About The 270 Fathom Bank

The 270 Fathom Bank is an outer-exposed rocky drop-off roughly 30 miles off San Diego, where the bottom falls through a range of 100 to 600 feet. Bluefin tuna dominate the calendar here, peaking from May through September, while yellowfin tuna run strong June through October and albacore tuna hold to the same June-to-October window. Anglers work bluefin with kite fishing over the structure, deploying flying fish, live mackerel, or yummy flyers, and drop knife jigs or flat-fall jigs into the deeper water when fish sound. Yellowfin respond to live bait such as sardines, anchovies, and mackerel along the edge, with trolling cedar plugs and feather jigs across the top when schools move. The rocky slope also holds vermilion and widow rockfish through the water column, adding bottom targets to the pelagic action along the bank.