September 6, 2026 — Massive bluefin tuna are being reeled in off Northern California in numbers local fishermen say they rarely see.
Dustin Barbane, who runs D&D Fishing Company out of Richmond, said crews are seeing bluefin feeding aggressively near the surface.
“We’re seeing them foaming, or busting up on anchovies,” Barbane said. “They’re eating bait on the surface.”
Bluefin tuna generally favor warmer water, and fishermen say this year’s catches have been unusually strong.
“We’ve seen guys catch up to eight tuna in a day, which is pretty unheard of up here,” he said.
The unusual activity is not limited to tuna. Commercial fisherman Dick Ogg, based in Bodega Bay, said fishermen have noticed rapid shifts in water temperature, unusual concentrations of anchovies and even large numbers of giant octopus.
“It’s kind of a weird thing,” Ogg said. “All of a sudden guys were seeing 20, 25 octopus in their pots all of a sudden up and down the coast.”