Information in this section was provided by Captain Robert Cooper of Sky's the Limit Guide Service, who also moderates our section Oxnard and Points North Forecasts and Reports.

Channel Island Harbor (Oxnard)

CIH is a good launch point if you want to fish Anacapa Island, or back South along the coast towards LA (Point Mugu, Leo Carillo Beach or Point Dume, for example). For Point Dume, depending on the weather, it might be better to leave from Marina Del Rey, because you’ll be going back to port at the end of the day with the weather. If you want to fish Point Mugu, be sure to stay clear of the Naval rifle range along the beach, which is clearly marked.

CIH is the closest launch point to Anacapa Island, and is close to the East end of Santa Cruz Island.

Ventura Harbor (Ventura)

Ventura Harbor is the best overall departure point for the West End, Front Side, and East End of Santa Cruz Island. It's the usual departure point for Captain Cooper's trips

Santa Barbara Harbor (Santa Barbara)

SBH is probably the best launch point if there’s any kind of weather, especially if it’s a Santa Ana (east) wind. There’s less wind in the Santa Barbara area, plus the wind comes from a better angle relative to your return course. It is the closest departure point for Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands, and the West end and South side of Santa Cruz Island.

Gaviota State Park (Gaviota)

Gaviota State Park has a pier with a hoist that can be used to launch skiffs, but the local surfers sometimes sabotage it. This is to prevent people from launching a boat there to get to Hollister Ranch, which is one of the premier surf spots in Southern California. There is great fishing in the area, but if you want to launch at Gaviota, you should contact the park rangers to make sure the hoist is working. The hoist is operated by the park, so you should also review with them requirements for hoisting your boat. If you have a small skiff or inflatable boat, you can beach launch instead of using the hoist.