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Late September Fishing Frenzy: LA's Hot Spots, Tides, and Lure Picks
Artificial Lure here, coming to you from Los Angeles with your local fishing report for Friday, September 19th, 2025.
Anglers woke up to crisp, clear skies and warm temperatures. It's shaping up to be another classic late September day on the water. Sunrise hit at 6:39AM, while tonight's sunset will be at 6:53PM. Winds are light and the ocean is flat and calm—ideal for both kayakers and party boat crews.
Let’s talk **tides**: The chart for Los Angeles outer harbor from Tide-Forecast.com shows low tide at 2:40AM (-0.32 ft), high tide at 9:03AM (4.99 ft), low again at 2:35PM (1.44 ft), and another high tide rolling in at 8:35PM (5.92 ft). That morning high means fish will be pushing shallow, and this afternoon’s low tide should have bottom critters feeding hard on the structure. Plan your casts accordingly.
**Fish activity** is up this week, with a warm water push lighting up the bite. According to 976-TUNA.com, party boat counts out of Marina del Rey and San Pedro are strong. Over 100 anglers on two trips boated a whopping 530 fish, including 218 sculpin, 155 whitefish, 100 mackerel, 30 rockfish, 15 calico bass, 9 sand bass, and 3 sheephead. Sheephead and calicos are still reliable, and the mackerel schools are thick. Rockfish and sculpin swarm the drop-offs—perfect for anyone after a mixed bag.
Further south in Long Beach, Victory boat anglers reported limits on sculpin, nearly 50 calico bass, more than 100 blue perch, plus mackerel, whitefish, sheephead, and rockfish. On the surface game, the Amigo out of 22nd Street tallied 60 white seabass, 15 bluefin tuna, 9 halibut, and a yellowtail on their last 1.5-Day run. That’s premium SoCal fall fishing right there.
Wondering about **lure and bait choices**? Sculpin and rockfish are hammering the usual dropper loop rigs tipped with fresh squid or shrimp. Calico bass and sand bass want plastics—think chartreuse or root beer swimbaits bounced tight to kelp stringers or breakwall cover. For mackerel, flashy Sabiki rigs are pulling ‘em in bunches. If chasing bigger game like seabass or halibut, stick to live sardines or big plastics, and have a heavy leadhead ready for fishing deeper structure.
Today's best **hot spots**:
- **22nd Street Landing**: Boat counts are consistently strong here, especially for calico bass, sheephead, and bottom fish. Rockfish bite has been steady with squid, and there’s always a shot at white seabass after sunrise.
- **Marina Del Rey Breakwall**: Locals have found persistent action here on sand bass, mackerel, whitefish, and sculpin, especially as the tide pushes in.
- **Long Beach Inner Harbor**: Victory boat counts show excellent variety and numbers, with regular limits on sculpin and lots of calicos and perch on the chew.
If you’re shorebound, try Cabrillo Beach pier early with cut anchovy for mackerel and perch, or cast grubs and swimbaits into the kelp at Point Vicente for a shot at bass and sheephead.
Weather’s holding perfect all day, with a mild breeze and gentle swells—prime conditions for all styles, be it kayak, private boat, or party boat. Don’t forget your sunscreen and polarized glasses.
Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure's Los Angeles Fishing Report. Hit subscribe to get fresh updates every trip, and tight lines to ya! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago