Bluefin Tuna Fishing Reports — San Diego & Southern California
San Diego boats have landed 5,229 bluefin tuna in the last 30 days across 111 trips. The bite is on 3-day trips right now: the Freedom put 10 bluefin on the deck for 30 anglers on September 28. Through September, the 2026 season is running 13% behind 2025 on the same dates.
When is bluefin tuna season in San Diego?
July through October, with the count peaking in September — 11,977 bluefin in September 2025. Fish show as early as March; the season is effectively over by the turn of the year.
View as table
| Month | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | — | — |
| Feb | — | — |
| Mar | 641 | — |
| Apr | 2,051 | 1,050 |
| May | 5,733 | 1,162 |
| Jun | 1,099 | 1,967 |
| Jul | 7,692 | 8,474 |
| Aug | 9,093 | 10,975 |
| Sep | 4,344 | 11,977 |
| Oct | — | 10,461 |
| Nov | — | 2,294 |
| Dec | — | 142 |
Which boats are catching bluefin right now?
Eight boats account for the bulk of the last 90 days. Every name links to that boat's page — schedule, reports, and booking.
| Boat | Landing | Bluefin · 90d | Trips | Per trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Queen | Fisherman's | 1,623 | 18 | 90 |
| Polaris Supreme | Seaforth | 1,410 | 17 | 83 |
| Legend | H&M | 1,174 | 16 | 73 |
| Pacific Voyager | Seaforth | 1,085 | 19 | 57 |
| Aztec | Seaforth | 1,005 | 18 | 56 |
| Islander | Fisherman's | 882 | 13 | 68 |
| Excalibur | H&M | 793 | 14 | 57 |
| Highliner | Seaforth | 790 | 14 | 56 |
Does the moon phase matter for bluefin?
Yes, in our data: since June 2025, dark-moon trips (under 25% illumination) averaged 2.19 fish per angler across 742 trips, versus 1.33 on the full moon (609 trips) — a raw split across 2,091 trips, not controlled for season. Tonight: waning gibbous, 90% illuminated.
Bluefin technique & gear this week
What bait and leader for daytime bluefin?
Fly-line a lively sardine on 25-pound fluorocarbon. When the only bait is pinhead anchovy, drop to 15-to-20-pound fluorocarbon — the smaller-grade fish won't touch a sardine. A 25-to-40-pound bluefin and yellowfin mix is biting fly-lined baits at the lower banks.
What jig for the bluefin night bite?
A 250-to-400-gram knife jig, kept inside the called depth rather than worked through the whole column. Rig two hooks hung from the bottom of the jig; tungsten models are worth the extra cost. The night bite is doing the heavier lifting on multi-day trips — and dark-moon nights have averaged 2.17 fish per angler against 1.30 on the full moon.
What should you pack?
Surface iron, poppers, and plastics — and be ready to make mackerel: sardine supply has ranged from pinhead bait to oversized fish, and a bad bait day turns the trip into a jig-and-plastics program. The grade is mostly 10-to-20-pound fish with 100-pounders showing regularly, so rig at least one heavy outfit.
What are your best chances of catching a bluefin?
3-day trips led at 78.8 bluefin per trip over the last 90 days across 95 trips. The next dark-moon windows are October 6–15 and November 4–14.
| Trip length | Avg bluefin · 90d | Listed price · mid-50% |
|---|---|---|
| Full-day trips | 4.2 (25 trips) | $124–$240 (3,187 listings) |
| Overnight trips | 13.6 (36 trips) | $240–$340 (1,317 listings) |
| 1.5-day trips | 22.9 (78 trips) | $495–$570 (363 listings) |
| 2-day trips | 40.9 (153 trips) | $735–$932 (485 listings) |
| 2.5-day trips | 39.1 (78 trips) | $992–$1,242 (84 listings) |
| 3-day trips | 78.8 (95 trips) | $1,449–$1,811 (468 listings) |
| 3.5-day trips | 60.7 (20 trips) | $1,400–$1,700 (17 listings) |
| 4-day trips | 93.4 (5 trips) | $2,267–$2,584 (94 listings) |
Upcoming trips with open spots
Bluefin tuna FAQ
What is the best trip length for bluefin tuna?
Over the last 90 days, 3-day trips led at 78.8 bluefin per trip across 95 trips.
Do I need a passport for a bluefin trip?
Most multi-day bluefin trips fish offshore Mexican waters: a Mexican fishing permit is required and sold with your ticket. A passport (book or card) and FMM apply only when the boat fishes within 12 miles of the Mexican coast or islands. Confirm with the landing when you book.
How many bluefin can I keep?
2 per angler per day, and declared multi-day trips stack up to three daily limits: 4 bluefin on a 2-day trip, 6 on 3 days or longer — 6 is the cap however long the trip. The limits apply to fish landed in San Diego regardless of where caught. Verify current CDFW / NOAA regulations before your trip.
What months are best for big bluefin?
The count peaks July–October. September 2025 was the single best month on record here: 11,977 bluefin.
Keep exploring
Counts sourced from 111 trips reported by Southern California landings, August 30, 2026 – September 29, 2026. Every figure on this page is computed from that data.