California · Southern California
YELLOWTAIL FISHING
IN LONG BEACH
Long Beach is an excellent destination for yellowtail fishing, with peak season in June, July, August and good catches in May, September, October. Book a charter and target yellowtail with local experts.
About Yellowtail Fishing in Long Beach
California yellowtail are powerful, fast-swimming amberjacks that patrol the kelp beds and islands from San Diego to the Channel Islands. These broad-shouldered fish are relentless fighters on conventional or fly tackle and are a staple of SoCal sportfishing, particularly during the warmer months from May through November.
California Yellowtail are powerful, fast-swimming amberjacks that patrol the kelp beds, islands, and offshore banks from San Diego to the Channel Islands and beyond. Named for their vivid yellow tail and lateral stripe, yellowtail have a sleek, muscular body built for speed and endurance. They are considered the signature gamefish of Southern California sportfishing, prized for their relentless, tackle-testing fights and excellent firm, white flesh. Yellowtail are the fish that Southern California anglers dream about from January through March, waiting for the first spring arrivals.
Scientific name: Seriola lalandi
Yellowtail Seasonal Calendar — Long Beach
Month-by-month availability for yellowtail in Long Beach, CA.
How to Catch Yellowtail in Long Beach
Techniques & Bait
Live bait fishing with sardines, anchovies, or mackerel on a "flyline" (unweighted line with just a hook) is the quintessential SoCal yellowtail technique. Surface iron — casting heavy jigs (Salas 7X, Tady 45) on conventional gear and retrieving fast — is the classic artificial method and produces the most exciting strikes. Yo-yo iron (vertical jigging with heavy spoons) near underwater structure is deadly. Trolling Rapalas and cedar plugs works for covering water. Slow-pitch jigging with specialized flutter jigs is a growing technique.
Recommended Tackle
Medium-heavy conventional rod (6'6"-7'6"), lever-drag reel (Penn Squall, Shimano Trinidad), 30-50 lb mono or 50-65 lb braid, 25-40 lb fluorocarbon leader, 1/0-4/0 ringed hooks for live bait. Surface iron: 8-9 ft heavy "jig stick" rated 30-60 lb, high-speed conventional reel.
Best Nearshore Fishing Spots in Long Beach
Top spots where local captains target yellowtail and other nearshore species.
Palos Verdes Peninsula
The Palos Verdes Peninsula features miles of rocky coastline and kelp beds where calico bass, sheephead, rockfish, and white seabass hold in some of the best nearshore structure in Los Angeles County. The peninsula's steep underwater terrain creates diverse habitat from shallow reef to deep rock walls within a mile of shore.
Long Beach Breakwater
The Long Beach Breakwater is a massive man-made structure that creates miles of rock-reef habitat holding calico bass, sand bass, sheephead, and perch. The breakwater's submerged rocks and current breaks create a nearshore fishery accessible from any small boat inside the protected harbor waters.
Horseshoe Kelp
Horseshoe Kelp is a large crescent-shaped kelp bed offshore of Long Beach and San Pedro that holds calico bass, sand bass, barracuda, and bonito in dense kelp canopy. The kelp's size and fish-holding capacity make it one of the most reliable nearshore destinations in the South Bay area.
Rocky Point (Palos Verdes)
Rocky Point on the Palos Verdes Peninsula features exposed rocky reef where calico bass, sheephead, and rockfish hold in kelp-covered structure from 20 to 80 feet deep. Shore anglers fish from the rocks while boat anglers work the outer kelp edges for quality bass and sheephead.
Other Species in Long Beach
More fish you can target while visiting Long Beach.
Rockfish
White Seabass
Lingcod
Yellowfin Tuna
Pacific Bluefin Tuna
Albacore Tuna
Striped Marlin
Mahi Mahi
Yellowtail Fishing in Long Beach — FAQ
The peak months for Yellowtail fishing in Long Beach are June, July, August. During these months, Yellowtail are most active and abundant in the Long Beach area.
Yellowtail fishing charters in Long Beach are typically nearshore trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Live bait fishing with sardines, anchovies, or mackerel on a "flyline" (unweighted line with just a hook) is the quintessential SoCal yellowtail technique. Surface iron — casting heavy jigs (Salas 7X, Tady 45) on conventional gear and retrieving fast — is the classic artificial method and produces the most exciting strikes. Yo-yo iron (vertical jigging with heavy spoons) near underwater structure is deadly. Trolling Rapalas and cedar plugs works for covering water. Slow-pitch jigging with specialized flutter jigs is a growing technique.
No — when you book a charter in Long Beach, your captain provides all required California fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Yellowtail regulations in California include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Yellowtail in Long Beach, you may also catch Rockfish, White Seabass, Lingcod, Yellowfin Tuna, Pacific Bluefin Tuna. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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