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FISHING GUIDE · SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
San Diego, California Fishing Guide
San Diego has a large sportfishing fleet, with more than 70 boats running everything from half-day kelp trips to long-range tuna trips that last up to three weeks. Local boats fish the Point Loma and La Jolla kelp for calico bass, yellowtail, barracuda and rockfish, and day boats cross into Mexican waters at the Coronado Islands. Several no-take marine reserves lie along the Point Loma and La Jolla shore, so know the lines before you drop a bait.
📍 San Diego County, Southern California, at the U.S.-Mexico border. Sportfishing landings are in Point Loma (H&M Landing, Fisherman's Landing, Point Loma Sportfishing) and near SeaWorld on Mission Bay (Seaforth Landing); Helgren's is in Oceanside to the north. Boats fish the Point Loma and La Jolla kelp beds, the Mexican Coronado Islands just south of the border, offshore banks, and long-range grounds off Baja California.
Map: spots, ramps and marinas
★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)
Open the full Southern California map →
Quick facts
- San Diego has five sportfishing landings with more than 70 boats between them; H&M Landing calls itself the West Coast's oldest sportfishing company.
- Trips run from a half day up to long-range trips of as much as 21 days, depending on the season.
- Long-range boats from Fisherman's Landing go to the Coronado Islands, Guadalupe Island, the San Benitos, Cedros Island and the Revillagigedos.
- Cabrillo State Marine Reserve off the tip of Point Loma, about 10 miles north of the Mexican border, is closed to all fishing and collecting.
- South La Jolla State Marine Reserve covers more than five square miles of kelp forest and reef and is closed to all take.
What you can catch
- Yellowtail
Caught at the Coronado Islands and along the coast; limit 10, 24 inches fork length, but up to 5 fish under 24 inches may be kept. - Calico (kelp) bass
Main kelp-bed fish; 14-inch minimum, 5 bass combined (no more than 4 barred sand bass). - Pacific barracuda
Common on kelp and Coronado Islands trips. - Rockfish
Bottom fishing on reefs and at the islands; closed Jan-Mar and limited by depth later in the year. - Pacific bluefin tuna
Offshore and long-range target; limit 2 per day in California. - Yellowfin tuna, albacore and dorado
Offshore and long-range targets; yellowfin limit 10, albacore 10 (south of Point Conception). - White seabass
28-inch minimum; limit 3, but only 1 south of Point Conception from Mar 15 to Jun 15. - California halibut
Sandy bottom; 22-inch minimum, 5 fish south of Point Sur.
Month by month
| January | Boat-based rockfish and lingcod closed (Jan 1 - Mar 31). Spiny lobster season open. |
|---|---|
| February | Rockfish and lingcod closed for boats. Lobster season open. |
| March | Lobster season ended Mar 18, 2026 (next ends Mar 17, 2027). White seabass drops to 1 fish from Mar 15. |
| April | Rockfish and lingcod open at all depths Apr 1. Grunion closed Apr 1 - Jun 30. |
| May | Rockfish open all depths. White seabass 1-fish limit still on. |
| June | Rockfish open all depths through Jun 30. White seabass back to 3 fish after Jun 15. |
| July | Rockfish and lingcod only inside the 50-fathom (300 ft) line (Jul 1 - Sep 30). |
| August | Coronado Islands day trips produce yellowtail, barracuda and calico bass. Rockfish inside 50 fathoms only. |
| September | Rockfish inside 50 fathoms only through Sep 30. |
| October | Nearshore rockfish closed from Oct 1; shelf rockfish and lingcod only outside 50 fathoms. Lobster opens Fri Oct 2, 2026 at 6 p.m. |
| November | Lobster season open. Nearshore rockfish closed; shelf rockfish/lingcod outside 50 fathoms only. |
| December | Same groundfish rules as Nov through Dec 31. Lobster season open. |
Tips
- Bring a passport for Coronado Islands trips. Landings may handle the Mexican visa, but a Mexican fishing license may be extra, so ask when you book.
- Your California license must include the Ocean Enhancement Validation to fish south of Point Arguello (not needed on a one- or two-day license).
- Keep a descending device on board; it is required when you fish for rockfish from a boat.
- No gear in the water while anchored in or drifting through Cabrillo, Matlahuayl or South La Jolla state marine reserves.
- Ask whether bait and licenses are included in the fare; bait usually is, licenses may not be.
Rules and license
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW); NOAA Fisheries / Pacific Fishery Management Council (federal groundfish and tuna); Mexican authorities for Coronado Islands waters · Official rules page ↗
- California sport fishing license required for anglers 16 and older (365-day license); Ocean Enhancement Validation needed south of Point Arguello. A Spiny Lobster Report Card is required for lobster.
- Southern groundfish area 2026 (CDFW summary updated June 23, 2026): closed Jan 1 - Mar 31; all depths Apr 1 - Jun 30; inside 50 fathoms Jul 1 - Sep 30; Oct 1 - Dec 31 nearshore closed, shelf rockfish and lingcod outside 50 fathoms only. Subject to in-season change.
- Rockfish/cabezon/greenling: 10 combined, with only 1 copper, 2 vermilion/sunset and 2 canary. Lingcod: 2 fish, 22 inches. No take of cowcod, yelloweye, quillback or bronzespotted rockfish.
- Giant sea bass may not be taken off California.
- Cabrillo SMR (Point Loma), Matlahuayl SMR (La Jolla Cove) and South La Jolla SMR: no take of any kind.
- San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA: only anchovy, sardine, Pacific mackerel and jack mackerel by hook-and-line. South La Jolla SMCA: only pelagic finfish (tunas, yellowtail, barracuda, bonito, etc.) by hook-and-line.
- Coronado Islands are Mexican waters: passports are required on these trips and Mexican fishing licenses are separate; check current Mexican rules before you go.
Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.
Boat ramps and marinas
The map above shows 18 boat ramps and 12 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.
- Boat ramp near De Anza Cove
- Boat ramp near Glorietta Bay
- Boat ramp near Hidden Anchorage
- Boat ramp near North San Diego Bay
- Boat ramp near Perez Cove
- Half Moon Marina
- Harbor Island West Marina
- Kona Kai Marina
- Marina Cortez
- Marriot Marquee Marina
- Pilot
- Point Loma Marina
- Public Boat Ramp
- Safe Harbor Cabrillo Isle
- Safe Harbor South Bay
- Shelter Cove Marina
- Shelter Island Boat Launch
- Shelter Island Marina at the Island Palms Hotel
- Sunroad Resort Marina
Sources
- https://www.sandiego.org/article/san-diegos-sport-fishing-landings
- https://www.sandiegofishreports.com/fish_reports/229602/islands-fun.php
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/MPAs/Cabrillo
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/MPAs/South-La-Jolla
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/MPAs/San-Diego-Scripps-Coastal-Matlahuayl
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Groundfish-Summary
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Sport-Fishing
- https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=239985&inline
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.