Orange County fishing report 8/16/2026

RockenReel Sportfishing reporting Mako Shark caught on the troll, and lots of Bass, Barracuda and Bonito. Dozens of boats at Salt Creek and long lines for bait- the word is out that Dana Point - San Mateo and Barn Kelp are holding trophy Yellowtail. - Captain Steve

RockenReel Sportfishing reporting Yellowtail right out front. Lost a couple first thing this morning. Big fish running into the kelp w young beginners who preferred to tackle the fish solo- great fights. Bass, Barracuda and Bonito are all in the cards. Yellowfin tuna and Dorado being caught as close as 7 miles out. Good fishing right now. Be ready for long lines in the morning for bait and lots of pressure. - Captain Steve

RockenReel Sportfishing reporting 6 nice yellowtail (smaller grade today- until now all yellowtail have been 15-25 pound grade for weeks) in the cooler this morning already ....and a ton of Bass, Barracuda and Bonito. All caught 15 minutes from the boat slip in Dana Point harbor- the hub for catching beasts! The fish gods have been great to us this season- all the big fish are centered on our turf for the last 2 months. RockenReel Sportfishing dominates the local Orange County and North San Diego County sportfishing scene. Captain Noah and myself watch other boats spend countless hours 30 miles plus offshore chasing their dream catch all the while we typically stay local and crush it! Dorado, Yellowtail and Mako Sharks bagged in the 1-7 mile zone right in front of Dana Point Harbor every day. We watch the other fishing boats watching us catch all day because our flagship vessel, the 47 foot luxury sportfisher is bigger than most and ready to rock- slaying big fish on a constant basis like magic! Our sexy Scarab is targeting high speed game chasing aggressive sportfishing. See all of our recent fishing reports here on fishingbooker. Get out here and bend the rods! Book your next adventure on fishingbooker now because spots are filling up quickly. - Captain Steve