Late-Season Fishing Booms in SoCal

Capt. Shawn Morgon from Big Fish Tackle in Seal Beach reported excellent surf fishing action for a variety of species. Corbina are still being taken off Huntington Beach and Bolsa Chica, Morgon said. The best bait has been ghost shrimp with 6- to 8-pound test line and a Carolina rig.

Additionally, fair numbers of yellowfin and spotfin croaker have been caught off Seal Beach, with big sand crabs luring some croaker in the 2- to 4-pound class.

In the Santa Monica Bay, Marina del Rey has provided good halibut fishing. San Pedro resident Joe Bennington, who has caught multiple flatfish, said live bait has been the key.

Palos Verdes anglers are catching good numbers of opaleye perch, along with a few sheephead and bass off the rocks, using frozen peas.

Surf fishermen in the Santa Monica Bay have also experienced good fishing. There has been fair leopard shark fishing off Torrance Beach using mackerel for bait, and anglers have caught a few corbina off Redondo and Hermosa beaches.

Weather watch

Besides cooler air temperatures, windy weather is on the way. That makes fishing from jetties and rocks very dangerous. Pay attention to current weather conditions.

Rockfish abundant in Southern California

Good bottom fishing has been the rule over most of Southern California again this week. Buena Park resident Ryan Klumper, 27, caught a 21-pound lingcod recently on board the Freelance out of Davey’s Locker in Newport Beach.

Capt. Andy Siratt of the Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina Sportfishing reported excellent fishing for 2- to 4-pound vermillion rockfish, along with salmon grouper and other bottom grabbers.

In the Santa Monica Bay, the Redondo Special out of has been catching near limits of rockfish, as have boats out of Marina del Rey. The bay has also seen fair to excellent lingcod fishing.

Quick bites

• Late-season white sea bass and yellowtail, as well as a few calico bass and lots of rockfish, are still being caught at Catalina Island using live squid for bait. Most of the fish have been reeled in on the back—or weather side—of the island.

• Whale sightings have been common throughout the past week, with more reports of fin, minke and humpback whale sightings.