Mission Bay Fishing Map
Mission Bay encompasses over 2,000 surface acres of water. The bay, formerly an expanse of marsh and mudflats, was dredged in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Most of the bottom is a relatively uniform 14 to 16 feet deep and lacks rocky structure. There are a few isolated, deeper holes that reach up to about 25 feet. The slope off the bank is gentle and gradual in most areas. There are few steep drop-offs. A couple of the most prominent are the edges of the Mission Bay Channel.  

For the most part, the fishing areas shown on the map refer not to discrete spots but rather to wide areas likely to hold spotted bay bass. Spotties are found throughout the bay, although they are not dominant between the jetties in the entrance channel. Most of the indicated areas are grass beds. The density of individual eel grass beds varies over time. A lush bed that holds a lot of fish one year might be thin and unproductive the next. Use the marked areas as starting places and explore from there. The major fishing areas are:

Sail Bay and the Coves
Sail Bay is one of the more productive areas for spotted bay bass. Eel grass beds fringe the entire arc of shoreline from Santa Clara Cove nearly all the way to Crown Point just north of Vacation Island. There are two deep holes near the center of Sail Bay. Docks and moorages in San Juan and Santa Barbara Coves are good spots to look for “structure” fish.  The mouths of the coves always merit a try.

Mission Bay Channel Between the Bridges
Eel grass beds thrive along the shorelines where the main channel diverges around Vacation Island. Some of the most prominent drop-offs to be found in the bay are the edges of the dredged channel just north and south of the West Mission Bay Drive bridge. 

East Bay
The eastern portions of the bay, including Fiesta Bay and the north half of Pacific Passage, receive less fishing pressure than the west side. Two creeks discharge into the east bay, so the water usually carries more color. There are dense eel grass beds on the flats of De Anza Cove and in Pacific Passage.     

South Bay and the Marinas
Dense eel grass beds are located at the southern end of Mariner’s Basin. Quivira Basin and Dana Cove host the major marinas of Mission Bay. These are prime areas for pitching docks or casting along the open lanes of water between the docks. Although not especially productive for spotted bay bass fishing, the waters around Quivira Basin’s bait barge can give up fast-paced action for sand bass, barracuda, and bonito. Sand bass and calico bass are found along the jetties of the Entrance Channel.    

Fishing spots by David Hokstad and Paul Lebowitz.