About Muddy Canyon

Muddy Canyon is an outer-exposed drop-off off Newport Beach, where a soft mud bottom falls away through depths of 60 to 300 feet. The structure holds Barred Sand Bass at their peak from May through July and California Halibut from March through May, with Calico Bass and Yellowtail both filling in from April through August. White Seabass move through the deeper edges from February into June, while California Barracuda run April through September and Leopard Shark hold along the bottom in the summer months from June to August. Drift fishing with live anchovies, live sardines, or squid strips covers the sand bass and halibut across the sloping mud, and yo-yo iron worked down the drop-off reaches Barred Sand Bass and Yellowtail staged along the deeper contours. For the sharks, bottom fishing with squid, mackerel, or market shrimp works the mud below.