UTERJanuary
Barred surfperch in the surf; winter bluefin on the offshore banks
Gulp sandworms in the beach troughs on the incoming; long-range boats for winter bluefin; boat groundfish is closed part of the winter — check CDFW.
San Diego to Point Conception
Southern California fishing
What's biting in Southern California in October: yellowfin tuna, lingcod and rockfish at their peak, with mahi-mahi, Atlantic bluefin tuna and barred sand bass around too. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows 16 fish here month by month, from San Diego to Santa Barbara.
Last of the pelagics; calicos fat for the fall
A sheltered bight of kelp forests, sand flats and harbors, with the Channel Islands, Catalina and San Clemente 20–60 miles out and the offshore banks (Tanner, Cortes, the 9-Mile, the 43) beyond. The long-range sportboat fleet out of San Diego is its heart.
San DiegoDana PointLong BeachMarina del ReyOxnardSanta Barbara
Updated
Now · October
Last of the pelagics; calicos fat for the fall
Tuna until the first cold north swell; kelp bass and halibut on the warm days; rockfish still open.
Yellowfin tunaStriped marlinAtlantic bluefin tunaKelp (calico) bassPacific yellowtailCalifornia halibut
This month here
From the season calendar, best firstPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakLeavingLeavingLeavingLeavingLeavingLeavingAroundAroundAroundAroundAround
Yellowfin tuna
Good offshore until the first cold north swell.
Lingcod
Rockfish
Kelp (calico) bass
Good on warm days.
Striped marlin
Still around, Catalina's backside.
Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Last of them.
Atlantic bluefin tuna
Thinning.
Barred sand bass
Moving deeper.
Pacific yellowtail
Thinning as the water cools.
Pacific bonito
Tapering.
California corbina
Leaving the shallow wash.
Albacore (longfin tuna)
California halibut
White seabass
Pacific barracuda
Surfperch
The water
The tide here
Mixed semidiurnal, 3–7 ft
Mixed semidiurnal — two highs and two lows a day, one pair much bigger than the other. The big low of the day in winter exposes the reefs; the bays (Mission, San Diego, Newport, Alamitos) fish best on the incoming.
Structure that matters
Artificial reefLedge / hard bottomBeach / surfFishing pierGrass flatChannel edgeDock / pilingsWreckMarker / buoy
After a cold front
Winter storms bring big west and northwest swell — the beaches turn over and the perch bite turns on. Spring northwesterlies drive upwelling: green, cold water inshore shuts the kelp bite off and pushes the pelagics offshore. Warm-water years (El Niño) bring yellowfin, dorado and marlin close to shore.
Month by month
What's happening, and what to throwFebruary
Surf perch peak; halibut start moving shallow
Perch on every sandy beach; drift the bays for early halibut on a warm afternoon.
March
The squid spawn brings white seabass into the kelp; rockfish open
Live squid in the kelp at night at Catalina and the Ventura beds — one-fish seabass bag south of Point Conception from March 15 to June 15. Rockfish on the deep reefs.
April
Seabass and spring yellowtail at the islands; calicos wake up
Yo-yo iron and squid for yellows at Catalina and San Clemente; swimbaits along the kelp for calicos.
May
Bluefin push in; barracuda and bonito boil on the bait
Atlantic bluefin tunaPacific yellowtailWhite seabassPacific barracudaPacific bonitoKelp (calico) bassCalifornia halibut
Kite-flown flying fish on the offshore banks for bluefin; chrome iron for 'cudas; halibut spawning on the shallow sand.
June
Sand bass spawn on the flats; calicos and yellowtail in the kelp
Barred sand bassKelp (calico) bassPacific yellowtailAtlantic bluefin tunaCalifornia halibutCalifornia corbina
Plastics bounced on Huntington Flats and the Silver Strand; fly-lined anchovy in the kelp; corbina in the wash at dawn.
July
Summer on: yellowtail, bluefin, sand bass, and the first yellowfin and dorado
Pacific yellowtailAtlantic bluefin tunaBarred sand bassKelp (calico) bassYellowfin tunaMahi-mahi (dolphin)California corbina
Work every kelp paddy offshore for yellows and dorado; night knife-jig bluefin; sight-fish corbina on the morning high tide.
August
Peak offshore — yellowfin, dorado and the first striped marlin
Yellowfin tunaMahi-mahi (dolphin)Atlantic bluefin tunaPacific yellowtailStriped marlinKelp (calico) bassBarred sand bass
Paddies and porpoise 30–100 miles out; watch for tailing stripers on the 14-Mile and 9-Mile banks; calicos boiling at dawn.
September
Warm water: tuna, dorado and stripers offshore; calicos at the kelp
Yellowfin tunaMahi-mahi (dolphin)Striped marlinAtlantic bluefin tunaPacific yellowtailKelp (calico) bassPacific bonito
Best offshore month in warm years. Inshore, surface iron for yellows at the Coronados and La Jolla.
October · now
Last of the pelagics; calicos fat for the fall
Yellowfin tunaStriped marlinAtlantic bluefin tunaKelp (calico) bassPacific yellowtailCalifornia halibut
Tuna until the first cold north swell; kelp bass and halibut on the warm days; rockfish still open.
November
Fall rockfish and lingcod; surf perch return to the troughs
Island rock piles for reds and lings before the winter closure; perch as the swells reshape the beaches.
December
Surf perch peak; the bays for halibut; winter bluefin some years
Perch in the troughs; slow drifts in the bays; long-range boats if the bluefin stayed.
Fish guides for Southern California
When, where and what to use, fish by fishAlbacore (longfin tuna)Atlantic bluefin tunaBarred sand bassCalifornia corbinaCalifornia halibutKelp (calico) bassLingcodMahi-mahi (dolphin)Pacific barracudaPacific bonitoPacific yellowtailRockfishStriped marlinSurfperchWhite seabassYellowfin tuna
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