Pacific Coast Fishing Report: Tuna, Yellowtail, and More Bites Heating Up

This is Artificial Lure with your September 6, 2025, California Pacific Coast fishing report. Right now, we’re looking at gentle variable winds under 10 knots and light seas running about 4 to 6 feet out past the kelp beds. Cloud cover is patchy early, burning off mid-morning, with a pleasant high in the upper 70s expected by afternoon. Sunrise hit at 6:39 AM, and we’re set to lose the light at 7:28 PM. The moon rises just after 7, which could get things lively for those on the late bite.

Tides are moderate today. High tide came through at 3:21 AM and again at 3:20 PM. Low water is at 9:29 AM and 9:40 PM, which means the outgoing morning tide should turn on the bite—especially in shallow surf and near rocky structure. High tidal coefficients—approaching 90 by evening—mean you can expect strong currents, so bring heavier gear if you’re heading deep.

Let’s dive into fish reports from up and down the coast. Offshore out of San Diego, the Bluefin bite continues with Pacific Queen boats landing 98 fish, many pushing the 100- to 150-pound class. Those numbers are holding steady, and most came on flat-fall jigs overnight or slow-pitch irons in the gray light. If tuna is your quarry, you’ll want to be chunking down mackerel or sardine, but if you’re working big irons or flutter jigs, tie on anything with a luminous belly or reflective strip.

Inshore, yellowtail action is still red-hot, with boats like the Royal Star and the Excel reporting “as good as it gets” limits of solid fish to 25 pounds. San Clemente and Catalina are producing on blue-and-white yo-yo irons and live sardines. Rockfish, sheephead, and whitefish are a sure bet in the deeper reefs, especially between Newport and Long Beach, with limits stacking up on cut squid and dropper-loop rigs. Davey’s Locker logs from Newport show returning boats heavy with calico bass and limits of sculpin by midmorning, plus good shots at barracuda nailed on chrome spoons and surface irons.

Up in the Bay Area, salmon fever is running high. Fish Emeryville boats are getting 18 limits per run, with kings topping 30 pounds! Trolling anchovies behind watermelon dodgers has been most productive at the Golden Gate and Duxbury Reef areas.

For surf anglers, halibut are still biting on swimbaits and live smelt in Santa Monica and Ventura, with the best action around sunrise as the tide peaks. Sand crabs and Gulp! camo sandworms remain favorites for perch along Huntington and Bolsa Chica. Stripers have made some surprise showings around Santa Cruz, particularly during the nighttime incoming tide.

Today’s hot spots:
- The Horseshoe Kelp for surface action on calicos, barracuda, and yellowtail.
- The backside of Catalina Island, especially Church Rock and the Farnsworth Bank, for deep-water yellowtail and big whitefish.

For best bait, you can’t go wrong with live sardines for pelagics, cut squid for bottom dwellers, and metal jigs for those bluefin and yellowtail. Those targeting halibut and bass should throw 4- to 5-inch swimbaits in baitfish patterns right near the sand channels.

That’s the bite for today, folks! Thanks for tuning in to your morning on-the-water rundown with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe for tomorrow’s update—tight lines, respect the resource, and see you on the water.

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