San Diego Trough / 43 Fathom Spot
33.20°N · 117.90°W
24-Hour Conditions
All times PDT
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Current regulations
In effect nowWhat you can keep at this spot today
- Daily limit
- 10 per day
- Possession
- 10 in possession
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Open year-round, at all depths. Daily bag/possession limit is 10 fish within the general daily bag limit of 20 fish total. No minimum size limit.
Source: CDFW · synced today
Seasonality
52-week view · today highlightedWhen Ocean Whitefish is best at this spot
Nearby Spots
View all on map →Other productive spots within easy run
The San Diego Trough, also known as the 43 Fathom Spot, is an outer-exposed drop-off southwest of San Diego where a mixed bottom falls through roughly 180 to 300 feet of water. Rockfish hold along this structure year-round, while lingcod concentrate from October through February and ocean whitefish peak from March through October. Anglers work the rockfish with dropper loop rigs baited with squid, mackerel strips, or anchovies, and switch to vertical jigging with metal or slow pitch jigs when fish sit tight to the rocks. Lingcod respond to vertical jigging with heavy iron and swimbaits on lead heads, or a live bait dropper loop with live mackerel and sardines pinned to the drop-off edge. The depth and steep relief also bring sablefish within reach of deep dropping with squid and mackerel strips, alongside sharks that patrol the exposed water above the trough.
San Diego Trough / 43 Fathom Spot is one of the spots we track around Dana Point. See every scored spot in California.
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