Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure reporting from the California coast, bringing you today’s fishing update for the Pacific Ocean and surrounding waters on Monday, May 5, 2025.

We’re coming off a cooler, windier stretch, with an overnight low in the upper 50s and a high today expected in the low 70s. Water temps are ranging between 67 and 70 degrees along much of the coast. Sunrise was at 5:59 am and sunset will hit at 7:46 pm, so you’ve got plenty of daylight to wet a line.

Tidal swings are moderate today, with an early morning low followed by a building high that should peak mid-afternoon. This tide movement, combined with the cooling trend and some lingering murky water from recent rains and sand pumping, means fishing’s been a little inconsistent, especially at some of the piers.

In the northern and central sections, party boats are seeing solid action. Bass and barracuda have been the main draw offshore, with boats loading up midweek. There’ve also been good counts of vermillion red rockfish, lingcod, and California whitefish reported deeper, especially when yellowtail action slows down. If you’re heading over to the Channel Islands or up the coast toward Avila Beach, expect similar catches as the boats are putting up strong numbers for anglers putting in time at depth.

Nearshore and on the piers, things are a bit tougher. Oceanside Pier and Harbor Pier have seen slowdowns due to murky water and a lingering red tide. Most recent catches here are perch and the occasional halibut. Sharkers are having to work hard, occasionally connecting with bat rays or shovelnose guitarfish, though the action is slow. Sand pumping and river runoff mean these spots might remain sluggish for another week or so.

Moving offshore and down toward the Baja border, the variety is still good. There’s been a mix of sierra, yellowfin tuna, roosterfish, jack crevalle, bonito, and an odd dorado or wahoo showing for the lucky boats. Striped marlin are around in the deeper blue as well, keeping things interesting.

For your tackle box, best bets right now are plastics and swimbaits for the bass, and deep-drop jigs for the lingcod and reds. Bonito and barracuda are hitting fast-moving spoons and surface irons. If you’re soaking bait, cut squid and anchovies are the top producers, especially when the fish are finicky in off-color water.

Hot spots this week are the reefs off Palos Verdes and the deeper structure off Catalina for rockfish and lingcod. For pier anglers, Santa Monica Pier and Ventura Pier have had more consistent action on perch and corbina thanks to cleaner water.

That’s your Monday report from the coast. Tight lines, and here’s hoping the water clears and the bite heats up heading into summer.

Hey there anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Sunday morning fishing report for May 4, 2025, coming at ya from the beautiful California coast!

The ocean's calling today, folks, and I've got the lowdown on what's biting and where you should be casting your lines.

First up, let's talk about what's been happening on the water. The latest reports from May 2 show we've been seeing decent catches of Rockfish, Lingcod, and Sheephead along the SoCal coast. Some lucky anglers have even been pulling in Yellowtail, which is always a thrill this time of year.

Now for some big news - after years of closures, we've got a limited recreational salmon season coming! Mark your calendars for June 7-8, when there'll be a two-day window with a 7,000 Chinook salmon quota. This is the first recreational salmon opportunity since 2022, so get your gear ready! The commercial salmon fishery remains closed for the third straight year as our salmon populations continue recovering from drought impacts.

Just a heads-up on some closures: the red abalone season is shut down until at least April 2026. Also, Pacific razor clam harvesting in Humboldt and Del Norte counties remains closed due to those pesky domoic acid levels.

For today's conditions, the morning started with a light offshore breeze, and we're expecting calm seas with a moderate west swell. Water temps are hovering in the low-60s, which is bringing in some nice action. Tides are running with a morning high around 9:30 AM and a decent afternoon low, making for good fishing on both sides of the cycle.

For you early birds, you've already missed the sunrise at 6:05 AM, but sunset won't be until 7:43 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to work with.

As for hot spots, I'm hearing great things about the kelp beds off La Jolla for Calico Bass - try swimbaits in brown and green patterns. The rocky structure near Catalina has been producing quality Rockfish, so drop some squid-tipped jigs down there. For my northern Cal folks, the reefs outside Monterey Bay are firing for Lingcod - heavy jigs and live bait are getting it done.

Speaking of bait, squid and anchovies are your best bet for the bottom dwellers, while surface iron and Krocodile spoons are working for the pelagics. For artificial options, 4-inch swimbaits in sardine patterns or 6-inch plastic worms in motor oil color are producing consistent hits.

That's the scoop for today, fellow anglers. Get out there, be safe, and remember to release what you don't need. This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines and screaming reels to all of you!

Fishin' Report for Saturday, May 3, 2025
by Artificial Lure

Mornin' anglers! Your old pal Artificial Lure here with the latest on what's bitin' in our SoCal waters. It's a beautiful May morning, though we're still dealing with some challenging conditions along parts of our coast.

Down in Oceanside, things have slowed considerably since last month. Bill Litchfield reports that water's been murky from rain runoff and that pesky red tide has shown up[2]. The city's pumping sand onto the beach, which isn't helping water clarity either. Inshore you might pick up a few perch, but the croaker action is slow, with just the occasional halibut mid-pier. The end of the pier remains closed for rebuilding, limiting those prime shark spots[2].

Over at Oceanside Harbor, same story – dirty water and slow fishing. You might find some small perch and bass hanging around the inshore rocks, but casting out isn't producing much action[2].

Up in Santa Barbara, they've been having better luck. The Santa Barbara Landing reported limits of nice grade fish on May 2nd[4]. Channel Islands fishing has been decent too, with good numbers of sheephead, whitefish, and the occasional triggerfish and calico bass reported in late March[4].

Important regulation updates: Spiny lobster season closed March 20th and won't reopen until September 26th at 6 PM[1]. The recreational ocean salmon season will briefly open for two days only – June 7-8 – with a 7,000 Chinook summer harvest quota[1][5]. This will be the first recreational salmon fishing opportunity in California since 2022[5]. Sadly, giant sea bass and red abalone remain closed year-round in SoCal waters[1].

For those wanting to try their luck, I'd suggest heading to the Channel Islands area where the water's been clearer and the bite more consistent. Bring squid, sardines, or anchovy for bait, or try plastics in motor oil or brown colors to mimic the local forage. Slow-pitch jigs have been working well for the reef species.

If you're staying local to San Diego, La Jolla Shores can still produce some action if you get there early. The kelp beds off Point Loma are another decent bet, especially if you can get live bait from the barge.

Just be prepared for potentially tough conditions, bring plenty of terminal tackle (you might lose some in the murky water), and maybe have a backup plan. At least you'll be out on the water enjoying this fine May weather!

Tight lines, folks. This is Artificial Lure signing off – hope to see ya on the water!

Howdy anglers, Artificial Lure here with your May 2nd fishing report for California's Pacific waters.

The early May action is heating up along our beautiful coastline! Reports from SoCal piers indicate surfperch and croakers are still biting well in the shallows, while mackerel and sardines are providing excellent top-water action[1].

Up north, yesterday's reports show Berkeley boats are having a stellar halibut season. The California Dawn brought in 17 halibut and 4 striped bass, while California Dawn II landed 23 halibut (up to 14 pounds) and 10 striped bass. Right Hook's half-day trip yielded 8 halibut[2]. Bodega Bay's New Sea Angler is crushing it with 35 lingcod and 200 rockfish on their full-day trips[2].

Great news, folks! After two years of closures, we finally have some recreational salmon fishing this season. Mark your calendars for June 7-8 for the first opportunity, with additional dates in July and August depending on harvest guidelines. Remember, there's a 7,000 Chinook summer limit, so get out early[5]. Unfortunately, commercial salmon fishing remains closed for the third straight year due to ongoing conservation efforts[4].

For today's conditions, we're looking at a moderate tide swing. Use the incoming tide to your advantage, especially around structure. As for bait, fresh anchovies and sardines are working well for halibut. For rockfish and lingcod, try swimbaits in white, blue, or green patterns. Don't forget your jigs tipped with squid for those deeper water species.

Hot spots this weekend: Berkeley Marina for halibut (drift live bait near the shipping channels), Bodega Bay for rockfish and lingcod (try the reefs north of the harbor), and for pier anglers, try Half Moon Bay or Santa Cruz for perch, mackerel, and occasional halibut.

Remember that our salmon stocks are still recovering from drought impacts, poor spawning conditions, and other environmental challenges[4], so practice careful catch and release where required. The limited season this year is our first chance since 2022 to target kings, so let's fish responsibly.

Sunrise today is around 6:10 AM with sunset at 8:00 PM, giving you plenty of daylight hours on the water. Weather looks decent with mild morning winds picking up in the afternoon, so get your lines wet early.

That's it for today's report. This is Artificial Lure reminding you to keep your lines tight and your fish stories tighter! See you on the water!

Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your morning fishing report for April 30, 2025, along the California coast.

The sun's just coming up over the Pacific at 6:15 AM, with sunset expected around 7:45 PM, giving us a full day on the water. We've got partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid-60s, and a light westerly breeze at 5-7 knots - pretty ideal conditions if you ask me.

Tide's coming in this morning with a high around 10:30 AM, followed by a low tide mid-afternoon. That morning incoming tide should create some nice movement to activate the fish.

Been seeing great action on California halibut lately, especially as they're moving into shallower water with the warming spring conditions. These flatties are opportunistic feeders and have been hitting a variety of artificials. For halibut, I've had success with swimbaits worked slowly along the bottom, especially around structure. Suspending jerkbaits, tube baits, and spoons are also producing nice catches when slow-rolled near the bottom.

Bonito action is starting to pick up, with schools showing at several spots along the coast. These speedsters are hitting hard-body lures in bright gold and silver patterns. MirrOlures in mackerel or anchovy patterns have been killer, along with Krocodiles and Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows. The blue mackerel color on P-Line Lazer Minnows seems to be the hot ticket right now.

For those targeting a mix of species, a paddletail soft plastic is hard to beat - versatile and effective for everything from halibut to bass. Gold spoons continue to produce when there's bait schools around, and don't leave home without a white bucktail jig.

Hot spots this week include the Santa Monica Bay flats for halibut, especially the drop-offs near Marina del Rey. The Huntington Beach pier has been producing some nice bonito during the incoming tide. For those with boats, the kelp beds off Catalina are holding quality fish, with the east end producing better than the west side.

If you're fishing the shallows, remember to use lighter jerkbaits to avoid spooking fish in clear water. For deeper water or faster drifts, switch to heavier jig heads to keep your bait in the strike zone.

Looks like we're in for a great day of fishing. Remember to release what you won't eat and respect your fellow anglers. This is Artificial Lure signing off - tight lines, everyone!

Fishing Report for April 23, 2025
Pacific Ocean, California

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure checking in with your latest saltwater fishing report for the California Pacific coast.

Today we’re looking at fair spring conditions. The morning started crisp with a light marine layer, but by mid-morning, skies are expected to turn partly sunny. Air temperatures will hover in the upper 50s and low 60s along the coast, with light winds trending northwest. Sunrise was at 6:15 am and sunset will be around 7:45 pm. The tide today features a low just after sunrise, pushing into a midday high, so expect improving bite windows as that tide fills back in late morning and early afternoon.

Fishing activity remains solid. Reports from Santa Monica Bay down to Newport show good numbers of California halibut in the surf and sandy areas. Most halibut are in the 20–30 inch range, but several legals pushing 36 inches have been landed this past week. Inshore anglers have also had success on barred surf perch, especially near structure, with a few keeper-sized spotfin croakers mixed in.

The most consistent action for halibut and other surf zone predators is coming on both live bait and a variety of artificials. Live smelt, sardines, or small mackerel are top choices for live bait. For artificials, small jerkbaits, swimbaits, and metal spoons in baitfish colors like anchovy, sardine, and smelt have been deadly. The Glass Minnow, P-Line Laser Minnow (in blue mackerel or chrome patterns), and classic spoons like the Krocodile are sure bets right now. For lure enthusiasts, white bucktails and paddle tail soft plastics rigged on a light jig head are also producing fish[1][2][4][5].

Bonito made a nice showing this week at the piers in Redondo and Oceanside, with chrome or blue-holographic lures like the Buzz Bomb and Megabait working well[5]. Early mornings and dusk have been the prime times for a surface popper or fast-moving metal.

Bait anglers targeting sharks have picked up some nice leopard sharks off sandy beaches—use a Carolina rig with a heavy wire leader and fresh mackerel, croaker, or surf perch cut bait for your best shot at a big one[1].

Hot spots to check out today:
Santa Monica Beach—solid perch numbers and halibut in the surf, especially near the lifeguard towers.
Huntington Beach Pier—good for both halibut and bonito, especially at first light and evening.
Newport Jetty—halibut on the inside, with some quality croaker on bait.

In summary, whether you’re tossing artificials for halibut or soaking bait for sharks, today’s conditions set up well for a productive session. Time your trip with the rising tide and don’t overlook the edges of structure—these transition zones are holding the most active fish.

Tight lines and see you on the sand—Artificial Lure.

Artificial Lure here with your Monday fishing report for the California Pacific coast.

Conditions are shaping up nicely today. Sunrise came up at about 6:20 AM, with sunset expected around 7:40 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to work those beaches, jetties, and harbors. Early morning saw a light marine layer but otherwise clear skies, with calm winds following a mild overnight. Tides today are moderate, with a mid-morning incoming tide that should have inshore species on the move and feeding. Expect a soft outgoing tide around midday, which is usually prime for halibut and surf species to push up.

Recent catches have been solid, with good numbers of California halibut reported from Santa Monica down to Huntington Beach. Most halibut have been in the 22 to 28-inch class, with a few pushing legal size. Leopard sharks and bat rays are also showing in good numbers right off the surf, while perch and a few striped bass have made surprise appearances up toward the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas.

For those targeting halibut, live bait is tough to beat. Local hot baits include small live smelt, anchovy, sardines, and small mackerel. If you’re working the beaches, a Carolina rig with a fresh chunk of mackerel or surf smelt is the go-to. For artificial fans, diamond jigs and long-casting sinking twitch baits are drawing reliable strikes. Soft plastics on heavy jig heads, particularly in white or sardine patterns, have been killer as well, especially around drop-offs and the mouths of bays and harbors. Jerkbaits like the Gulp Jerk Shad are a hot ticket for shallow flats and structure fishing, with a simple twitch and pause retrieve[1][2][3][4][5].

Leopard sharks are best targeted with fresh cut bait—think mackerel, croaker, or surf perch—pinned to a 6/0 or 8/0 circle hook on a wire leader, especially when fishing the open sandy stretches from Ventura to Orange County[5].

If you’re looking for a hot spot, check out the sandbars around Bolsa Chica State Beach for halibut and surf perch, or hit the jetties at Redondo Pier for a mixed bag of halibut, calico bass, and croaker. Santa Monica Bay is also fishing well right now, with cleaner water and plenty of bait in close.

Water’s warming up, the bite is solid, and this is prime time for our spring/summer run. Good luck and tight lines!

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure coming at you with today’s fishing report for the Pacific Ocean, California, Sunday, April 20, 2025.

We’re rolling into another beautiful spring week along the coast. Sunrise this morning was right around 6:20 am and sunset will be about 7:40 pm, giving you a nice long window for wetting a line. Weather’s mild, with clear skies and just a light ocean breeze making for comfortable fishing conditions all day.

Tidal action today is moderate, with a low tide in the early morning hours, swinging toward a solid afternoon high. This incoming tide should get the bait moving, sparking up that fish bite mid-morning through early afternoon.

Fish activity has been solid lately, especially for those targeting rockfish, lingcod, and calico bass nearshore. Reports out of the Channel Islands and along the Orange and LA County coasts have seen charter boats running up good numbers of quality vermilion rockfish, big sheephead, and some chunky lingcod. A few boats even loaded sacks with barracuda and sand bass when working structure and kelp lines offshore. Bass fishing has heated up in the harbors and breakwaters, especially on live bait and swimbaits, with some anglers pulling double-digit counts in a half-day session.

If you’re looking for salmon, the latest update is that there are very limited recreational openings this year for ocean salmon fishing in California, after a couple of full closure years. The run is not red-hot yet, so check local rules before heading out and manage expectations if you’re setting your sights on kings this early in the season. Still, there’s hope for those wanting to wet a line for salmon this year, so stay tuned for more firmed up details as the season progresses[1][3].

Best lures right now along the coast are plastics for calicos and sand bass—think 3 to 5 inch paddle-tail swimbaits in sardine and anchovy patterns. For bottom species, dropper loop rigs with squid or cut mackerel are producing steady action. If you’ve got live bait, it’s always a solid bet, especially for those picky sheephead or when the water’s extra clear. Near the kelp, try casting hard jerkbaits or surface irons for barracuda and bonito when they’re up and active.

If you want a couple of hot spots, don’t miss the reefs outside Santa Monica Bay and the kelp beds off Palos Verdes—both are turning up nice mixed bags right now. The islands, especially Catalina and San Clemente, are worth the run if you have the boat; reports of big bass and the occasional yellowtail are coming in from both spots[4]. Early season conditions mean you might also run into some dorado or yellowtail if you’re lucky and push further south, especially as sargasso and warmer water patches start to show[5].

That’s it for today from Artificial Lure. Tight lines, fish smart, and enjoy that California sun!

This is Artificial Lure with your Pacific Ocean, California fishing report for Saturday, April 19, 2025.

First light came at about 6:20 a.m., and sunset is expected right around 7:40 p.m. The weather has been classic spring coastal—partly cloudy, with temps starting in the high 50s and topping out in the upper 60s. Winds are light from the northwest, staying under 10 knots for most of the day, so the surf is manageable and makes for good fishing conditions. Tidal movement features an early morning high tide followed by a dropping tide through most of the morning. This kind of swing usually gets the inshore fish feeding near structure and drop-offs.

Now, onto the fishing. Halibut have been the main story up and down the beaches from Santa Monica to Huntington. The bite’s been best on the inside troughs during the last couple hours of the rising tide and just as it starts to drop. Anglers are hooking decent numbers of legal fish, with plenty of shorts in the mix. Most successful folks are running live bait like sardines, small mackerel, anchovy, and top smelt, or drifting fresh dead bait on a Carolina rig. If you’re looking for artificial action, long-casting sinking twitch baits and swimbaits rigged weedless and slow-rolled near the bottom are top choices—match the hatch with yellowfin croaker-style patterns or natural shad colors for results[1][5].

Surf fishers are also getting into barred surfperch on the open beaches, especially near river mouths and deeper troughs. Gulp! sandworms and bloodworm imitations fished on a hi-lo rig are hard to beat. There’s also been a good showing of corbina in the skinny water, and while they’re picky, small ghost shrimp or sand crabs dug at the waterline can do the trick.

In the rocky and kelp zones off Palos Verdes and South Orange County, the bite for calico bass and a few sheephead has stayed steady, mostly on paddletail swimbaits, shrimp lures, and bucktail jigs tipped with squid strips[2][4].

For those targeting sharks, leopard sharks are around the flats and estuary mouths. Use a Carolina rig with a chunk of fresh mackerel or surf perch cut-bait on a wire leader for best results[5].

A couple of hot spots: try the Bolsa Chica State Beach jetty early for halibut, and hit the Santa Monica pier area as the tide starts to turn. Both zones have seen good numbers of fish in the last week.

Overall, the action is solid and the spring transition is in full swing. Bring your best bait, work the structure and troughs during the moving tides, and be ready for a mixed bag. Tight lines from Artificial Lure—see you on the beach.

Artificial Lure here with your April 18, 2025 fishing report for California’s Pacific coast. The conditions are shaping up for an excellent spring bite, so if you’ve got the itch to wet a line, now’s the time.

First, let’s talk weather. We’re enjoying mild spring temperatures across the coast with highs in the low 60s and light winds out of the northwest, typical for this time of year. Skies started off cloudy this morning but are burning off for a partly sunny afternoon. Sunrise was at 6:19 a.m., with sunset hitting right around 7:38 p.m. Tidal movement today features an early morning low, building into a late-morning high tide—prime feeding windows on both ends.

In the surf and nearshore, California halibut are the main prize right now, and the bite has really picked up with warming water. Anglers are reporting solid numbers around Santa Monica Bay, Huntington Beach, and the north jetties of San Diego Bay. Most halibut caught are between 20 and 32 inches, but a couple of slabs pushing 38 inches came in this week.

For bait, live smelt, anchovy, sardine, or mackerel are tough to beat, especially on a stinger rig to counter their notorious short strikes. If you can’t get live, fresh frozen or even fresh-dead works well. Squid strips and salmon belly are also proven winners, particularly on days when the halibut seem picky[3][5][7].

Lure anglers are doing damage with sinking hardbaits like Daiwa Salt Pro Minnow and Rapala X-Rap, especially in green mackerel and sardine patterns. Soft plastics are a must—paddletail swimbaits in white, rootbeer, and chartreuse, rigged on 1-ounce jigheads, are drawing some aggressive strikes. Don’t overlook curly-tail grubs or the classic Gulp! swimming mullet dipped in some fish attractant or even hot sauce for an extra edge[1][2][3][4][7][8].

Bonito are inshore in numbers this week, especially around Newport and Redondo piers. Fast retrieves with metal spoons like Krocodiles or P-Line Lazer Minnows in anchovy or blue mackerel patterns have been producing. Bring some splashers if you’re pier fishing and keep an eye out for surface boils—when you see them, cast past and rip through quickly[6].

Striped bass are showing in the surf from Ventura down to Seal Beach, and they’re hitting the same hardbaits as the halibut. Early morning topwater action has been hot—try walk-the-dog plugs at first light.

If you’re looking for hot spots today, check out Huntington Beach just south of the pier for halibut (look for the inside trough on a rising tide), and the beaches around Pacifica for stripers. For bonito, Redondo’s breakwall and Newport Pier are your best bets.

In summary, live baits or well-matched artificial lures are both effective right now. Match the hatch, fish the tides, and don’t be afraid to experiment with scents or different retrieve speeds. Bite windows are best around the high tide and the hour after sunrise.

Good luck out there, keep your lines tight, and I’ll see you on the water.