Months come from each species' own season curve around Laguna Beach. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.
Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.
| Species | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowtail | ||||||||||||
| White Seabass | ||||||||||||
| California Halibut | ||||||||||||
| Kelp Bass | ||||||||||||
| Barred Sand Bass | ||||||||||||
| California Barracuda | ||||||||||||
| Rockfish (Aggregate) | ||||||||||||
| California Sheephead | ||||||||||||
| Bonito | ||||||||||||
| Albacore tuna | ||||||||||||
| Calico Bass | ||||||||||||
| Leopard Shark | ||||||||||||
| Lingcod | ||||||||||||
| Mackerel |
Yellowtail: January none, February poor, March fair, April excellent, May peak, June peak, July peak, August peak, September good, October fair, November poor, December none. White Seabass: January poor, February fair, March excellent, April peak, May peak, June excellent, July good, August fair, September fair, October poor, November poor, December poor. California Halibut: January poor, February poor, March fair, April excellent, May excellent, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September good, October fair, November poor, December poor. Kelp Bass: January poor, February fair, March fair, April good, May excellent, June excellent, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December poor. Barred Sand Bass: January poor, February poor, March good, April excellent, May good, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September fair, October fair, November poor, December poor. California Barracuda: January none, February none, March fair, April excellent, May peak, June peak, July peak, August peak, September good, October none, November none, December none. Rockfish (Aggregate): January good, February good, March fair, April fair, May fair, June fair, July fair, August good, September good, October good, November good, December good. California Sheephead: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June good, July good, August good, September good, October good, November fair, December fair. Bonito: January none, February none, March poor, April good, May excellent, June peak, July peak, August peak, September peak, October good, November poor, December none. Albacore tuna: January none, February none, March none, April none, May none, June peak, July peak, August peak, September peak, October fair, November none, December none. Calico Bass: January poor, February fair, March good, April excellent, May good, June good, July excellent, August excellent, September good, October fair, November fair, December poor. Leopard Shark: January poor, February fair, March good, April excellent, May excellent, June excellent, July peak, August excellent, September good, October fair, November poor, December poor. Lingcod: January peak, February good, March fair, April fair, May fair, June poor, July fair, August fair, September fair, October good, November excellent, December excellent. Mackerel: January poor, February fair, March good, April good, May excellent, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September good, October fair, November poor, December poor.
These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.
Peaks in May, June, July and August.
Southern California yellowtail off Laguna Beach peak in late spring through early summer (April–June) as warming water and squid/anchovy bait drive fish onto local reefs and kelp lines, with a broad summer-fall presence sustained by warm-water flushes and El Niño-driven schools. Winter numbers drop as most fish push south toward Baja and offshore banks, though a resident contingent keeps abundance from reaching zero.
Peaks in April and May.
White Seabass abundance in Laguna Beach peaks in spring through early summer (March–June) as fish move inshore over squid spawning grounds along kelp edges, with the strongest window in April–May. A secondary bump appears in early fall when squid returns, while winter months show reduced but non-zero presence as most fish move deeper offshore.
Peaks in June and July.
California halibut are resident year-round in Laguna Beach's sandy nearshore flats but show a strong spring spawning move into shallow water (March–May) and a peak summer/early-fall abundance (July–September) as warmer water and abundant baitfish concentrate fish on the beaches. Winter sees a decline as fish move deeper and become lethargic in colder water, though they never fully leave the region.
Excellent in May and June.
Kelp bass are resident year-round in Laguna's reef and kelp habitat, so abundance never hits zero. Numbers peak from late spring through summer (May–August spawning aggregations in warmer 62–70°F water) with a secondary bump into early fall, then thin in cold winter months when fish disperse and become less active.
Peaks in June and July.
Barred sand bass are resident in SoCal waters year-round but aggregate on shallow flats and hard bottom off Laguna during the summer spawn (late June–August), producing a strong peak in weeks 11–14. A secondary fall bump (weeks 24–27, Sept–early Oct) reflects post-spawn feeding before fish disperse to deeper, cooler water in winter, when they remain present but less concentrated.
Peaks in May, June, July and August.
California barracuda migrate into Southern California waters as they warm in spring, with peak biological abundance from late June through September when water temps exceed 65°F and warm-water pushes bring the largest schools near Laguna. Fish thin out sharply through fall as they move south, leaving winter months (Dec–Mar) with only sparse resident numbers in the cooler nearshore waters.
Good in January, February, August, September, October, November and December.
Rockfish are resident, structure-oriented reef fish off Laguna Beach with high year-round abundance and no true migratory absence. The modest late-summer/early-fall peak (Aug–Oct) reflects warmer, stratified water pushing forage and concentrating fish on reefs, while late-spring shows a slight dip during post-spawn dispersal and cooler upwelling conditions.
Good in April, May, June, July, August, September and October.
California Sheephead are resident reef fish around Laguna Beach's rocky structure and kelp year-round, so abundance never hits zero. Slight peaks occur late spring through fall (spawning aggregations May–Sep and warmer water pushing fish shallower onto accessible reefs), with the lowest presence in winter as cooler temps push some fish deeper and disperse them.
Peaks in June, July, August and September.
Pacific bonito are warm-water schooling migrants off Laguna Beach, thinning in cold winter months and building through spring as water warms. Peak abundance runs late summer into early fall (Aug–Sep) when 68–72°F water and abundant baitfish concentrate the largest schools nearshore, tapering sharply as temperatures drop in November.
Peaks in June, July, August and September.
Albacore are a highly migratory cold-water tuna that appear off Southern California only when warm offshore water pushes the fishery within range, typically July through mid-November, peaking late August through September as the water hits the low-to-mid 60s°F. They are biologically absent from local waters the rest of the year, and in recent years the local albacore bite has grown unreliable as the fish track cooler, more distant offshore bands.
Excellent in April, July and August.
Calico bass are resident year-round in Laguna Beach kelp and rocky reef, so they never hit zero, but abundance and activity climb with warming water. The spring/early-summer (May–July) spawning aggregation pulls fish shallow and concentrated onto the reefs, and a secondary late-summer/early-fall peak (Aug–Sep) reflects warm 68–72°F water and strong bait cycles before fish disperse and slow into the cold winter months.
Peaks in July.
Leopard sharks are resident year-round in Southern California but concentrate in warm shallow flats and bays as water temps climb, producing a strong late-spring through summer peak (May–August) when they aggregate to feed and pup. Numbers taper through fall and stay lowest in the coldest winter weeks as fish move to deeper, more dispersed water, though a modest early-fall bump reflects lingering warm-water aggregations.
Peaks in January.
Lingcod are resident structure-oriented fish on Southern California's deeper reefs and hard bottom, so they're present year-round rather than migratory. Abundance peaks in late fall through winter (Nov–Mar) when spawning-related nest guarding brings males shallower and more concentrated on rocky ledges, with a summer lull as fish spread over cooler deep structure.
Peaks in June and July.
Pacific mackerel are present year-round off Laguna Beach but abundance surges with warming water and spawning from late spring into summer (Apr–Jul) and again in late summer/early fall (Aug–Oct) as schools push nearshore chasing bait. Winter numbers dip as fish move offshore and deeper into cooler water, though they never fully vacate SoCal.
It depends on the species. Yellowtail peaks in May, June, July and August. White Seabass peaks in April and May. California Halibut peaks in June and July. Kelp Bass is excellent in May and June. Barred Sand Bass peaks in June and July. California Barracuda peaks in May, June, July and August.
On October 31, 2026, the forecast windows are Yellowtail 7 AM to 6 PM, White Seabass 7 AM to 6 PM, California Halibut 7 AM to 6 PM, Kelp Bass 7 AM to 6 PM, Barred Sand Bass 7 AM to 6 PM, California Barracuda 7 AM to 6 PM, California Sheephead 7 AM to 6 PM, Bonito 7 AM to 6 PM, California Scorpionfish 9 AM to 6 PM, Leopard Shark 9 AM to 2 PM and Mackerel 9 AM to 1 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.