Ok it’s looking at the time of year again, there has been some local squid and light boats are wrapping them. There is some squid at the local receivers and with luck it will move in thick which will put the fish on the chew.

Ok I’m a bite worn out but I wanted to put up a post about white sea bass fishing tactics around most of the So Cal islands. I have posted this before so if it’s old news sorry but it still rings true for me and private boaters. So here goes.

Fishing for WSB is one thing but finding them is another. Here are some things I look for when at Catalina.

First you should get to the island the night before or early in the A.M. and meter around looking for the squid. Once found stay there even if you have your own bait or trying to make some and fish. Squid die right after they spawn and that can bring in the WSB. I have found that the gray light bite, early morning and late after noon are the magic hours for the fish.

Second fishing the gray ghost a lot of the time is done close to the island around structure. So you should WATCH OUT FOR BOILER ROCKS! I have seen boaters hit these on the way in or out and it sure doesn’t look fun. Also a lot of times there is an alpha spot when fishing WSB so don’t get to close to other boaters. Most of the time when the other boat has its limit whey will wave in the next boat in line and if you’re the man on the fish and you have your fill you should wave in the next boat. I have been both on the giving and receiving end of this and it sure helps when we all work together.

Third look for beaches with the right conditions. An off color, very light blue to an almost milky white water will show you where the tide is ripping along the beach and this may also produce fish. Fishing beaches is also done in shallow water so WATCH OUT FOR THE INCOMMING SWELLS! While anchored close to the beach the tide and swells will change so please keep an eye on them at all times.

Last when scouting beaches look for birds, mostly seagulls, sitting on the beach. The more birds the better and if they look like they are feeding at the surf zone that’s a good spot to fish. Sometimes after the spawn and die off of the squid they can be pushed up to the beach. Even if there is a lot of birds sitting and not feeding it may mean that they are waiting for the squid to be pushed up onto the beach and this could be a clue to there the WSB are feeding.

I don’t know who is skippering the boat your on and you may already know all this, if not give it a shot and good luck.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SoCalAngler,

WSB are a fish that interests me but they live too far away to justify going after them. Thanks for the information.

Finding them? Well, the Squid boats have been off Huntington. You know what likes to eat squid?

LOL Mark all game fishes love squid and will eat them up. But if I was looking for WSB even with a nice float I wouldn't check out the flats first.