Bite Index | May 7, 2026 | Full Report

The near-shore yellowtail bite that made last week historic has cooled. Water temps at the Coronados dropped from 66-67°F to 59-62°F after the Full Moon transition, and the yellows went with it. That's the near-shore story.

The offshore story is different. Polaris Supreme came back Monday with 138 bluefin tuna on 23 anglers, 6.0 fish per angler, the single best tuna day the fleet has posted this season. Pacific Voyager went 80 on 20 the day before with 3 dorado mixed in. This is a legitimate bluefin blitz happening right now south of the border.

Conditions go clean Friday through Sunday. If you're willing to make the run, this is your window.

Weekend Score: 7/10 🔵

Forecast: Excellent through the weekend.

Source: NOAA PZZ750, San Mateo Pt to Mexican Border, out 30nm.

Friday through Sunday is about as clean as it gets for a May weekend.

Barometric Pressure: ⚪ Stable at 30.03 inHg, slight settling trend. No strong signal.

SST:

The numbers need context. Polaris Supreme's 138 BFT on 23 anglers (6.0 F/A) on Monday is the best single-day tuna ratio the fleet has posted this season. This wasn't a fluky one-boat day. Pacific Voyager had 80 on the prior trip, Legend went 68 on 26, Old Glory 60 on 30. The fleet collectively tallied approximately 677 bluefin across tracked boats from May 1-4.

The fish are running 20-130 lbs. The primary zone is Hidden Bank (31°50N x 117°30W) and the Upper 500/Double 220 area. Water temp in the zone is holding at 65.4-65.8°F, right in the BFT thermal window.

What's working: flylined sardines on 25-30 lb fluorocarbon daytime; spreader bars and MadMacs on the surface; knife jigs at night.

The night bite is active and has been consistent all week, with reported action running as late as the early morning hours south of the border.

One thing worth watching: Pacific Voyager mixed in 3 dorado on the May 3 trip, and yellowfin are also being reported in the Upper 500 zone. The full pelagic spread may be building offshore.

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The same Full Moon transition that supercharged the April 29 peak (San Diego's 159 YT on 34 anglers, 4.7 F/A) has since worked against the bite. Water temps at the Coronado Islands dropped from 66-67°F to 59-62°F in the days after the full moon. Yellowtail went quiet almost immediately.

The fleet responded. San Diego came back Monday with 145 whitefish and essentially zero yellowtail, the most telling single-boat data point of the week. Boats are still running to the islands, but the focus has shifted to rockfish, whitefish, and calico bass while waiting for the water to warm back up.

Reports from the islands this week describe yellowtail as present but finicky, with most action coming on flylined sardines at South Island and the Rockpile. A warming push through the weekend could switch them back on.

Private boats have been hitting bluefin in a consistent band between 31°26N and 31°48N all week, running parallel to the border and south. Every report in this zone came back on water running 65.4-65.8°F. The fish are concentrated, not scattered.

The fish are holding in roughly a 20-mile north-south corridor. If you mark fish on the meter in that temperature range, you're in the zone. Night departures from San Diego can reach Hidden Bank by 2-3 AM for first light fishing.

Offshore Mexico -- Hot: Huge volume of BFT at Hidden Bank and Upper 500/Double 220, 25-130 lbs. Yellowfin and dorado mix also present. Best daytime on flylined sardines. Night bite active.

Coronado Islands / Rockpile -- Fair: YT bite slower than last week after water rolled. Best signal at South Island and the Rockpile on flylined sardines.

La Jolla / Del Mar / 9-Mile -- Fair: No yellowtail, water rolled to low 60s. Barracuda starting to show, mostly shorts. Good rockfish at Del Mar, 32 Fathom Spot, and Widow Rock.

Lower 9 Mile Bank -- Fair: Great rockfish action in 400-700 ft. Mexican rockfish dominating at 6-7 lb class. Knife jigs 300-400g working.

San Clemente Island -- Fair: A few YT scattered on fly-lined sardines or live squid. Quality calico on frontside; excellent rockfish at Desperation Reef in 300-400 ft.

Three things are lining up.

1. The conditions window. After a breezy mid-week with Small Craft Advisories offshore, Friday through Sunday goes calm: variable under 10 knots with long-period swell. If you've been waiting out the chop, this is your weekend.

2. The fish are stacked. Polaris Supreme, Pacific Voyager, Legend, and Old Glory all posted big numbers this week in the same zone. When multiple boats are finding fish in the same coordinates over multiple days, that pattern tends to hold when conditions are stable.

3. The moon transition favors early starts. Last Quarter (53.9% Saturday, 43.9% Sunday) has the moon setting around noon, giving way to dark afternoons and nights. The night bite at Hidden Bank has been active all week. Private boaters running overnight have had consistent success.

The one variable: the near-shore yellowtail bite that made last week special is off for now. This weekend rewards commitment. Longer runs, earlier starts, offshore target. Day-trippers staying local will find barracuda, rockfish, and maybe a stray yellowtail at the islands.

Weekend of May 9-10, 2026 -- San Diego

The pick: Saturday 5:53-7:53 AM. This is the strongest solunar window of the weekend, a 2-hour major centered on the moon's overhead transit at 6:53 AM. It runs from pre-dawn through the first full hour of daylight. For private boaters running overnight to Hidden Bank, a midnight departure from San Diego puts you on the fish right as this window opens. For sport boats on 3-day trips already in the zone, this is the alarm-clock call.

Saturday evening (6:18-8:18 PM) is the backup pick -- sunset coincides with the Major 2 window, which often produces aggressive topwater surface action on bluefin.

Sunday morning (6:38-8:38 AM) is nearly as strong as Saturday and slightly later, which suits boaters who prefer a 3-4 AM departure rather than overnight.

The obvious call this week. 138 BFT on 23 anglers on the last 3-day. 122 BFT on 24 on the prior 3-day. Polaris Supreme has found the zone and keeps going back. The 3-day format gives you time to be in the right place when the bite turns on.

80 BFT plus 3 dorado on the May 3 trip. Shorter 2-day format for those who can't swing a 3-day. Pacific Voyager has been fishing the same bluefin zone with consistent results.

If you're staying local, New Seaforth's half-day trips have been the surprise of the week: 43 barracuda on a single PM trip May 3. Barracuda season is opening up. For an affordable afternoon trip with real action, this is the play.

The Bite Index publishes every Thursday. Built on marine weather data, offshore buoy readings, fleet fish counts, and our own in-depth fishing data analysis.

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