Early-May tuna surge brings bluefin, yellowfin, rare albacore offshore

Bluefin inside one-day range changes the way Southern California anglers should plan a trip, and the albacore riding along on Tribute made the message louder. The first San Diego fleet albacore in years showed up April 30 on a gaff aboard the boat out of Mission Bay, and it did not come alone. The same run later produced bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail and dorado in the offshore mix, which is exactly the kind of spread that tells you the bite has moved beyond a single-school hit.

Tribute’s April 30 1.5-day charter with the Wicked Tuna charter group put the albacore on the deck first, a fish described live as the boat’s first catch. From there, the trip kept stacking bluefin. One live report put the count at 24 bluefin for 18 anglers after the albacore hookup, while Seaforth Sportfishing’s fish count listed the return as 1 albacore and 18 bluefin up to 60 pounds. A separate boat report showed the trip that returned May 1 finished with 28 bluefin, 11 bonito and 1 albacore tuna.

That lone albacore matters because it lines up with how NOAA Fisheries describes North Pacific albacore movement. Juveniles typically begin their broad spring and early summer migration then, and the fish can travel in schools that are wide enough to cover 19 miles. In plain English, one early fish is not just a novelty. It can be the first clean sign that the seasonal push has started and that more pelagic fish are sliding into the same offshore lane.

The practical takeaway is simple: this is no longer a pure long-range or overnight conversation. The bluefin are close enough to make 1-day and 1.5-day trips worth a hard look, and the species mix is broad enough that rigs need to match the bite, not a fantasy. The best daytime setup right now is 30- or 40-pound gear for fly-lined bait, with 50- or 60-pound outfits ready for iron and plugs. Keep a heavier rod available for night jigging, because the larger fish in the mix can still force the issue.

This is the kind of early-May offshore pulse anglers wait for: bluefin in range, yellowfin in the blend, and a rare albacore that says the season is not just open, it is accelerating.