If you’re among the many fishing enthusiasts in California, you’ve undoubtedly tried your hand at both freshwater and saltwater fishing (and if you haven’t, you’ve probably got them on your bucket list). And you’ve probably thought when is the best time to go deep sea fishing in California. As a huge state with a beautiful coastline, California offers you numerous opportunities to enjoy both inshore and offshore fishing activities. Here’s a little guide for those uninitiated in this delightful art of sport fishing.
We offer charter fishing trips, whale watching excursion, sport fishing trips, private charters and water activities on the central coast of California. If you’re interested click here to learn more.
What Exactly is Deep Sea Fishing?
Also known as sport fishing, offshore boat fishing, or big game fishing, deep sea fishing involves fishing in waters that are as deep as 100 feet, or more. As is evident from its name, deep sea fishing is only possible as you move further away from the land, and it has a few interesting wrinkles to it; starting with the different varieties of fish you can catch. As you get deeper into the waters, you can bring some fine catches that include tuna, swordfish, marlin, and even shark. Consequently, it’s prudent if you try fishing in the deep sea after you’ve gained a bit of experience in inshore fishing, because you’ve got some big (and dangerous) fish to catch offshore.
When is the Right Time To Go Deep Sea Fishing in California?
Typically, summers in California are the best times to head out into the deep sea for some offshore fishing, for some very good reasons. For one, the temperature of the waters is higher, and fish more active. Secondly, the migration patterns of a number of offshore fish bring them closer to home, and closer to your boat. The summer also sees a wider variety of fish in California’s deep-sea waters. To a certain extent, this is because summer is when the sea abounds in aquatic creatures like crabs, squids, and anchovies, which are what many deep-sea fish feed on.
More specifically, the months from June to September (and, some years, even October) are when you can strike gold as you go fishing in the deeper waters of the sea. In Southern California, for instance, the summer months are the prime times when you can catch some amazing species of fish like rockfish, calico bass, halibut, white sea bass, sand bass, rock cod, and even bluefin. Northern California doesn’t fail to keep up either, with areas like San Francisco Bay and the Pacifica Pier abounding in both common and exotic species of deep-water fish, including croaker, salmon, and striped bass.
Fishing in the deeper parts of the sea is also easier in the summer, because visibility in the water is at highs, and you can make use of common aquatic prey (like soft-shelled crabs) to lure your targets closer. Of course, you always need to keep in mind that the temperatures in the offshore waters could deviate either way from the normal seasonal average, meaning that the deep sea could be cooler or warmer than expected; fishing is always a challenge and that’s the fun of it! But for deep-sea fishing, there’s no better time of year, and place, than the summer months in California.
Visit us in Morro Bay Landing to see our latest sport fishing trips. Check it out here.
