San Diego's 3 Best Fish Dives
Fish, fish, fish - I want to see FISH! (and a lot of them). Big fat ones, and all the colors of the rainbow. San Diego's a good place for seeing a lot of fish and we're not just talking about Sea World.
But where's best? Below are three very good places to see a lot of fish. One is a beach dive; the other two are boat dives.
MARINE
ROOM
What better place to play with a lot of friendly fish than smack dab in the middle of an ecological reserve and along the edge of a submarine canyon. These fish are not only unafraid of divers because they're protected, they are also quite curious because they don't often see divers.
This excellent site is, surprisingly, not often visited, yet is quite easy to dive. Perhaps it's because it is located between the two most popular beach dives in all of San Diego - La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Submarine Canyon (a.k.a. La Jolla Shores).
The site gets its name from the restaurant "Marine Room," immediately adjacent to the beach access. A gently sloping sand bottom leads to low lying reefs far offshore and to the west a bit. In 10 to 20 feet of water, huge, and I mean HUGE, calico bass will approach you eyeball to eyeball. This is the only place along the coast I've seen the normally skittish large calicos approach a diver. At best, they normally only tolerate a diver's presence.
Although the calicos are definitely the main event here, you can also see big leopard sharks in the late summer and fall, large schools of anchovies, and abundant basic Southern California reef fish. When calm and clear, this is a great spot for the snorkeler. Just remember, it can be a long swim. For the more experienced diver, a long swim straight out and to the northeast a bit will take you to rarely explored section of the La Jolla Submarine Canyon.
And a final point: The Marine Room dive site is in the heart of the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. The taking or disturbing of anything is strictly prohibited.
3-FINGERS
This most exciting part of a reef to dive is the leading edge facing into a current. Fish gather in large numbers to feed on food brought in by ocean-going currents. Such is the case with 3-Fingers on the north side of the Point Loma kelp beds.
As the steady current sails south down toward Point Loma, the first major underwater structure it encounters is rocky projection known as 3-Fingers. It is so named because of the three rocky "fingers" protruding out across the sea floor. As the waters full of nutrients hit these rocks, there is an upwelling. The water swirls with small life, food for the bigger and still bigger fish. The activity here, especially on an early morning dive, can be intoxicating.
Look for barracuda above the rocky valleys. And beneath, a barracuda predator, the giant black sea bass. Calico bass, perch, garibaldi, blacksmith, and señoritas all fight for their fair share of the food booty. They either pick at the rocks or gulp it from the water column.
Look also for bottom feeders. Horn sharks, guitarfish, and the like try to get in on the action.
Depths vary from 40 to 90 feet, and although the currents are nearly constant, they are rarely too strong. Spearfishing is allowed but unfortunately, although the popular gamefish are abundant, they are not large.
CORONADOS
ISLANDS
Okay, so it's not really San Diego, but with the large number of excellent San Diego-based charter boats regularly making this short run, it might as well be. Depending on the boat, most trips are less than two hours, some as little as one hour. The Coronados Islands lie just across the border in Mexican waters. It is a group of four small rocky islands noted for terrific water clarity.
The fish population is distinctly Southern California in nature, with a few notable exceptions. One of these exceptions is a triggerfish colony at Lobster Shack on the North Island. Triggerfish are considered a more tropical species, rarely seen north of the border. Garibaldi are especially abundant and friendly. Another abundant resident is the moray eel. But if you're looking for morays, inquire with a knowledgeable dive boat skipper, as they tend to run in concentrated colonies.
Other fish activity to look for include the cleaning antics of the thin, cigar shaped señorita fish. Small clumps of blacksmith fish will move away from the reef following the small señorita fish, seeking their cleaning services. They then pick the fish clean of parasites. At times, the señoritas are mobbed by fish wanting to be cleaned.
Black sea bass have returned to these islands. Once made rare due to over fishing, tighter restrictions in U.S. waters to the north have also benefited these islands. An encounter with these behemoths, most weighing 150 pounds or more, is humbling.
Sea World in San Diego is a nice place to visit to see fish, but why not a true face-to-face encounter? Just offshore are some excellent dive sites for visits with your fishy friends. Break out your calendar today and plan your San Diego fish dive.