About Pendleton Artificial Reef (Camp Pendleton Reef)

Pendleton Artificial Reef is an outer-exposed sand flat off San Diego, where structure placed on the bottom draws fish across depths of 15 to 50 feet. Calico Bass hold here through their June and July peak, taking plastics on leadheads such as swimbaits and paddle tails, with surface iron and live sardines working the same water. White Seabass move through from March into July and respond to live squid and live sardines, while California Halibut fish well March through June on drifts with live anchovies and swimbaits along the sand. Rockfish and Lingcod use the deeper reef edges, with Lingcod concentrating October through February for vertical jigging with metal jigs and swimbaits on lead heads, and dropper-loop rigs baited with squid or mackerel strips producing across the aggregate. California Sheephead round out the reef through late summer, taking squid strips and cut squid worked hard on the bottom.