THE VERDICT: GO ✅ 8/10 | The Offshore Fleet Won
The Coronados yellowtail bite collapsed on June 18 -- one day after we published Issue #14 -- and stayed quiet all week. San Diego went from 54 YT on Wednesday to 17 on Thursday, 11 on Saturday, 3 on Sunday, 0 on Tuesday. Two Call misses in three weeks, both on CI predictions. Meanwhile the offshore fleet had one of the better weeks of the season: Pacific Queen returned with 90 YT on a 3-day and 74 YT on a 2-day in the same week. Polaris Supreme posted 52 BFT on Saturday and 54 BFT on Monday. The fish didn't leave San Diego -- they moved. The Full Moon arrives Monday June 29 at 4:56 PM PDT, with this weekend running at 94% (Saturday) and 98% (Sunday) illumination. Midday Underfoot Majors both days. Weather still 9/10. The question is which fishery recovers first and whether the Full Moon moonrise-at-sunset windows create something new at the end of the day.
Weekend Score: 8/10 🟢
LAST WEEK’S CALL
Last Week's Call: San Diego tops 80 yellowtail on Saturday.
❌ Result: 11 YT on Saturday June 20 -- miss. The Coronados CI bite had already collapsed June 18; sand bass replaced yellowtail across the fleet through the end of the week.
THE BIG STORY: RESET AT THE CORONADOS
Two misses. Same bet. Time to look at what actually happened.
The San Diego posted 54 YT on June 17 -- good number, clean water, nothing unusual. Twenty-four hours later: 17. The day after: 19. By Saturday June 20 (the Call day): 11. By Sunday June 21: 3. By Tuesday June 23: the San Diego returned from a full-day Coronados run with 41 sand bass, 40 sculpin, and zero yellowtail.
Something changed at the Coronados overnight on June 17-18. The most likely explanation is a water temperature shift -- a cold upwelling or current reversal that moved YT off the structure. The evidence: sand bass don't replace yellowtail gradually. When the CI YT count falls from 54 to 3 in four days and sand bass counts go from near-zero to 115 in a single trip, you're looking at a species replacement event driven by a thermal or current change, not a gradual bite slowdown.
The offshore fleet had a completely different week. Pacific Queen: 90 YT June 22, 74 YT June 24 -- back-to-back exceptional 2-day and 3-day returns. Polaris Supreme: 52 BFT Saturday, 54 BFT Monday. Apollo: 26 BFT Monday. Pegasus: 26 BFT Monday. The fish offshore didn't notice anything changed. The Coronados-specific event isolated the CI zone while boats running further south continued posting season-level numbers.
One other data point worth noting: Got Bait returned June 23 with 2 bluefin listed at "up to 200 pounds." Tomahawk posted 16 BFT up to 130 lbs the same day. The BFT offshore are not small.
ZONE BREAKDOWN
Offshore BFT -- EXCELLENT (5/5)
The BFT machine kept running all week. Polaris Supreme 52 BFT Saturday, 54 BFT Monday. Apollo 26 BFT, Pegasus 26 BFT, Aztec 18 BFT, Pacific Voyager 10 BFT on Monday alone -- 134 BFT in a single Monday. The school hasn't moved and multiple boats are finding it. June 23: Tomahawk returned with 16 BFT up to 130 lbs, Constitution 6 BFT up to 120 lbs, Got Bait 2 BFT up to 200 lbs. These are not juvenile fish.
Offshore Multi-Day YT -- VERY GOOD (4/5)
Pacific Queen is the boat of the week. 90 YT June 22 on a 3-day, 74 YT June 24 on a 2-day. That's back-to-back exceptional trips on different run lengths. Legend 67 YT June 18. Producer 36 YT June 22. Pegasus 21 YT, Highliner 15 YT. The offshore YT is solid and consistent while the CI was dead.
Coronado Islands -- RESET (1/5)
The CI yellowtail bite is effectively zero. San Diego: 11 Saturday, 3 Sunday, 0 Tuesday. Grande: 5, 1, 5 across the week. Mission Belle barely registering. The species that replaced YT tells the story: June 24, San Diego returned with 115 sand bass and 3 YT. New Seaforth PM posted 164 sand bass on June 24. When sand bass volumes reach that level, the Coronados are in a thermal reset. It can flip back quickly -- the April to May and the mid-June recovery both showed 2-4 day bounce-backs. But there's no guarantee on timing.
La Jolla / Nearshore -- MODERATE (3/5)
Sea Watch posted 7 WSB on Sunday June 21 -- the best single-trip WSB count in two weeks. New Seaforth AM on June 22 had 2 WSB. Dolphin PM got 1 WSB Tuesday. The nearshore WSB bite is quiet but not gone. Sand bass everywhere across the half-day fleet -- when the CI goes into sand bass mode it spreads to the nearshore zone too. Not an exciting week for half-day pelagics.
Dana Point / Oceanside -- SLOW (2/5)
Minimal pelagic activity.
PRIVATE BOAT INTEL
Full Moon, Midday Windows, and the Overnight Edge
The Full Moon is Monday June 29. This weekend runs at 94% Saturday and 98% Sunday -- bright enough to be effectively Full Moon conditions.
The most important thing to understand about Full Moon fishing: the fish have been eating in the dark. A Full Moon in June means moonrise near sunset and moonset near sunrise -- the fish had 8-9 hours of bright moonlight to feed overnight every night this week. That's a meaningful reduction in daytime hunger compared to the New Moon period when nights are dark and fish show up ravenous in the morning.
The midday Underfoot Major windows (11:02 AM Saturday, 11:53 AM Sunday) are still the strongest daytime windows available. But if the bite feels slower than the lunar window should warrant, that's why.
Where the Full Moon consistently helps: multi-day and overnight boats that are on the water fishing the Overhead Major windows (9:37-11:37 PM Saturday, 10:27 PM-12:27 AM Sunday). The overnight BFT bite in particular tends to light up near Full Moon -- fish that have been surfacing to feed in the moonlight are active at the surface and catchable at night. The Polaris Supreme and Pacific Queen trips that have been scoring 50+ BFT are fishing these overnight windows.
The sunset Moonrise Minor (5:09-6:09 PM Saturday, 6:06-7:06 PM Sunday) is worth attention for nearshore WSB and late-afternoon YT -- moonrise at sunset is a historically productive overlap window. Sea Watch getting 7 WSB on Sunday June 21 (also near a sunset lunar minor) fits the pattern.
For private boaters: if you're doing a day trip, focus the midday window hard (fish from 10 AM through 1 PM on both days). If you're on an overnight run to chase BFT, the 10 PM - midnight window is when the school is active.
CONDITIONS
Forecast: Excellent all weekend. Fourteen consecutive clean weekends.
Period | Wind | Seas | Swell Period | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday | Variable <10 kt | 3-4 ft | 15s | 9/10 🟢 |
Friday | Variable <10 kt | 3-4 ft | 15s | 9/10 🟢 |
Saturday | Variable <10 kt | 3-4 ft | 14s | 9/10 🟢 |
Sunday | Variable <10 kt | 3-4 ft | 14s | 9/10 🟢 |
Monday | Variable <10 kt | 3 ft | 15s | 9/10 🟢 |
Source: NOAA PZZ750, San Mateo Pt to Mexican Border, out 30nm.
Barometric Pressure: Stable at 29.970 inHg. No signal.
SST:
Coronado Islands: Uncertain -- thermal shift likely drove the YT off structure; sand bass replacement suggests cooler upwelled water
La Jolla / Nearshore: 63-65°F
Offshore / Buoy 46086: 65-67°F (BFT-favorable band holding)
WHY IT WORKS THIS WEEKEND
Different playbook this week.
1. The offshore BFT school hasn't moved. Polaris Supreme found it at 52 (Saturday), Pacific Queen at 74 YT (Wednesday), Polaris Supreme again at 54 BFT (Monday). Three runs in one week, all returning with exceptional numbers from the same general offshore zone. This isn't random. The school is holding and the boats know where it is.
2. Full Moon midday Underfoot Major -- windows aligned for daytime boats. 11:02 AM Saturday, 11:53 AM Sunday. The gravitational pull is maximum at midday -- same timing as the New Moon weekend, but with different fish behavior context (see Private Boat Intel). Fish through the window regardless; the bite may be more compressed than usual.
3. Sunset moonrise windows both days. Moonrise at 5:09 PM Saturday and 6:06 PM Sunday overlaps with the golden hour bite window. WSB, YT, and barracuda are all candidates for this late-day activation. Sea Watch's 7 WSB on the Sunday June 21 evening trip was the clearest example of this window producing in recent weeks.
4. The overnight Overhead Major is the premium window. 9:37 PM Saturday, 10:27 PM Sunday. Multi-day and overnight boats that are fishing this window have the best shot at the BFT that have been feeding in the moonlight. The Full Moon makes fish visible at depth at night -- and the BFT school that's been producing 50+ fish per trip is findable in those conditions.
SOLUNAR TABLE
Weekend of June 27-28, 2026 -- San Diego
Full Moon arrives Monday June 29 at 4:56 PM PDT. Saturday 94% illumination / Sunday 98% illumination.
Day | Phase | Type | Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sat June 27 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Underfoot | 10:02 AM - 12:02 PM | Midday -- peak at 11:02 AM |
Sat June 27 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Moonrise | 4:39 PM - 6:39 PM | Near sunset |
Sat June 27 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Overhead | 9:37 PM - 11:37 PM | Evening -- overnight boats |
Sat June 27 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Moonset | 3:02 AM - 4:02 AM | Pre-dawn |
Sun June 28 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Underfoot | 10:53 AM - 12:53 PM | Midday -- peak at 11:53 AM |
Sun June 28 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Moonrise | 5:36 PM - 7:36 PM | At sunset |
Sun June 28 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Overhead | 10:27 PM - 12:27 AM | Overnight -- prime BFT window |
Sun June 28 | 🌕 Waxing Gibbous | Moonset | 3:48 AM - 4:48 AM | Pre-dawn |
The picks: Saturday 10:02 AM-12:02 PM (midday) and 9:37-11:37 PM (overnight BFT). Sunday 10:53 AM-12:53 PM (midday) and 10:27 PM-12:27 AM (overnight BFT).
This is the same midday Underfoot Major timing we had on the New Moon weekend -- but with a critical difference. Near New Moon, nights are dark and fish feed hungrily at the first daytime window. Near Full Moon, fish have had all night to feed in the moonlight, which can reduce daytime aggression. The window is there and real; the bite may be more compressed and shorter than the New Moon equivalent.
The overnight Overhead Majors (9:37 PM Saturday, 10:27 PM Sunday) are the premium windows for multi-day BFT trips. Full Moon BFT -- when the school is in position and conditions are clean -- can produce some of the most explosive nighttime bites of the season.
BOAT PICKS
#1 -- Polaris Supreme (Seaforth Landing -- 3 Day)
The BFT call. 52 BFT Saturday June 20 and 54 BFT Monday June 22 -- same boat, same school, two runs in one week. With the Full Moon overnight window (9:37 PM Saturday) and the school still holding, this is the trip with the highest probability of another 50+ BFT return. If you want bluefin, this is the boat. https://www.seaforthlanding.com/boats/polarissupreme.php
#2 -- Pacific Queen (Fisherman's Landing -- 2 Day)
The multi-day YT and BFT call. 90 YT June 22, 74 YT June 24, 8 BFT June 24 -- Pacific Queen has been finding both species consistently offshore. The 2-day format puts you on the water for both the Saturday midday and the Saturday overnight window. Best mixed-bag shot of the weekend. https://www.fishermanslanding.com/boats/pacificqueen.php
#3 -- Sea Watch (Seaforth Landing -- 3/4 Day)
The sunset window pick. Sea Watch posted 7 WSB on June 21 during the evening bite window -- the same moonrise-at-sunset pattern repeats Saturday at 5:09 PM and Sunday at 6:06 PM. The 3/4 Day format overlaps with both the tail end of the midday Underfoot Major and the moonrise minor window near sunset. Best nearshore shot for WSB or a late YT bite if the CI rebounds. https://www.seaforthlanding.com/boats/seawatch.php
THE DATA ANGLE
Three Misses, Two Fisheries, One Pattern
Issue #13: Called San Diego 100 YT, got 39. BFT exploded offshore instead.
Issue #14: Called San Diego 80 YT, got 11. CI collapsed; offshore YT and BFT continued.
Issue #15: Pivoting off the CI call.
The pattern is worth understanding for the app.
The Coronados yellowtail bite is volatile at the transition zone between lunar phases and thermal events. The multi-day offshore BFT and YT bite has been consistently productive during the same period -- same water conditions, same weather, same lunar phase. The two fisheries are decoupled. A model that treats them as the same prediction target will keep missing.
The CI full-day bite depends on fish at structure within 20-25 miles of the dock. That's a narrow geographic window where temperature, current, and bait availability all have to align. When any one of those shifts -- as they did on June 18 -- the bite can shut down overnight. The multi-day boats have range to chase the fish; the full-day CI boats are stuck with what's in the zone.
The app implication: CI predictions need their own model with thermal indicators as a primary input. Multi-day offshore predictions need a separate model weighted toward BFT school-holding patterns, bait availability, and tidal range. Conflating them into a single "yellowtail" prediction will produce inconsistent results -- which is exactly what the last three weeks have demonstrated.
For the Coronados: the sand bass replacement event is a reliable reversal signal. When sand bass volumes spike at the CI (San Diego 115, New Seaforth PM 164 in a single day), the YT have left. The question is when they come back -- historically 3-10 days. June 18 was the departure; June 28-July 1 is the earliest recovery window to watch.
FLEET COUNTS
June 18-24, 2026 -- Notable Trips
BLUEFIN TUNA
Jun 22 -- Polaris Supreme: 54 BFT / 24 ang -- 2 Day ⭐
Jun 20 -- Polaris Supreme: 52 BFT / 24 ang -- 3 Day ⭐
Jun 22 -- Apollo: 26 BFT / 9 ang -- 2 Day
Jun 22 -- Pegasus: 26 BFT / 17 ang -- 1.5 Day
Jun 21 -- Old Glory: 16 BFT / 29 ang -- 1.5 Day
Jun 24 -- Legend: 16 BFT / 21 ang -- 3 Day
Jun 23 -- Tomahawk: 16 BFT (up to 130 lbs) / 17 ang -- 2 Day
Jun 22 -- Aztec: 18 BFT / 25 ang -- 2 Day
Jun 21 -- Excalibur: 8 BFT + 1 YFT / 16 ang -- 3.5 Day
Jun 21 -- Horizon: 10 BFT / 24 ang -- 2.5 Day
Jun 24 -- Pacific Queen: 8 BFT + 74 YT / 30 ang -- 2 Day ⭐
Jun 23 -- Got Bait: 2 BFT (up to 200 lbs) -- Full Day
Jun 19 -- Poseidon: 12 BFT + 1 YFT / 23 ang -- Overnight
MULTI-DAY YELLOWTAIL
Jun 22 -- Pacific Queen: 90 YT / 24 ang -- 3 Day -- week's best ⭐
Jun 24 -- Pacific Queen: 74 YT / 30 ang -- 2 Day ⭐
Jun 21 -- Excalibur: 52 YT / 16 ang (3.25 F/A) -- 3.5 Day
Jun 21 -- Legend: 53 YT / 25 ang (2.12 F/A) -- 3 Day
Jun 20 -- Fortune: 44 YT / 18 ang -- 1.5 Day
Jun 19 -- Pacific Queen: 49 YT / 30 ang -- 1.5 Day
Jun 22 -- Producer: 36 YT / 14 ang -- Overnight
Jun 22 -- Aztec: 36 YT / 25 ang -- 2 Day
Jun 22 -- Sea Watch: 31 YT / 35 ang -- 3/4 Day
CORONADOS YELLOWTAIL (THE COLLAPSE)
Jun 22 -- San Diego: 32 YT / 35 ang -- Full Day CI (brief recovery)
Jun 20 -- Grande: 30 YT / 38 ang -- Full Day CI
Jun 20 -- Mission Belle: 26 YT / 29 ang -- Full Day CI
Jun 20 -- San Diego: 11 YT / 35 ang -- Full Day CI (Call day)
Jun 21 -- San Diego: 3 YT / 34 ang -- Full Day CI
Jun 23 -- San Diego: 0 YT / 17 ang (41 Sand Bass) -- Full Day CI ⚠️
Jun 24 -- San Diego: 3 YT / 36 ang (115 Sand Bass) -- Full Day CI ⚠️
WHITE SEABASS
Jun 21 -- Sea Watch: 7 WSB / 34 ang -- 3/4 Day ⭐
Jun 22 -- New Seaforth AM: 2 WSB / 52 ang -- 1/2 Day AM
Jun 19 -- New Seaforth PM: 4 WSB / 54 ang -- 1/2 Day PM
Jun 21 -- New Seaforth PM: 1 WSB / 55 ang -- 1/2 Day PM
Jun 19 -- Sea Watch: 1 WSB / 33 ang -- 3/4 Day
Jun 23 -- Dolphin PM: 1 WSB / 22 ang -- 1/2 Day PM
NEARSHORE (SAND BASS REPLACEMENT EVENT)
Jun 24 -- New Seaforth PM: 164 Sand Bass / 41 ang -- 1/2 Day PM
Jun 24 -- San Diego: 115 Sand Bass (+ 3 YT) / 36 ang -- Full Day CI
Jun 24 -- Sea Watch: 87 Sand Bass / 36 ang -- 3/4 Day
Jun 24 -- Dolphin PM: 80 Sand Bass / 20 ang -- 1/2 Day PM
Jun 22 -- New Seaforth Twilight: 150 Calico Bass Released / 39 ang
Week Totals (June 18-24)
Bluefin Tuna: ~300 fleet-wide -- Polaris Supreme leading with 52 and 54 BFT on back-to-back trips; 200-lb fish on June 23
Yellowtail (Offshore): ~700+ fleet-wide from multi-day boats -- Pacific Queen 90 and 74 in one week
Yellowtail (CI): ~80 total -- effectively collapsed after June 17
Yellowfin Tuna: 2 (Poseidon June 19, Excalibur June 21) -- YFT making scattered appearances
White Seabass: ~17 -- Sea Watch 7 WSB on Sunday evening is standout trip
Sand Bass: Exceptional -- replacing YT across CI and nearshore fleet June 22-24
Dorado: Steady at 5-10 fleet-wide (Pegasus, Highliner, others)
🎯 THE CALL
Polaris Supreme returns with 50+ bluefin on Saturday.
They ran 52 on June 20 and 54 on June 22 -- same school, same zone. Full Moon overnight window fires at 9:37 PM Friday into Saturday morning. Going where the fish have been all week instead of where we hoped they'd be.
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.