LA Basin Fishing Hot: Bass, Halibut, and Yellowtail Bite on May 4th

Hey folks, this is **Artificial Lure** comin' at ya with your early morning fishing report for May 4th, 2026, right here in the LA basin. Dawn's breakin' over the Pacific, and conditions look prime for some action if you hit the water smart. Weather's cooperatin' today—mostly sunny with highs pushin' 72°F, light southwest winds at 5-10 knots, and a slim 10% chance of sprinkles later, per the National Weather Service forecast. Sunrise at 5:52 AM, sunset 7:38 PM, givin' ya a solid 13+ hours of light to chase bites. Tides at Santa Monica Pier are favorable: low at 4:12 AM (-0.2 ft), high at 10:28 AM (5.1 ft), then droppin' to low at 5:03 PM (1.8 ft), accordin' to NOAA charts. Fish the incomin' tide mid-mornin' for best results—currents stir up the baitfish. Fish activity's heatin' up post-spawn. Calico bass and sand bass are aggressive in 20-60 ft depths, with reports of limits yesterday off Malibu. Halibut are movin' shallow, a 25-pounder boated Saturday near Redondo Canyon usin' live sardines. Yellowtail are showin' sporadic, but perch and calicos dominated recent hauls—over 50 keepers logged last week via CDFW creel surveys. Schools of smelt and anchovies are thick, drawin' predators. Top lures: **Yo-Zuri 3D Minnow** in sardine pattern for bass—jig it slow over kelp beds. **Bertram Scampis** for halibut, bounced near bottom. Live bait kings: sardines or anchovies on a Carolina rig, or bloodworms for perch. Fresh squid strips if you're pier-bound. Hot spots: **Point Dume kelp line** for surface iron action on calicos—launch from Zuma Beach. **Santa Monica Bay reefs** (head 2 miles west of the pier) for halibut driftin' live bait. Avoid crowds at Venice Breakwater; it's picked over. Rig light, watch for seals, and stay safe out there. Tight lines! Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for daily updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.