Artificial Lure here with your Friday fishing report from Los Angeles, May 2nd, 2025.

We’re rolling into early May with a light marine layer sticking around, giving us that classic SoCal morning haze. Today’s sunrise hit around 5:57 AM and sunset will fall just after 7:41 PM, so you’ve got solid hours of daylight to work with. Weather is mild, hovering in the low 60s at dawn, warming to mid-70s by the afternoon, and gentle onshore breezes keeping it comfortable. The tide’s on a good cycle—a mid-morning high followed by a slow outgoing, meaning prime fishing windows are early morning and late afternoon.

Fish activity is picking up after a slow patch through April. Reports from local boats and the piers say halibut are making an appearance again. Most caught have been undersized, but a couple of legals came in around Redondo and Marina del Rey just yesterday. Bass fishing has turned on, especially around structure—spotted bay bass and sand bass are biting well, particularly on plastics.

Rockfish and ocean whitefish counts remain solid out of local landings, with boats heading out to deeper reefs pulling up a mixed bag. Inshore, perch are still on the chew close to the surf line, though the water’s a bit murky from recent run-off. Mackerel action is slow, and the big sharks and rays that wintered here are tapering off. If you’re soaking bait at night, expect mostly bat rays and the odd shovelnose guitarfish[1][2][3].

Best lures for the bay and harbors are paddle-tail swimbaits in natural baitfish colors, and drop-shot rigs with small plastics for bass. For halibut, white or pearl flukes and small jerkbaits are producing. Anglers bottom fishing have luck drifting cut squid and sardine strips. Fresh mussel or bloodworms are turning up surf perch. If you’re targeting rockfish offshore, nothing beats strips of squid or gulp grubs bounced along the bottom[1][3].

For those looking for hot spots, check out the breakwall and kelp lines near Cabrillo Beach for bass and occasional halibut, or hop on one of the local sport boats out of San Pedro or Marina del Rey for a crack at rockfish and whitefish. Shore anglers, don’t overlook Dockweiler State Beach for perch and halibut on the morning high tide[1][2].

That’s the scoop for today—tight lines out there, and I’ll see you on the water.