San Diego Tuna
Very poor although the Shogun had 9 bluefin tuna on Wednesday by noon. Still no sign of albacore as most boats have been running 140 miles south to San Martin Island for yellowtail, calico bass, rockfish, lingcod and halibut.
The Sea Adventure 80 out of H&M landing in San Diego returned from a three-day trip to San Martin Island with an incredible 156 white seabass.
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Oceanside to Newport Beach
Private boaters continue to find excellent thresher shark fishing all over the Southern California coast. Threshers from 30 to over 200-lbs. continue to provide anglers with steady action.
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The kelp lines along the coast continue to produce great calico bass action, along with an occasional white seabass and halibut. The key to a good calico bass bite here has been live anchovies for bait and 15-lb. test. You also want to find water temperatures that exceed 64 degrees if possible.
The sportfishing boats out of Oceanside, Dana Point and Newport Beach continue to catch good numbers of calico bass with some sand bass in the mix too. There continues to be flurries of barracuda here also.
Lake Laguna Niguel
Catfish is the name of the game at Lake Laguna Niguel with 8,000-lbs of cats stocked recently with an additional 2,000-lbs going in on Thursday July 21st. The cats are averaging two-pound to three-pound in size and are stocked every other Thursday.
Big catfish of the week was caught by Raymond York of Long Beach who topped off his 5 fish limit with a 8lb 10oz catfish that was caught on shrimp dipped in hog wild on the back side of the big island via a rental boat at night.
Kathy King of Laguna Beach caught a 5 pound, 10-ounce catfish on a garlic night crawler off the shoreline at the launch ramp. Ten-year-old Trevor Mason of San Juan Capistrano caught his first ever catfish that weighed in at 5lb 02oz. Trevor’s fish was caught on a night crawler next to the boat dock.
The best bite is in the early morning and late afternoon/evening: 5-fish limits have been common. Best baits have been mackerel, shrimp and night crawlers. Most productive areas have been in deep water by the dam, the big island and the launch ramp.
When fishing with mackerel, remember, the fresher, the better.
Bass anglers are taking 3 to 10 bass a day with the average size of 2-lb-3-lbs in size. Night crawlers have been working best for bait.
Lots of bluegill, crappie and small bass from the shoreline are perfect for kids. Best area has been on the right hand side of the concession building.
Huntington Beach to San Pedro
Sand and calico bass have been providing anglers with very good fishing on the Huntington Flats and the Horseshoe Kelp. The bite has been best in the afternoons and evenings.
The Native Sun out of Long Beach Sportfishing had 370 sand bass for 41 anglers on their twilight trip on Tuesday. Twilight trips typically depart around 6 p.m. and return around midnight. They are especially productive in the summer months for sand and calico bass, barracuda with an occasional white seabass and halibut.
There have also been a lot of thresher sharks throughout this area providing private boaters and sportboat anglers with great action and great eating.
Palos Verdes to Redondo Beach
Good fishing along the kelp forests for calico bass along with a few yellowtail, white seabass and halibut. The water has been very warm and that has produced limit style calico fishing more often than not.
Private boaters have scored some yellowtail and white seabass to 25-lbs near Point Vicente. Live or fresh dead squid has been the best bait but there has been more and more of these gamefish taken on live sardines.
The Redondo Special had very good calico bass fishing on Wednesday and hooked several white seabass. Captain Eric Hobday reports excellent conditions and very steady fishing.
Hermosa Beach
There is still plenty of squid here and that means there are predators to exploit. Several big halibut and some fat white seabass are still being taken here especially by private boaters. Live squid on the bottom has been the best way to get a bite with a 3-O hook and a two-ounce sinker working best.
Marina del Rey to the Channel Islands
A few calico and sand bass as well as some halibut for MDR anglers. There have also been lots of thresher sharks in the Santa Monica Bay along with a few more halibut too.
The kelp line off Malibu continues to kick out good calico bass fishing as well as several nice white seabass.
The Channel Islands have slowed for white seabass but has to be rated good as there are occasional flurries. A few nice big halibut and plenty of rockfish have been providing anglers with great opportunities.
Catalina Island
White seabass fishing has been up and down at Catalina Island. That didn’t stop the Toronado and Dreamer from Pierpoint Landing having some good fishing this week however. The Toronado had 22 white seabass for 27 anlglers on a recent trip while the Dreamer has 3-fish limits of the croakers on Monday and Tuesday.
By Wednesday, the bite seemed to be surging ahead with many boats catching more seabass than ever.
Surf Fishing (San Diego to the Santa Monica Bay)
Good corbina and barred perch fishing along most beaches right now. Sand crabs have been excellent bait as have bloodworms and ghost shrimp. Remember, 6-lb test and a number-6 hook with a quarter ounce sliding sinker are perfect.