Artificial Lure here with your Los Angeles area fishing report for Friday, April 18, 2025. It’s springtime in SoCal, and the bite is shaping up with the warming weather and lengthening days.

Today’s sunrise was at 6:18 AM, with sunset coming at 7:26 PM. Expect mild spring weather—typically cool in the morning warming into the high 60s or low 70s by midday, with gentle to moderate breeze off the ocean. The water is still a bit cool and stained in some spots, especially for surf and harbor fishing[3][5].

Looking at the tides, we had a low at 8:04 AM at just under half a foot, so expect your best inshore action around the midmorning and again leading into the afternoon high. With these tides, fish often feed a little heavier during the incoming and outgoing swings, especially around structure and current breaks[6][9].

Inshore has been solid for spring bass—expect plenty of calicos around the kelp edges and mixed sandy spots, mostly in the 1-2 pound range. The bite’s best on swimbaits in dark, high-contrast colors and craw-style plastics, but you can’t go wrong with jerkbaits or a live anchovy if you can get your hands on some. Don’t ignore the rockier pockets for sheephead and the occasional whitefish, especially with shrimp-tipped jigs or squid strips[2][5].

Surf anglers are doing well from Dockweiler down to Bolsa Chica, with barred surf perch chewing on Gulp sandworms, lugworms, and small grubs. The hot ticket for bigger halibut remains small swimbaits or jerkbaits fished on a fluorocarbon leader with light drag—mornings or just as the tide starts to fill back in are best[10]. Keep a few live smelt or anchovies handy if you’re targeting halibut from shore or the piers.

Hot spots today include the breakwall at Cabrillo, around the Long Beach/Belmont area for sand bass and halibut, and the Ballona Creek mouth, which is kicking out the odd halibut and a steady stream of small perch. Marina del Rey harbor is seeing a mixed bag: smaller bass, the odd halibut, and sculpin near the rocks.

Switching gears, freshwater lakes like Castaic and Balboa are giving up lots of bass on swimbaits and chatterbaits, especially worked close to cover. Most fish are in the 1–3 pound range. Live nightcrawlers and plastics are the best bet with the water slightly stained[5][7].

Gear up with fresh bait—lugworms, bloodworms, and large nightcrawlers are all available at the local shops. For artificials, dark-colored swimbaits, jerkbaits, and small spoons are producing in both salt and freshwater.

If you’re still deciding, you can’t go wrong with Cabrillo Pier at dawn or an evening surf session near Dockweiler. Both spots are steady producers this time of year, especially when you time it right with the tides.

That’s what’s biting today around Los Angeles. Tight lines and see you on the water.