LA Fishing Report: Bass, Barracuda & Perch Bite Strong at First Light

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Los Angeles fishing report. Along the LA coast this morning, we’ve got a cool marine layer early, clearing to mild temps in the upper 60s to low 70s with light onshore breeze. Inland lakes run warmer by midday, pushing into the high 70s. Sunrise is around 5:40 a.m., sunset about 8:00 p.m., so you’ve got a long window, but the bite is best at first and last light. On the salt side, near‑shore water is sitting in the low 60s. A mild tidal swing today: a predawn high, dropping through the morning to a late‑morning low, then a modest afternoon push. That falling tide after sunup is lining up nicely for the beach and harbor bite. Recent action out of Santa Monica Bay and down toward Palos Verdes has been steady on **calico bass**, **sand bass**, **barracuda**, and a mix of **legal halibut** with quite a few shorts in the mix. Private boaters and six‑pack charters are reporting half‑limits to near limits of bass on the better structure days, with barracuda stacking on the edges when the current runs right. Breakwall regulars in LA and Long Beach harbors have been picking off halibut to the mid‑20‑inch range plus the usual spotted bay bass and sculpin. For the surf crew along Dockweiler, El Porto, and down through Manhattan and Hermosa, the barred surfperch bite has been good, with some **spotfin** and **yellowfin croaker** mixed in, plus the odd schoolie striped bass pushing bait in the pockets. Anglers working the troughs around the low tide have been reporting solid numbers of hand‑sized perch with the occasional larger model. Best saltwater baits right now: **live anchovy** or **sardine** on sliding rigs near structure for bass and halibut; cut squid around hard bottom for mixed bag; and sand crabs or lugworms in the surf for perch and croaker. If you’re throwing artificials, keep it simple: 3–5 inch swimbaits in sardine or anchovy colors, leadheads with brown‑and‑orange or red flake plastics for calico, and chrome or blue‑and‑white irons for barracuda and any roaming bonito. On the freshwater side, local lakes like **Castaic Lagoon**, **Pyramid**, and **Puddingstone** are seeing good early‑morning **largemouth** action with a backup bite on **catfish** and **panfish**. Shore anglers have been picking off bass to 3–4 pounds on weightless soft plastics and small topwaters right at gray light, with cats coming on cut mackerel and dip baits after dark. Bluegill are stacked tight to docks and flooded brush, eating pieces of nightcrawler under a float. Two hot spots to circle today: 1. **Palos Verdes Peninsula kelp line** – Calico bass and a shot at halibut. Work the edges with 1/2–3/4 oz leadhead and 4–5 inch weedless swimbaits in natural bait patterns. Fish tight to the stringers on that morning falling tide, then slide a little deeper as the sun gets high. 2. **Santa Monica Bay surf, around El Porto** – Great zone for barred surfperch and croaker. Light gear, 6–10 lb line, carolina rig with a small hook and sand crab or Gulp sandworm in camo or motor oil. Focus on the deeper cuts and points, especially an hour before and after low. Overall fish activity is strongest at daybreak, then again in the last hour of light when the wind eases and that afternoon tide turns. Midday can be a grind unless you’re fishing deep structure or shaded docks. That’s the word from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn