About Nine Mile Bank

Nine Mile Bank is an outer, exposed mud flat off San Diego, dropping through 400 to 490 feet of water roughly nine miles offshore. The bank draws warm-water pelagics through the summer and fall, with Bluefin tuna peaking May through September, Albacore and Yellowfin tuna from June into October, Yellowtail from July through September, and Dorado from July into October. Bluefin respond to kite fishing with flying fish or live mackerel over the open flat, while flylining live sardines or anchovies works the same water when fish sit deeper. Yellowtail hold to live bait such as sardines and mackerel, with yo-yo jigging on heavy iron reaching them near the bottom. As the season turns, Lingcod take over the deep mud from October through February, worked with vertical jigging on heavy iron and metal jigs or a live bait dropper loop with mackerel or squid.