Podcast Episode Details

Fishing LA's Coasts: Tuna, Bass, and More Awaiting Anglers on Fall's Gentle Winds

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Artificial Lure here with your Los Angeles area fishing report for Saturday, September 27, 2025. Let’s get right into it—today’s sunrise was at 6:44 AM and sunset is at 6:43 PM, so you’ve got a solid 12 hours to chase bites up and down our coast. Weather’s setting up nice: marine layer early; sunshine expected mid-morning and gentle northwest winds picking up in the afternoon. Water temps are holding steady in the upper 60s—good for most of our inshore and offshore targets.

Tides are key today. We rolled into a decent low at 5:03 AM, which helped with early kelp bed bites. Midday high at 12:06 PM means flows will be moving, ideal for rockfish and bass sliding up to hunt. That late low at 8:21 PM is a prime setup for halibut and sand bass cruisin’ the beaches and harbor mouths, especially as the sun dips low and the bait starts moving.

Fish counts in the area have been epic this week. Out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro, boats have been returning with heavy bags: recent trips saw limits of bluefin tuna—fish mostly in the 15 to 40-pound class, with reports of some larger models mixed in up to 120 pounds earlier this month. Lots of reds and decent catches of rockfish on full days. The “Pride” nailed 33 bluefin for their 9 anglers on the last two-day trip. Freedom’s open party trips have been steady, more bluefin with a side of kelp bass, sculpin, and yellowtail according to the crew’s latest daily report.

Closer to shore and in the harbors, Davey’s Locker had their Western Pride return with 20 ocean whitefish, 23 sheephead, 21 sculpin, 19 rockfish, and a handful of other tasty fillets just days ago. Sheephead and sculpin numbers are up—a good sign for anyone bottom bouncing the reefs. California scorpionfish counts remain extraordinary; the annual tally for 2025 already outpaces last year at these landings.

Anglers reporting from local lakes and rivers say bass are tight to cover, especially at dawn, with the better bites coming on weedless soft plastics in darker colors. Catfish action is solid on cut bait, liver, and night crawlers, while in through the LA River estuaries, crappie and the odd striper are landing mostly on jigs and live worms.

Best lures this week: Offshore, you can’t go wrong with flat falls, knife jigs, and live sardines for tuna. Big bluefin want deep presentations—wind fast, pause mid-column, and get ready to set hard. For yellowtail and bass inshore, plastics like MC Swimbaits in natural and sardine patterns, small irons (Tady or Salas), and live anchovies rigged nose-hooked have been putting fish in the well. Rockfish still love squid strips and shrimp on dropper loops; sheephead will smash cut crab and clams.

Top hot spots:
- **22nd Street Landing, San Pedro**: Bluefin tuna, kelp bass, big bottom fish, and a bonus shot at yellowtail. Book a spot on the Pride or Freedom for offshore runs.
- **Long Beach Breakwall and Horseshoe Kelp**: Steady action on calico bass, sculpin, and sheephead—great for smaller boats or kayak anglers working plastics and fly-lined live bait.

If you’re casting from shore, try Cabrillo Beach inside the jetty right after sunrise on the rising tide or Venice Pier for bass, perch, and late-day halibut bites. Grunion runs have wound down, but surf perch will still pick a well-presented sand crab or small Gulp! Worm worked slow along the trough.

Regulations are steady—make sure you’re within your limits, especially offshore where two bluefin per angler is still the rule, and check for any rockfish closures south of Point Conception. Always pack your license and stay safe around the rocks this time of year as the swell can jump suddenly.

Thanks for tuning in, Anglers. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss another local report.

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