California Fishing: Coast to Crest

Saltwater hotspots and tactics

From kelp forests in San Diego to the rugged points of Big Sur and the bait-rich waters of the Golden Gate, California’s saltwater scene is as varied as it gets. In SoCal, work the kelp edges at gray light with swimbaits or surface irons for calico bass and marauding yellowtail, then slide offshore to chase foaming schools of bluefin when temp breaks and bird piles line up—think flat-falls, knife jigs, and flying baits when it’s breezy. Inside the surf, match-the-hatch with sand crabs for corbina on clean, gentle bars; on the sandy flats and bays, slow-roll swimbaits for halibut on the bottom during a steady drift. Up north, watch wind lanes and tide pushes around the Marin coast and Ocean Beach for striped bass blitzes, and when bait floods the outer reefs, bounce jigs and trap-rigs for lingcod and rockfish tight to structure. Party boats out of San Pedro, Long Beach, Ventura, and San Francisco are great for covering water, while kayaks shine in lee-side kelp and harbors. Keep leaders stealthy, tie clean connections, and let current, birds, and bait shape your plan; locals call sardines “dines,” and a lively one on a sinker-rig or slow-trolled can outfish hardware on fickle days.

Freshwater variety across the state

California’s inland waters reward anglers who adapt to elevation, water clarity, and forage. The Sierra Nevada is classic trout country—drift small nymphs through pocket water on the Upper Sacramento, swing soft hackles at evening, and work inlets on alpine lakes with spoons or mid-column streamers when breeze stacks plankton and bait. In the Central Valley reservoirs like Don Pedro, Oroville, and Shasta, spotted bass crush finesse—dropshots, dartheads, and underspins around points and bait balls—while Clear Lake and the Delta serve up heavyweight largemouth on frogs, punch rigs, and chatterbaits, especially when weeds top out and bluegill chatter gives away the zone. Spring crappie stack on wood and docks, with steady action on micro-jigs under floats; summer nights bring steady catfish bites on cut mackerel or dip baits along breaks. When the sky goes glassy, downsize lines and go natural; when wind riffles the surface, move shallow and cover water. Dawn and dusk are prime windows statewide, but on bluebird days a subtle do-nothing presentation can be the difference between looking and catching.