California Coast Fishing Report: Limits of Rockfish, Tuna, and Kelp Calicos

Artificial Lure here with your Pacific Ocean, California fishing report for Sunday, August 24th, 2025.

First light snuck up at 6:28AM, and we’ll see the sun set tonight at 7:47PM. With a calm morning breaking, anglers found a nice window before the wind picked up in the afternoon. Right now, there’s a pronounced tide swing: high at 5:28AM and again at 5:34PM, with lows mid-morning at 11:32AM and near midnight. According to Tide-Forecast, that big tidal coefficient means strong currents—perfect conditions for drift fishing or pinning bait on the edge of a kelp paddy.

Weather’s been mostly clear with mild coastal marine layer burning off early. That kept temps down, but the bite up as fish got active in the cooler morning water. By midday, it was classic California: sunny, mild breeze, and not too hot—prime weather for staying out all afternoon.

Let’s talk about what’s getting caught. Out of Ventura landings, the Pacific Eagle returned yesterday with full sacks: 169 rockfish, 102 whitefish, 14 lingcod, 16 sculpin, and a handful of sheephead for 23 anglers. Those rocky bottom spots are loaded right now—steady action on the deep structure. Over in San Diego, Fisherman’s Landing reported a mixed bag yesterday: boats like the Dolphin and the Constitution brought in limits of rockfish and red vermillion, plus bluefin tuna hitting hard out at the islands. The Islander and Pacific Queen both scored over 70 bluefin each for their overnight runs, with yellowtail and even the odd halibut mixed in.

If you want to stick closer to the coast, it’s been a bass fest up and down the nearshore. Local anglers are posting sand bass and spotted bay bass on swimbaits like black widow flukes, fished slow and near the bottom around structure. Instagram posts are showing calico bass and the occasional barracuda along scattered kelp, especially on mornings with a little current. According to local tackle shops, top lures for rockfish and lingcod have been heavy jigs in sardine or squid pattern—try a 2-3 ounce leadhead tipped with strip bait or a scented curlytail. If you’re chasing surface action offshore, slow-trolled sardines and poppers are pulling in those quality yellowtail and tuna.

Hot spots today:
- Long Point and Rocky Point off Palos Verdes are loaded with bottom species.
- The Coronado Islands remain bluefin central, and any kelp paddy between Dana Point and Oceanside is a solid bet for yellowtail.
- Up north, Pacifica Pier and surrounding beaches are producing perch, with bonus stripers in the mix around dawn and dusk.

As always, match your tackle to the quarry: 30-pound braid with a 20-40lb leader offshore, or lighter spinning gear for inshore action. Best baits today are fresh-cut squid for rockfish, sardines for the tunas, and gulp grubs or flukes when pitching plastics.

That’s your on-the-water update from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for tomorrow’s tides, tricks, and hot bites.

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