Water temps fluctuating high fifties to high sixties, yet sand crabs and corbina still can be found on North County beaches.  Best report is a good leopard shark bite off the Oceanside Pier using sardines, squid and cut mackerel.  These sharks are also being caught off the beaches.  Lots of 3-5lb croaker being reported/caught at the power plant lagoon, pier and beaches—in that order.  Best baits still bloodworms, but sand crabs, ghost shrimp and mussel also work.  Shore fishing has been much better than offshore.

All derbies are concluded until March 2011.  Even with the colder water this time of the year, the corbina are still biting along most of the North County beaches.  Bloodworms and sand crabs are always the best bait.  Anglers are catching buckets of sardines at the end of the Oceanside Pier and croaker are being taken at the surf line.  Carlsbad power plant lagoon is giving up short halibut, spotted bay bass and croaker.

Alex Goss was the winner of the $250 grand prize drawing which ended this years’ derbies. Each participant also received $10 coupons to Mr Peabody’s Bar and Grill.  Next derby will be perch in March 2011.  Croaker still biting well at the Oceanside Pier as well as the Carlsbad Power Plant lagoon.  Bonito have also been reported being caught with bonito flies at the end of the Oceanside Pier. 

The winning fish is the Corbina derby was a 6lb 4oz monster caught by Sergio Rodriquez.  Next up is the grand prize drawing  on Aug 7^th for all the derby placers.   The lucky winner will take home $250 in store credit.  Croaker and corbina continue to bite pretty well on North County beaches as well as the Oceanside Pier.  Bloodworms and mussel still tend to be the best baits, but don’t overlook sand crabs if you can find them.  Many more reports of  Leopard sharks being caught on frozen sardines and squid. 

With six days left in the corbina derby the top fish is a 6lb 4oz whooper caught by Sergio Rodriguez.  Best baits continue to be bloodworm and mussel.  Oceanside Pier has been producing for both corbina and spotfin croaker.  The grand prize ($250) drawing for the derby winners will be held at the conclusion of the corbina derby. 

Eleven days into the Corbina derby and top fish is 4lb 9oz.  Any sandy beaches are working, but a number of good reports are coming from the Wisconsin St area.  Bloodworms and sand crabs continue to be the best baits.  Still lots of spotfin croaker around with Oceanside Pier being a top producer.  This is the last derby of the year followed by the grand prize drawing, so don’t forget to sign in.

The croaker derby has concluded with Manny Villaroman taking the contest with a 5lb 9oz spotfin.  Although many four pounders were weighed in, it took a five pounder just to make the board.  Today the corbina derby starts, the last derby of the year.  Best baits are bloodworms and sand crabs.  Lots of sightings from Ponto to Oceanside Harbor.  Might want to try Wisconsin St.  Also, Mr Peabody’s Pub is putting up coupons for the winners.  Don’t forget to sign in at the tackle store.

 Croaker derby is well underway and producing a lot of fish.  Top fish is a 5lb 7oz spotfin caught at the Oceanside Pier.  Pier, Agua Hedionda Lagoon and the harbor have all been producing decent size croakers.  All baits seem to be working, but bloodworms, mussel, shrimp and razor clams lead the list.  Looks like you'll have to catch at least a 4 pounder to make the derby board.  Water's slowly warming with more sand crabs and corbina being found. 

Halibut derby is in full swing with a 24lb 11oz fish topping the list followed by a 14lb 8oz, 11llb, 9lb 6oz and a 7lb 13oz  rounding out the next four spots.     Best baits have been live smelt/sardines with most fish coming from Agua Hedionda Lagoon, although some nice fish have been reported coming from Oceanside Harbor.  Those targeting spotfin and perch are most productive using bloodworms. 

Cooler water has not seemed to dampen the spring halibut bite.  Several keeper halibut weighed in at the tackle store  were taken at Agua Hedionda Lagoon and topped by the derby's first fish caught today by Jeff Suttle weighing in at 24lb 11oz.  Reports of halibut also in Oceanside Harbor and Bataquitos Lagoon.  Spotfin croaker also being taken in the lagoons and harbor.  Halibut derby runs the month of May.  Don't forget to sign in.  Just completed April perch derby was won by Andy Seraspe with a 2lb 1oz fish.

Derby leader this week is Dave Gnade who caught a 1lb 8oz perch at Imperial Beach.  Anglers have been reporting many smaller perch catches at almost any beach.  Best baits are bloodworms and small pieces of anchovy.  Also a better bite of spotfin croaker at Agua Hedionda Lagoon has been reported with fish up to four pounds.  Don't  forget to sign in at the tackle store before fishing the derby. 

Run off making the water murky for a couple of days, so fish the edges where it's cleaner.  Perch still biting along the coast, spot fin croaker can be had in the lagoons and reports of halibut on plastics in Oceanside harbor.  Bloodworms (we carry them all year long) and Gulp! sandworms still the best bait, but you might also try shrimp in the lagoons.  Don't forget the perch derby coming up in March.  More info at the tackle store. 

Winner of the July corbina derby was Dave Gnade of San Diego with a 5lb 3oz fish.  This concludes the surf derbies until March next year.  Grand drawing for all derby money winners will be noon Saturday Aug 8.  Each winner will get an amount of tickets equal to his place in a particular derby.  Grand prize is $250 store credit.    On the fishing front mackerel and spotfin doing well at the Oceanside pier.  Leopard sharks biting well at La Jolla on squid and cut mackerel.  Good spotted bay bass bite at Agua Hedionda lagoon. 

Although not real big, a number of keeper halibut in the 7-8lb range have been weighed in this week.  Leader in the May derby is Craig Taylor with a 9lb 11oz flattie.  Preferred bait has been plastics, with live smelt and frozen anchovies also producing.   As the water has been warming up, the spotfin croaker bite has really turned on with blood worms being the best bait.  Lots of corbina also showing, but still a little early.

David Kellogg landed a 23lb 1oz Halibut at Agua Hedionda Lagoon this week on a grub.  Lots more reports coming out of the lagoon, so maybe the spawn is starting to get active.  Large perch still slow, but small perch aboundant.  Manny Ontoveriso added a 1lb 12oz  local slab to the derby this week on a grub.  Little over a week to go for this derby, so get your fish in.  Plenty of room to win.  Next Perch Derby in April.  Don't forget it requires another sign in at the tackle store. 

March Perch derby starts today.  Make sure you sign up first at the tackle store and then bring in the big one.  All the rules are at the store.  On a  positive note, lots of short Halibut and Spotfin Croaker being taken at Agua Hedionda Lagoon.  Earlier in the week Jeff Kuntz took a 28lb 1oz Striped Bass on a Lucky Craft lure in the surf at Del Mar.