Bluefin, yellows, and rare albacore as warm SoCal waters ignite the May bite

What's Biting

What's Next

The next two to three days look favorable for a wide range of SoCal anglers. NOAA buoy 46025 logged winds of just 3 m/s (roughly 6 knots), and buoy 46221 recorded 3-foot seas — comfortable offshore conditions for boats targeting the tuna grounds southwest of San Diego that Western Outdoor News — Saltwater confirmed are producing.

The offshore story is the headliner this week. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, the spread of fish appears extensive, with multi-day trips already finding yellowtail and early dorado alongside bluefin and yellowfin. If the warm water pattern holds — and the publication's reporting suggests offshore temps running dramatically above normal — tuna should remain accessible at one-day range through at least the mid-May window. Anglers booking overnight or multi-day trips should rig iron jigs and live bait for yellowtail, with tuna spreads anchored around the warmer color changes southwest of San Diego. BD Outdoors Forums (West Coast) chatter indicates at least one Newport-departure overnight is already booking out for this week, a signal that local captains are capitalizing on the current window.

Surf and nearshore anglers have their own opportunity opening up. Per Surf Fishing in So Cal's guides and April surf report, corbina and leopard sharks are beginning their seasonal appearance along SoCal beach breaks. Corbina respond well to sandcrab or ghost shrimp fished on a short-shank hook in the sandy wash zone, ideally timed to an outgoing tide when baitfish concentrate near the trough. As nearshore temps continue climbing from the current 62–64°F range toward the mid-to-upper 60s, corbina and California halibut activity should accelerate — both species become more reliably consistent once surface temps push past 65°F.

The waning crescent moon through mid-week produces modest tidal swings, which can concentrate bait in predictable structure rather than dispersing it along long stretches of beach. Plan morning and late-afternoon windows for surf species. For offshore, get lines in at first light and work temperature breaks and color changes. If weekend weather holds calm, Saturday and Sunday could see strong participation on both the offshore tuna grounds and the emerging surf bite — plan accordingly and confirm sea conditions with your landing the night before.

Context

For Southern California in mid-May, the current conditions are strikingly ahead of schedule. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater's "Hot Water" piece frames it plainly: April is typically the coldest water month of the year for California, yet this spring has seen offshore temps push into the very high 60s — more than 10 degrees above normal in some areas. For reference, the biggest anomaly recorded during the strong 1983 El Niño was roughly 7°F above normal. The current departure appears to exceed even that historical benchmark, and speculation about El Niño or super El Niño conditions is circulating widely in the SoCal angling community.

For bluefin tuna to be at one-day range in early May, and albacore appearing on the San Diego fleet in April, is genuinely unusual. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater characterized the albacore aboard the Tribute as the first San Diego fleet albacore in years, underscoring just how warmth-driven and historically anomalous this bite has become. In a typical year, offshore tuna fishing out of SoCal doesn't reach comfortable one-day range until late June or July. Multi-week early arrivals of this magnitude are rare.

In the surf zone, Surf Fishing in So Cal's April report described the season as having a "strange start" — a characterization that fits the broader picture. Corbina, which typically peaks as a target species from June through September in SoCal, is making an earlier-than-normal appearance as nearshore temps warm faster than usual. Leopard sharks are a year-round SoCal staple and are reliably present; warmer springs generally mean better action earlier.

One regulatory development to watch: Western Outdoor News — Saltwater flagged California Fish and Game Commission meetings in Goleta (May 5–6) and San Clemente (May 19) where potential expansion of coastal Marine Protected Areas is on the agenda. Any new MPA boundaries could affect access to nearshore structure in the Bight. As always, check current state regulations and typically verify bag limits and any seasonal closures before targeting species — rules can shift mid-season.