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Southern California Surf Fishing Report
August 2024
August marks this season’s last full month of grunion runs in Southern California. Take advantage of the August 19th full moon period to observe or collect grunion and use these days to fish for halibut, striper and seabass close to shore.
For those looking this month to catch the biggest corbina, I’ve always found that early in the morning, at gray-light, and in the later afternoon, with a lower sun, is the best time to fish for these monsters. Remember, they’ve been foraging on sand crabs all summer long and will only be eating the very largest and softest sand crabs. Take some time to collect crabs before your fishing session and go through them to find the largest soft-shell crabs. Having several perfect crabs on hand will be essential to enticing the big corbina to bite. Downsize your sinker and be sure to keep your bait in the inshore through where they often come to feed during low-light conditions.
Corbina and striped bass have highlighted catches over the last month with several legal white seabass caught in both Orange County and LA county. The striper bite has been crazy from a few in Santa Barbara to quite a few in the Marina Del Rey area, along several Orange County Beaches and in San Diego County. In San Diego, along the coast from the south end of Torrey Pines to the north end of Del Mar the striper bite has produced at least 4 fish in the last fortnight to 30″. Two caught on sand crabs (one three crab hook and one on a big sand crab) and another two on hard-baits. This bite along the coast continues to heat up, while north of Pismo Beach the striper fishing has been limit style all the way to Pacific Beach in the city of San Francisco.
Thankfully, the beaches are becoming less crowded now and will continue to be less active as school begins. August into September are transition months for bait at the beach. Surf fish have gorged on sand crabs for months now and as the quantity of crabs begins to diminish surf fish will search for and prefer different forage. Ghost shrimp, mussel and both blood and lugs worms are a great alternative. I try to take several live baits with me to the beach so that I can determine which one is working best that day.
Santa Barbara/Ventura: Cool water again moved into the Santa Barbara area with 60 degrees recorded earlier this week in the harbor. Look for water temps to change dramatically in the SB Ventura area over the next several weeks as strong swells from Mexico will bring warm water up the coast. The halibut bite remains good at both Goleta Beach, just south of the pier, south and west of the Wharf and from the East Beach Bath House to Hammonds. Most of these fish have been following in the grunion and seem to be hitting best on hard baits (BattleStar and Lucky Craft) along with 6″ white swimbaits. Another grunion run is slated for mid month so look for this bite to continue.
Perch, leopard, thornebacks sharks, guitarfish and a few yellowfin croaker have been around with most fish feeding on sand crabs, worms and mussel. Just a couple stripers being reported late last month caught on hardbaits along the Hope Ranch beach line.
Along the Ventura coast there has been a sold bite of barred surfperch to 13″. Anglers have been slaying them on motor-oil grubs and especially Honey Badger Baits in both motor-oil and synthetic transmission-colored baits.
South Bay: Surf fishing from Santa Monica to Palos Verdes remains hot. Quite a variety of fish with corbina, yellowfin, halibut and striper in the mix. Many palm-sized perch being caught now as the early spring spawneees are settling in along the beach.
In the Malibu area (Malibu to Pt. Mugu) quite a few calico bass have been taken on 5-6″ swimbaits (white and motor oil). With decent reports of both barred and walleye surfperch biting along the beach at Leo Carrillo. Sand bass and a few halibut have also been caught in this area.
From Santa Monica pier to Palos Verdes the action has been hot with corbina along the entire stretch…with some big ones in the Hermosa Manhattan area. Stripers continue to be hooked and landed in the Venice/Balona Creek/Dockwyler areas. Most fish have been on cut anchovy and hardbaits. Fish have been biting in the morning, afternoon and after dark. Redondo and Torrance beaches have been kicking out some smaller corbina to 20″ along with some big yellowfin croakers to 4lbs. These fish have mostly been taken on sand crabs but one angler reported using a clam to catch a 24″ corbina along R.A.T. beach.
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PURCHASE SURF FISHING TACKLE HERE
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Orange County: Orange County remains amazing with lots of warm water and some very hungry fish. Corbina have been biting all along the Newport Beach to Seal Beach stretch with many in the 17″ range, but a few tankers taken in Seal Beach (near the pier) at the Huntington Beach Cliffs and near the Newport jetties. Large soft-shell crabs have been the key with one caught on a Honey Badger grub.
Perch fishing remains very good along the entire Orange County stretch with most fish about palm-size. Small sand crabs seem to be working best along with cut raw shrimp. There are many sand crabs still around but because of the large amount of bean clam shells they seem to be concentrated in areas where shells are scarce and there is lots of sand. Both yellowfin and spot fin have been in the count with the best fishing in the Huntington Cliff to the north end of Bolsa Chica.
August 19th is the full moon so if you’re going grunion hunting try looking at both the Santa Ana rivermouth and the Bolsa Chica inlet. There are many great places to catch the grunion in the OC but you may have to look around. Although there may be a stray run in September, if you wish to catch you 30 for the upcoming winter…now is the time.
San Diego: San Diego is this month’s hot spot with just about everything jumping on the hook…Stripers, sargo, zebra perch, corbina, white seabass, yellowfin croaker and more in the count.
Warm water in SD has brought the fish close to shore with a flurry of stripers hitting the beach. The stretch between south Torrey Pines and north to Del Mar has kicked out at least 4 stripers to 30″ in the last week. One great area to concentrate on is near the many estuary outlets along the SD coastline. Because striper hunt for forage daily, and travel up to 30 miles, they frequent harbors, estuaries, bays, open beach and rock structure looking for food. Everything from sidewinder crabs, to squid, mussel, anchovy, hard-baits and more are in their diet. Unlike other fish, striper also feed at night and can often be caught off jetties after dark.
Perch fishing remains good for palm-size fish, while corbina fishing took an upturn over the last two weeks with fish reported on most beaches. One trophy size fish was caught on Mission Beach this week using a lug worm. Although sand crabs may be hard to find on rocky beaches, find beaches along the coast with stretches of sand and you’ll find the crabs. If all else fails, you will almost certainly find them under most piers at high tide.
Tropical Storms Emilia and Fabio will bring surf and warm water to the California coast. Please be careful of rouge waves and fishing from the rocks. Always plan, by having an escape route.
Synopsis: Summer is here and increasing surf from the south (with warm clear water) is on the way. Look for an uptick in both the water temp and surf action over the month of August. This weekend will have an early burnoff for the marine layer and a bit of cooling next week as the fog and cooler days settle in. Morning winds will be light with moderate afternoon winds from the northwest. Look for water temps to increase all along the coast and for corbina, especially, to begin their annual migration north to beaches like Carpinteria, Hammonds and Santa Barbara.
Temp: (Stable) Water temperature has been steady at 70 in much of SD and OC with Santa Barbara temps being 60-62. North continues to be quite cool for this time of year but should begin to warm into next week when the first swells from Mexico reach our shores.
Tides: August tides offer some excellent fishing tides mid-month (9th-14th) with a neap tide period (very little tidal change) which is great for halibut and conversely, 8+’ astronomical tides surrounding the 8/19 full moon. High tides surrounding the full moon are well know for good corbina fishing but remember, the bite those days may be in the afternoon/evening, due to the full moon. This month is the last full month of grunion tides (September may hold a few more days of grunion) so get out there the 18th, 19th and 20th….and send us your pictures and reports!
Wind: August often has light morning winds and stronger afternoon wind from the northwest. Look for calm to slight offshore morning winds over the next week as a high-pressure system settles into the west. Afternoon winds will be from the northwest at 12-15knots. Both early morning and evening winds will allow for some great fishing conditions.
Swell: Southern hemisphere swells continue to be generated near Australia and off the coast of Antartica but those are now being augmented by two tropical storms Fabio and Emilia just off the Mexican coast. Look for increasing surf on south facing beaches beginning later this week and into next week. Surf will be 4+ feet over this period so be wise about fishing rocks and use a heavier sinker if the current is strong.
Mid-month also promises to have another set of large south swells, originating from both Mexico and the South Pacific. These swells may hamper fishing but will bring much needed warm water up the coast. On days when the surf is large fish in the bay or on the opposite side of jetties, harbors, etc. where the swells are partially blocked.
Grunion Run Schedule for 2024
Observation Months 2024: April, May, June
August 2024
8/4 Sun 9:50 pm – 11:50 pm
8/5 Mon 10:25 pm – 12:25 am
8/6 Tue 11:00 pm – 1:00 am
8/7 Wed 11:30 pm – 1:30 am
8/19 Mon 9:35 pm – 11:35 pm
8/20 Tue 10:20 pm – 12:20 am
8/21 Wed 11:10 pm – 1:10 am
8/22 Thu 11:59 pm – 2:00 am
Collection Months 2024: July and August (Limit 30) Halibut often feed near shore before, during and after a run
Here’s a note from the CA-DFW:
There is a no-take seasonal closure of California grunion from 12 A.M. Monday, April 1, 2024, through 11:59 P.M. Sunday, June 30, 2024. Throughout the seasonal closure, grunion may only be observed, they may not be touched, handled or taken. During the open season, California grunion may be taken by hand only and the bag and possession limit is 30 fish per person. For more information, including a schedule of expected grunion runs and observation-only times for 2024, visit CDFW’s grunion web page.
Surf Fishing Tips Around Grunion Runs
1. Always look for halibut around/adjacent to structure (jetties, offshore rocks, harbor entrances, estuary entrances, docks, etc.)
2. Find where the grunion came in and fish there up to two weeks after a run.
3. Find where the grunion came in and fish there 10-12 days after their spawn to take advantage of the grunion fry hatch and return to sea.
4. Get to know the lifeguard or warden on your favorite beach and ask them where the grunion came ashore.
5. Fish for halibut with artificial lures like BattleStar, Lucky Craft, Krocodiles, Kastmasters, Grubs. Fish halibut with live or fresh dead baits like mussel lip, sardine, anchovy, smelt and grunion.
Thank you to Brian, Doug, Ethan, Brad, John, Mike, Scott, and Shane for your hard fishing and great reports and pictures!
Send your pictures and reports to: fishthesurf@mail.com
Good luck and good Fishing!
Surf fishing reports compiled by
Bill Varney
Send your pictures and reports to: fishthesurf@mail.com