped marlin was even photographed off Newport Beach.
Why it’s happening: a “Super El Niño”
Tommy Gomes puts it plainly: this year’s “Super” El Niño is pushing warm water — and exotic species — up the coast. Above-normal ocean temperatures have turned Southern California into something closer to Cabo fishing than what locals are used to. Dorado, striped marlin, blue marlin, and giant bluefin are all in the mix at once.
El Niño windows don’t last forever. When the water cools, the exotics leave. That’s what makes right now the moment.
Lobster season opens October 2
As if the offshore bite weren’t enough, California spiny lobster season opens at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026, running through March 17, 2027. For Southern California boaters, opening weekend is a tradition — hoop nets over rocky structure and kelp after dark.
And lobster is a nighttime game — which is exactly why this matters: our boaters are able to navigate at night. Our members can run out after dark and work the hoop nets when the bugs are actually crawling. That’s a unique feature of our club, and it’s tailor-made for lobster season.
The regs, briefly: 7 lobsters per person per day, 3¼-inch minimum carapace (measure from the rear of the eye socket to the rear of the body shell), hoop nets only (up to 5 per person, 10 per vessel max). You’ll need a California sport fishing license, a Spiny Lobster Report Card, and an Ocean Enhancement Validation for waters south of Point Arguello. Check current CDFW regulations before you go — rules can change.
You don’t need to own a sportfisher to fish this bite
Here’s the honest math: a capable offshore fishing boat costs six figures to buy and thousands a year to keep slipped, fueled, and maintained — for a bite window that might last weeks. This is exactly the scenario a boat club was made for: walk down to the dock, take the boat, fish the best bite in years, hand back the keys. No slip fees, no maintenance, no winter storage bill for a boat you use hard for one epic season.
Our San Diego fleet sails from Point Loma Marina — minutes from the bait receivers and the offshore grounds — and our Newport Beach club puts you on the Orange County bite just as fast.
Call (619) 488-6630 and we’ll get you out on the water while the bite is still historic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will this bite last?
No one knows — that’s the nature of an El Niño-driven bite. Warm-water species follow the water temperature, and when it cools they move. The bluefin volume bite has been strong all 2026, but the marlin and exotic mix is a right now phenomenon. If you’re going to go, go soon.
What’s the biggest fish caught off San Diego recently?
A 446-pound dressed (roughly 500 pounds whole) bluefin tuna landed in early September 2026 — called the largest bluefin ever taken on rod and reel. Days later, a 648-pound blue marlin was landed aboard the Pegasus, likely the largest gamefish ever taken on the San Diego sportfleet.
When does lobster season open in California?
The 2026–27 recreational spiny lobster season opens at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026, and runs through March 17, 2027. Bag limit is 7 per person with a 3¼-inch minimum carapace measurement.
Do I need a special license to hoop net for lobster?
Yes — a California sport fishing license, a Spiny Lobster Report Card, and (south of Point Arguello) an Ocean Enhancement Validation. Hoop nets only; no diving gear tricks, no spears.
Can I go offshore fishing without owning a boat?
That’s the whole idea behind our club. Members reserve boats from our Point Loma and Newport Beach fleets, fish the bite, and return the boat — no ownership costs, no maintenance, no slip fees. Call (619) 488-6630.
Sources: NY Post, Fox News/Outkick, SanDiegoVille, Western Outdoor News, USA Today For The Win, The Log