Artificial Lure here with your April 16, 2025, Los Angeles fishing report.

We’re starting the morning with mild, light winds and favorable spring weather. Expect partly cloudy skies and daytime highs in the mid-60s. Sunrise is at 6:20 AM and sunset comes at 7:25 PM, giving plenty of daylight for both early and late action on the water. The tides today are cooperative: low tide hits at 6:07 AM, high tide peaks at 12:35 PM, another low at 4:38 PM, and the final high tide rolls in at 11:13 PM. The moderate midday high tide should keep the bite lively through lunch hour and into the afternoon[6][9].

Let’s talk hot spots and what’s biting. Right now, the local party boat counts across Marina del Rey, Redondo, San Pedro, and Long Beach are off the charts for rockfish—boats pulling in hundreds per trip, along with strong numbers of whitefish and sculpin. Standout boats like the New Del Mar and Spitfire have been limiting out on rockfish, while overnight runs are adding sheephead, vermillion rockfish, lingcod, and even the occasional legal-size halibut and white seabass to the mix[4].

Bass are back in good numbers too. Sand bass are especially active around structure, with some nice calico bass showing for lighter tackle anglers. Redondo’s half-day boats have been nailing sculpin and rockfish, while San Pedro’s Native Sun and Victory are calling in reports of sand bass, red snapper, and even the odd salmon grouper. Onshore, surf perch are cruising the beaches, especially in the mornings, and halibut are starting to show on the inside flats as water temps creep up[4][10].

As for lures and bait, your best bets offshore are heavy dropper loops or double dropper rigs tipped with squid strips or cut mackerel for rockfish and whitefish. Bring a selection of 4 to 8-ounce sinkers to stay pinned to the bottom. Yo-yo irons and swimbaits are working well for bass and the random big sheephead—try colors like sardine or scrambled egg. Surf anglers are scoring with Carolina rigs and motor oil or camo grubs for perch. For halibut, go with small swimbaits or jerkbaits in smelt or anchovy patterns; live bait like smelt or anchovy is always golden if you can get it[10][7].

If you want the best shot at a mixed bag, hit Marina del Rey for rockfish and whitefish, or try the breakwall at Cabrillo for sand bass and calicos. Redondo’s horseshoe kelp is also hot right now—drift the edges with plastics or fresh dead bait for a shot at bigger perch and flatfish[4][8].

That’s today’s local scoop from Artificial Lure. Tides are right, weather’s inviting, and the fish are biting. Tight lines, Los Angeles!