This year was a good one. The Port of San Diego and the San Diego Sportfishing Council celebrated the 34th Day at the Docks on Sunday, April 21st, 2013. This fun-filled family event marks the start of San Diego's spring sportfishing season. Each year, nearly 25,000 fishing enthusiasts, young and old gather for Day at the Docks. From my experience just this morning, April 21, the crowd may well be larger, since the lots was full of people before 10:30 A.M.

The marine layer gave it up around nine, and bright sun popped through on a fast-growing crowd of fishermen and their families. The usual vendors, manufacturers, tackle sellers, food booths and artisans were fully manned and appealing to all, but the kid's fishing and Friends of Rollo wheelspins for prizes were getting strong attention. Who knows how many kids pulled their first mackerel out of the pens on this fine morning? Harold Davis and Mike Lum were among the many who donated their time and effort to make this day special for kids.

Seeker, Calstar, Accurate, Izorline, Blackwater, the Holy Mackerel jigmaker and a slew of other manufacturers dominated the rows in front of Fisherman's Landing. The tackle store had plenty of sale items right out in front, where Let's Talk Hookup put on the Sunday morning show. Free harbor rides aboard boats like the Dolphin, Topgun 85 and many others were offered to those who wanted to see what it was all about, while Intrepid, Prowler and a dozen other rigs held open house. Some boats gave seminars on tackle and fishing. Fisherman's Processing had a booth and offered a demonstration of fish-cutting.

Up at the H&M Landing end of the docks, the tackle store had goodies on sale next to Jon Petty's display of fine custom marine-themed jewelry, and Peter J had his line drawings, Gyotaku and various prints for sale. You could buy all sorts of clothing right on down the sidewalk, all the way to Fisherman's Landing. The yellow Sea Tow booth stood out right smack dab in the middle of it all. The food booths near the main gate offered a variety of yummy stuff; no need to go hungry here. Up by the bandstand some folks were giving away free samples of kettle corn.

Like the 33 days at the docks before it, this one came off hitch-free during its first hours. A sunny day helped a lot, and the recent interest spurred by a Coronados yellowtail bite drew even more anglers. That bite was great on Thursday, but fell off on the next couple of days. I asked the countermen in the landings about that. Common opinion was that so many boats hit the area on Friday and Saturday that it unnerved the fish. Most thought the bite would pop back on in a few days, since the yellows have been around for a month or more.

In any case, Day At The Docks means that the spring/summer surface fishing season has officially begun. It's time to get out on the water and enjoy life again. The way the yellowtail fishing is starting, life might just be pretty darn good this summer. That's what Sarah Saraspe of Five Star Fish thought, too. Several of the skippers I spoke with thought the water setup was better than it has been for the last three years, and that albacore ought to be on the way in the coming weeks. Here's hoping everyone can get out there soon. I hope you made it to the big celebration, and that I'll see you at the rail.