The Los Angeles and Orange County Forecasts are provided by Captain Bryan Webb of Pacific Coast Fly Fishing. All photos on this page have been provided by Captain Webb.

This section covers Malibu south to San Onofre and Camp Pendleton, Catalina and San Clemente Islands, and the northernmost offshore banks such as the 14 Mile Bank.

Spring (March – May)

As water temperatures rise in the Spring, we see all kinds of species getting active - calico and sand bass start moving into shallower water to spawn, and barracuda and schools of small yellowtail soon follow them onto the sand bass flats. Bonito will show up around May as temperatures continue to climb.

Offshore, at Catalina and San Clemente Islands, we'll start to see floats of squid in mid-March. This signals the start of some serious white seabass, yellowtail and calico bass fishing in these areas. A good trick is to watch the sport boat counts for early yellowtail and a consistent white seabass bite - big counts on the islands early in the season are often indicative of a good offshore year. Bonito and calicos are also usually on the chew around the islands this time of year.

Summer (June – August)

In the summer months, fishing will be going strong on all fronts. Along the coast, calico and sand bass will be hanging around the inshore waters, with bonito, barracuda and yellowtail cruising the kelp line. Offshore, yellowtail and dorado will be found under the kelp paddies, as well as the occasional striped marlin. The islands seem to have a little stronger yellowtail bite this time of year, and the bass, bonito and barracuda are very steady. When fishing offshore, always make sure you take a close look at temperature breaks and any floating debris.

Fall (September – November)

As water temps fall, the sand bass bite slows down and the yellowtail and dorado numbers dwindle. The good news is that we typically see a big push of yellowfin tuna around the 209 and 277 Spots, sometimes even up to the 14 Mile Bank. Striped marlin are usually on a good bite in September, and we may see a few into the beginning of October. However, by the first part of November, everything offshore has pretty much departed for warmer waters to the south.

On the other had, out on Catalina and San Clemente Islands there will still be a consistent bite from the calicos and bonito with the occasional yellowtail mixed in. There are also a few more white seabass in the counts at this time of year. So don't put the rods away!

Winter (December – February)

Winter brings low water temperatures and a mixed bag of fish. Calico bass are usually steady, but sand bass, barracuda, bonito and white seabass will be a bit more sporadic. The key to finding fish in the winter is a consistent weather pattern. Fluctuating water temps tend to shut the fishing down, but a few days of stable water temps turns everything back on.

In the last few years the winter bonito bite at the islands has been very reliable. The bite on all the other species tends to be erratic, even calicos, but not the bonito.

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These notes are fishing forecasts based on fishing reports, and assessments of weather and water conditions, fishing pressure, moon phase, etc., by our guides, moderators, and staff. Fishing Reports may be found on our Fishing Reports Forum.

Forecasts for Oxnard and Points North are provided / reviewed / editted by Captain Robert Cooper, of Skys The Limit Guide Service. STLGS operates out of Ventura Harbor, and offers conventional and fly fishing trips cover the Channel Islands, Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara areas. Fall albacore trips out of Morro Bay are also available. Contact Capt. Cooper at captrcooper@aol.com, or (805) 653-0447. Capt. Cooper also offers dive and surf trips.

Spring (March - May)

As water temps start to warm up in March, shallow-water rockfishing will pick up in the waters around the Channel Islands. These fish are usually too deep to effectively fish with a fly (60 - 120 feet), but offer great sport on light conventional tackle. Santa Rosa Island is especially good, with Red rockcod up to 6lbs not uncommon, and there are an abundance of other types of rockfish as well. In late Spring, as soon as the water temperatures get above 60 degrees, just about everything gets more active, with halibut, calico bass, white sea bass, barracuda, and bonito to be found both along the coast, and out near the Channel Islands. Occasional wide-open yellowtail bites can occur, and in some years, King (Chinook) salmon show up. These are big fish, but it doesn’t happen every year.

Summer (June - August)

Fishing for all of the species mentioned above will continue to get better and better as the water temperatures rise, and the fish will be found in shallower water or on the surface, chasing bait. This is the prime time for fly fishermen, with calico bass, bonito, and barracuda being the main targets. This time of year also sees large numbers of spawning sand bass in the Channel. These guys will typically be about 20 feet down over deeper water, so they don't present the best opportunity for fly fishermen, even with hi-density sinking fly lines, but they are great fun for light-tackle conventional anglers, or fly fishermen patient enough to wait for their flies to sink into the right zone. Yellowtail and white seabass will also make some major appearances in the Channel, and when they're on top, they can be caught on fly.

Shark fishing for blues, makos and threshers comes on strong in the summer. The blue sharks and makos are found offshore, and are eager takers of the fly when drawn to the boat with a chum slick. Steve Abel of Abel Reels caught his former world record mako in this area. Thresher sharks will be found in close to shore, but to date, no one has really had much success catching them on a fly. They will hit big sardines or mackerel fished under a balloon behind a driftting boat, if you're interested in using conventional tackle.

In good years, the late Summer - Fall period will see schools of large albacore swing in close to shore a bit further north, at Morro Bay. When these fish are working on top, they are a salt water fly fisherman's dream, as they are big, strong, hungry fish that will hit almost anything thrown in front of them.

Fall (September – November)

As the waters cool down, the emphasis shifts away from warm water pelagics like yellowtail, bonito, and barracuda. Calico bass and shallow water rockfish get more attention, and when the squid are in, White Sea Bass become the major target along the coast. The calico bass and rockfish bite will continue to be strong until the water gets extremely cold in December.

Winter (December – February)

Winter is downtime in this neck of the woods. With water temperatures dropping below 60 degress, the fishing becomes very slow. This is usually a good time to work on the boat and tie flies, or go diving or surfing instead of fishing. If you do go out, look for squid boats and fish near them very early for white sea bass. In February, fishing will start getting better as water temps approach 60 degrees. The calico bass and shallow water rockcod will perk up first, although they will tend to be in deeper water (120+ feet).

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These notes are fishing forecasts based on fishing reports, and assessments of weather and water conditions, fishing pressure, moon phase, etc., by our guides, moderators, and staff. Fishing Reports may be found on our Fishing Reports Forum.

The San Diego Forecasts are provided/reviewed/editted by Captain Conway Bowman, of Bowman Bluewater Guides and Outfitters. BBBGO operates out of Dana Landing in Mission Bay, and offers a range of guided fly fishing trips in the San Diego Area, including offshore, nearshore, bay, beach and freshwater bass. Contact Capt. Bowman at conwayxbowman@gmail.com, or (619)822-6256

Spring (March - May)

Fishing starts to improve in the Spring, as water temperatures warm. More bonito and barracuda show up, and the kelp bass become more active as well. Halibut move inshore to spawn, and yellowtail and white seabass will continue to be caught along the La Jolla Canyon area. More puddlers will be found as well, so keep a sharp lookout. Many times you can find puddlers by looking for scattered birds dipping and hovering a few feet over the water.

Further south, bonito, yellowtail and other migratory fish will start showing up in force on the Rockpile in Mexican waters, as well as the Coronado Islands by April.

Offshore, we'll start to see some smaller yellowtail appear on kelp paddies floating off the coast. Bluefin tuna and/or albacore will also start showing up in the sport boat fish counts. While albies will eat flies readily at times, no one has figured out how to consistently catch our bluefin tuna on a fly. Sharking will also start picking up in force.

Summer (June - August)

Summer is peak fishing season for us. Starting in June, the yellowtail become much more prevalent along the coast and the Coronados, and just about all of our favorite species get much more active in warm waters. Expect the bonito, barracuda, and bass to be eager biters when you find them. In July and August we typically see major spawning activity for Sand Bass in the "Flats" off Imperial Beach and Tijuana, and off San Onofre and Oceanside. Some of these guys will weigh 4 - 8 lbs, and are a good target for the fly.

Offshore, more and more fish - both yellowtail and tuna - will appear on the kelp paddies. You'll also find fish roaming the open water along current breaks. By late July, when the water is really warm, look for Dorado (mahi-mahi) to start showing up. The early-summer fish can be notoriously finicky eaters, even for the bait fishermen, but can be enticed to take a fly. Yellowfin tuna and Skipjack tuna will make a strong showing if they are not intercepted by the commercial netters in Mexico, and the occasional bigeye tuna will be caught by the gear guys. In July and August, striped marlin will show up.

Sharking will continue full speed, with opportunties to sight-cast for big makos on calm mornings. And we do get some monsters out here: in 2006, Captain Dave Trimble of Bowman Bluewater Guides and Outfitters guided angler Brendan Mason to a mako in excess of 11 feet and an estimated 600lbs.

Fall (September - November)

As water temperatures wind down, fishing will slow. Bonito, barracuda and bass will continue to be active until the water really cools off in late November and December. But look for yellowtail counts close to shore to drop a lot.

Offshore, fishing becomes much more erratic as the water cools. If the temps stay up, you can have great fishing all the way into October, but in general, expect the fishing to taper off by late September. The tunas will disappear first, and eventually the yellowtail will follow, but if you work hard enough, you should be able to find a kelp paddie or two that are loaded with fish. These late-season yellowtail will often be "firecrackers" under 10lbs, but still loads of fun on a fly rod.

Winter (December - February)

 

Winter marks a general slowdown in fishing around San Diego. There will be some good bonito and barracuda fishing, with fish potentially ranging into double digits. Look for them along the La Jolla Canyon, Point Loma, the Coronados, and possibly the 9 Mile Bank. When the weather and water warm a bit, look for calico bass to be active in the kelp beds. Scattered large white seabass will also be lurking along the edge of the kelp where the water reaches 60 - 120' in depth. Shark fishing will be slow.

Yellowtail will make periodic appearances, but they will be mostly deep (as in 200+ feet deep), fast moving fish that do not present many opportunities for fly fishermen. However, keep a fly rod handy, as they will occasionally bust bait on the surface, or be found "puddling" (sipping in small bait, much like a nymphing trout).

In the last few years, the giant Humboldt squid have arrived in the January timeframe, and offer some great sport to people fishing at night. With the proper boat lighting and weather conditions, it is possible to catch these guys on fly gear, and they make excellent eating.

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These notes are fishing forecasts based on fishing reports, and assessments of weather and water conditions, fishing pressure, moon phase, etc., by our guides, moderators, and staff. Fishing Reports may be found on our Fishing Reports Forum.

The highlight of the Winter fishing season has been the Long Beach Breakwall and the oil islands inside the harbor, which have been pumping out a steady stream of calico bass, sand bass, and the occasional White Seabass. Catalina's usual White Seabass run has not kicked into gear yet, but keep an ear/eye out on the front side of a full moon. The same band of 60 degree water seen off San Diego continues up into the Orange County and Los Angeles area, so it's mostly just a matter of time before the 2008 season gets kicked off.

Both coastal and offshore fishing in the San Diego area have been suffering through the Winter doldrums. Other than a short-lived (but spectacular) White Seabass bite in mid-February, fish have been few and far between this winter. Yellowtail have been spotted periodically in the La Jolla Canyon area and around the Coronados, but have not been staying up long enough for people to give them a good shot. And the winter bonito and barracuda runs never materialized

However! There is hope on the horizon. Water temperature have been hovering around the magical 60 degree mark for some time now, with occasional periods of 62 degree water, and there has been a lot of bait. Therefore...we should see some good showings of Thresher and Mako sharks soon, as well as bonito, barracuda and yellowtail. As the waters continue to warm, expect to see yellowtail on offshore paddies in mid- to late-April. See our Fishing Reports Forum for reports from readers.

Coastal fishing in the San Diego area continues at a good clip, with lots of the usual suspects up for grabs when the water conditions are good. Yellowtail have been making a good showing at the Coronados as well. Expect this to continue until late September.

Mako shark fishing continues at a good clip in the San Diego area, with Capt. Conway Bowman (Bowman Bluewater Guides and Outfitters), reporting some of the best fishing they've had in a while. including sight-fishing in calm weather, fish in the 200lb class, and even a 12 ft hammerhead hooked. They've also baited marlin and swordfish on conventional gear, but have yet to hook one. This fishery should also continue well into September.

Offshore fishing for tuna has been good at the banks 50 - 70 miles offshore (Butterfly, 60 Mile, 390), with albacore and some yellowfin showing. The albacore have been large (over 35lbs), according to Capt. Scott Leon of Paradigm Shift Charters. The main problem has been the weather, with wind and swells keeping many of the smaller private boats in closer to shore. Expect the fish to move closer to shore over the next few weeks, and as the weather calms down, become more accesible to the "mosquito fleet".

Kelp paddy fishing for dorado and yellowtail continues to be slow. Lots of fish seen, but not many active biters. Reports of massive amounts of pinhead sauries leaves everyone thinking the fish are just stuffed. We expect this type of fishing to improve as the waters continue to warm, and should stay solid, perhaps into October if the weather is good. See our Fishing Reports Forum for more reports.

Coastal Fishing along the Wall and the Horseshoe should get even better as the water continues to warm. Look for larger barracuda, yellowtail and bonito to appear around the Horshoe Kelp area

Islands / Offshore: Catalina fishing will get even better, as will San Clemente Island. Large schools of yellowtail have been seen at SCI, but have been hard to hook. Tuna and yellowtail shopuld appear soon around the 209 Bank.

Offshore: Albacore have appeared in force, with a number of private boaters reporting fish around the outer banks: the East Butterfly, the 390, and the 213. Occasional bluefin tuna are also being caught. Kelp paddies are still mostly dry, but motherlode paddies have been found occasionally. Water temps have been as high as the low 70s, so the albacore may not be around too much longer. We would expect the dorado and yellowfin tuna to start showing up within a month. Marlin have been spotted as well.

Coastal: Calico bass fishing should continue strong through the summer, as should barracuda fishing. Yellowtail inshore will be picked up occasionally. Keeping fish away from seals will continue to be an issue.

Capt. Robert Cooper (Sky's The Limit Guide Service) reports that while the King salmon bite never kicked in this Spring, the halibut fishing in the Ventura area is good right now, with occasional white seabass and yellowtail in the counts as well. Capt. Cooper expects that within the next 2 weeks calico bass fishing on the fly will take off at Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands, and is booking calico bass fly fishing trips starting on June 30th.

Capt. Jeff Stock, of Stock Charters reports some good yellowtail fishing at the South Kelp of the Coronados. Fishing with two friends, they brought 5 fish to the boat, two on flies. Patterns with brown or tan over clear seemed to get the most attention. The fly-caught fish weighed 17lb and 15lbs. The larger fish hit a super-fast strip, the 15lb fish hit the fly on the slide after a trolling rod went off. Capt. Jeff reports that there were a lot of fish concentrated in an area about the size of two football fields.

Captain Jeff Stock, of Stock Charters offered this San Diego area summary: "With all this "May Grey" and "June Gloom", the offshore temps are coming up very slowly. However they are coming up. The Rock Pile below the Coronados has slowed a little but is still a good bet for yellowtail. The most consistent yellowtail fishing is now the Middle Grounds of the Coronados. Yellowtail catches have been ranging from 8 - 25 lbs, and both areas have seen some good catches of bonito to 15 pounds as well."

"La Jolla has been great for barracuda and the occasional yellowtail. The yellows still seem to be concentrated on the outside of the point around the East Corner. The white seabass fishing has been slow, however, local divers keep seeing good-sized schools of big fish deep in the kelp. The barracuda are spread out everywhere, slashing at bait on the surface, and the bass in the kelp have been picking up big-time because the water temps are coming up."

"This is a great time of year to explore up and down the coast looking for bird schools. The patchy red tide seems to be disappearing and hopefully it's gone for the season."

Captain Jeff provides regular report on All Outdoors Radio (KCBQ 1170AM in San Diego) on Sunday Evenings, from 4:00 - 6:00pm

Capt. Robert Cooper (Sky's The Limit Guide Service) called to report that the Springtime salmon bite had yet to materialize, due to rough waters and uncertain weather conditions. Like many other folks here in SoCal, Capt. Cooper is looking to a week or so of stable weather conditions to get the fish in a biting mood. He did report improving calico bass and shallow-water rockfishing along the coast, now that water temps are starting to rise a bit, and he was planning on taking out regular customer Steve Abel (of Abel Reels for a local trip the week of May 14. We hope to get an updated report from that trip shortly.

Capt. Bryan Webb (Pacific Coast Fly Fishing) reports that fishing in the LA/OC area is showing signs of starting to take off, despite a week of wicked winds and big swells.

Small barracuda have been showing up in Long Beach Harbor and just outside Newport Harbor; and both calico bass and sand bass fishing on the LB Breakwall has been good for some quality fish in the 3-4lb range. There are lots of juvenile White Seabass showing along the Breakwall as well. These fish are just below legal size (24-27" ), but are a lot of fun on a fly rod. Capt. Webb attributes the improving fishing to warming water temps, which have jumped up to 61 degrees.

San Clemente Island and Catalina Island are seeing occasional good showings of yellowtail and some white seabass, but have been mostly scratchy.

Palos Verdes peninsula has also been very quiet.

Dana Point has seen people scratching out calicos, but there have not been a lot of reports.

Captain Robert Cooper of Sky's the Limit Guide Service in Ventura reports that the shallow water rockfishing for BIG reds at Santa Rosa Island is taking off. With warming temperature, calico bass, white seabass and other surface fishing can't be too far behind! This 50lb white seabass was captured in the channel off Ventura last year.