California Coastal Fishing Forecast: Tuna Frenzy, Kelp Bed Bounty, and Lure Tips for the Weekend

Artificial Lure here with your Pacific Ocean, California fishing report for Sunday, August 17, 2025.

Today's sunrise hit at 6:21am, sunset will drop at 7:57pm. Tides are playing a classic summer rhythm: expect a low at 5:13am, a high pushing in at 10:41am, and another low at 5:05pm. That steady exchange will drive the bait inshore, peak fishing windows right around those tide changes. Weather’s settled—cool, marine layer lifting by mid-morning, and the breeze is light until the afternoon.

Let’s talk fish activity. It's been a banner week offshore: Bluefin tuna are flooding the counts with 25- to 210-pound brutes. Boats are posting full limits—take the Fortune, bringing in 40 bluefin for 20 anglers, or Tomahawk, calling in 42 bluefin for 29 anglers. Liberty and Pacific Queen also turned up strong—32 and 36 bluefin, with stacks of yellowtail in the mix. Near-shore, Coronado runs are steady for calico bass, rockfish, sculpin, and big counts of whitefish. The Dolphin boat had 165 whitefish and solid sculpin action just yesterday according to Fisherman’s Landing reports.

Up the coast from Ventura to Santa Barbara, Stardust Sportfishing highlights are easy to spot—sandbass and calico still lurking around the reefs, with consistent whitefish and lingcod coming up from deeper structure. Sculpin and sheephead numbers are ticking up as well, especially on the inner islands and shallower rock piles.

For tackle today, here's what’s working. Offshore bluefin are hammering jigs—especially knife jigs and flat-falls in blue/silver and glow colors. Pair those with heavy fluorocarbon, 80 to 130lb leader, and you'll stick the bigger fish. On the surface, try poppers at dawn, then switch to colt snipers or stickbaits as the sun climbs. For yellowtail, surface irons like mint or blue-and-white Tady 45s, or live sardines rigged on a 2/0 ringed circle hook, are consistently effective.

Inshore and rockfish anglers should lean on dropper loop rigs with squid strips or cut mackerel. Calico and sandbass are responding to swim jigs and 4” plastics in green pumpkin or smoke colors, especially if worked close to kelp stringers and hard bottom.

Hot spots right now:
- The Coronado Islands for offshore bluefin/yellowtail action—Liberty and Tomahawk both reporting exceptional fishing.
- Santa Monica and Ventura reefs for sandbass, calico, and whitefish—Stardust Sportfishing logging hefty counts.
- La Jolla kelp beds at first light; surface irons for calico, some big barracuda mixed in.
- Horseshoe Kelp near Long Beach for strong rockfish and occasional lingcod.

On the bait side, live sardines and mackerel are king for both offshore and coastal targets, with frozen squid a solid backup for bottom species. If you're hunting larger bluefin, consider a double hook rigged mackerel on a sinker rig during slack tide.

Mike and Jon just knocked a “PB” 5-pounder on assorted baits up north—reminder that a varied box pays off. Locals report swim jigs and vibrating jigs dominate shallow water bass and get those reaction bites when the tide swings up.

That’s your Sunday rundown. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Pacific Coast report, and don’t forget to subscribe for updates—all week long!
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