San Diego DIY suggestions?

Travis Bille

Travis Bille

I am El Asso Wipo!!!!!
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I'm going to briefly be in San Diego for a conference in a few weeks. My hotel is right in the bay, adjacent to the airport, so, right on the salt.

I've been combing around for info on the saltwater opportunities and they look pretty great. However, I won't have much time to fish, probably limited to a few hours on foot or bike, with no access to a boat.

I have a 7 wt with a floating and intermediate bonefish line, as well as a normal floating line and some fast sinking and intermediate shooting heads.

What would you guys do with a few hours to kill on San Diego bay? I'm not opposed to ubering a bit to find a better spot either.

Thanks in advance!
 
I was down there in June and spent a few days in the area. The best luck we had was fishing around the bay, at places like Liberty Park for Sand Bass. I would throw the intermediate bonefish line and strip around some bonefish flies. I was using a coastal quickshooter with heavier flies. There are lots of sand bass in the bay and other species mixed in. The good thing about the bay as well is you can fish and walk along the shore just about anywhere.

We also did a charter out of Fisherman's Landing for a few hours on one of the big boats, for like $70 bucks per person. It was pretty fun to go catch some rockfish and bigger sand bass.

The San Diego river was kind of cool to check out, very urban and homeless camps here and there but I caught a mondo largemouth.

Other reservoirs/lakes in the area were fun fish but didn't provide much action at all and by now the water temps are probably very warm.
 
Rvrfisher360 said:
I was down there in June and spent a few days in the area. The best luck we had was fishing around the bay, at places like Liberty Park for Sand Bass. I would throw the intermediate bonefish line and strip around some bonefish flies. I was using a coastal quickshooter with heavier flies. There are lots of sand bass in the bay and other species mixed in. The good thing about the bay as well is you can fish and walk along the shore just about anywhere.

We also did a charter out of Fisherman's Landing for a few hours on one of the big boats, for like $70 bucks per person. It was pretty fun to go catch some rockfish and bigger sand bass.

The San Diego river was kind of cool to check out, very urban and homeless camps here and there but I caught a mondo largemouth.

Other reservoirs/lakes in the area were fun fish but didn't provide much action at all and by now the water temps are probably very warm.
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That's fantastic information, thank you! I might have been able to extend my trip to have a few more hours on Monday and Wednesday so I'll get some good exploring done. I really appreciate your input!
 
I just came across some articles on Cortez bonefish and that might be up your ally to target. Neat resident population the bays offer year round, could go guided or not. Wouldn’t go over a 7wt.

They seem to be bottom feeders and not as driven to flats as other bonefish species. An amplitude of ghost shrimp patterns of various weights and don’t be apposed to heavier jig style and flash heavy offerings.

Grab the toxic Fishbrain app if you’re looking to see what people are catching in the area recently. Looks like near shore spots have success on Corbina and bones. The spotted bass seem to be a bycatch in abundance 👍 so something will tighten your line.

Backseat driving two cents for what it’s worth.
 
A few hours to spare in San Diego? There is some pretty good fishing from the beach at times I hear (might be better surfing than shore fishing) but don’t ignore the San Diego Zoo which is pretty damn cool.
 
I always seem to do ok around the flat that's just inland of the where the dog park is. Mostly small halibut but I've seen a few of those little bonefish right on the edge of the flat but have yet to bag one. The north side has a jetty that looks like it should be ok but I've never fished it.
 
I've spent decades fishing San Diego Bay. The bass fishing is fun and the Halibut fishing more so. Beach fly fishing for Corbina (Torrey Pines) is a very "elite" fishery and some people are obsessed with Corbina. For me the "cattle boats" are a crowded, expensive and not to sportsmanlike way of getting out to the kelp beds. "Liberty Station" is a good option, 2 miles away from your hotel. It has a channel, that is wadeable and is full of spotted bass. Just strip a streamer imitating a smelt just above the eel grass. Spotted bass fight like hell. Now here is something to seriously consider...Corvina (not to be confused with Corbina)...These fish come out at night in San Diego Bay (Mission bay as well) anywhere that the lights hit the water. Piers and docks with lights shining into the water are all prime Corvina areas. A full sink line with a large ,white sparkly steamer to strip through the lighted water will produce. Big fish! 27inches is common. IMHO this is one of the most fun fisheries in California. Not very many people know about this. You'll see them following and swiping at your fly as it comes to the surface in the lighted water. Go a little deeper and a little faster and they will bite.
 
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H&M landing was my go to night time fishing spot for Covina. Three miles from your hotel. Even closer is the "G Street Mole" that can be good fishing day or night. "Shelter island" has a useless fishing pier, but one end has a police station that has great fishing and the other end has the Bali Hi that also has great fishing. The rocks in between not so much.
 
"Strouds fly shop"...These guys are the real deal. Anyone that plans on fly fishing San Diego would be well advised to give these guys a call. If you tell them that you plan on fishing Liberty Station they will be very willing to sell you THE fly that will rip some lips.
 
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