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LA Fishing Forecast: Calicos, Rockfish Biting Amid Summer Tides
Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your local Los Angeles fishing report for Friday, August 29, 2025.
First light cracks at **6:25 AM** and you’ll have sun until **7:21 PM** tonight. Weather’s classic late summer LA—mild highs into the upper 70s, patchy coastal fog early, burning off by brunch, and light winds out of the southwest. Bring layers for the marine layer mornings and sunglasses for that midday bite.
Tides play a big part today: the **morning low hits at 6:11 AM** with 2.37 feet, and the **afternoon high rolls in at 1:11 PM**, peaking at 4.77 feet, according to Tide-Forecast.com. That midday push should really get fish moving along the breakwalls and inshore reefs.
Going by the latest from SoCalFishReports and 976-TUNA, the bite has been **hot for calico bass and rockfish**, especially for party boats running out of Long Beach and San Pedro. Across 47 trips yesterday, 916 anglers bagged over 1,500 rockfish, nearly 1,000 calico bass, 584 whitefish, and solid counts of bonito and bluefin tuna. There have been some **thumping catches of calicos, sheepshead, and a couple white seabass**, especially out of the islands.
**Best bets for artificial action**:
- Calico and sand bass are responding well to **swimbaits in sardine or anchovy color patterns**, especially when bounced along kelp or riprap off Palos Verdes.
- Try **weedless jerkbaits or paddle tails** around rocky structure, and don't overlook topwater walking baits during that low-light window right after sunrise.
- For the rockfish crew: nothing beats a **double dropper loop rig** with fresh-cut squid or live anchovy for the reds and groupers holding on deeper stones.
For bait, locals have been sticking with **sardines, anchovies, and market squid**—with dines and chovy still the number one pick for battery-powered action off breakwalls and the piers. Bring a sabiki if you're dropping from the pier and want some fresh bait.
If you’re itching to target the **pelagics**, a few bluefin are still hanging deep offshore, but numbers are down from earlier in the season. Boats swinging out to Catalina and deeper reefs have been getting their limits of rockfish and a few surprise halibut. **Bonito** are pushing in closer, tearing up iron jigs and flashy spoons—tie on a ColtSniper or Krocodile when you see birds working.
**Hot spots to consider today:**
- **King Harbor Breakwall:** Always produces for calico, sand bass, and even a shot at yellowtail on the outgoing tide.
- **Belmont Pier:** Topwater for shortfin corvina early, switch to plastics or bait for bass and the rogue halibut as the sun climbs.
- **Point Fermin and Cabrillo jetty rocks:** Fish those structure edges at the afternoon high for sheepshead and rock wrasse—it’s a local’s trick.
If you're more into finesse, **natural and dark color soft plastics** are getting the better bites for bass, especially when rigged weedless and slow-rolled over structure. The key lately is tucking in tight to the kelp and rocks—fish are holding deep and tucked under cover as the surface warms, as mentioned by FishCaddy’s statewide round-up.
All told, plenty of action up and down the LA coast for those willing to read the tides and follow the bait!
That wraps your Los Angeles report for Friday. Thanks for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe for more daily rundowns right here.
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Published on 2 days, 14 hours ago