About Catalina Island - Avalon Underwater Park / Casino Point

Catalina Island's Avalon Underwater Park at Casino Point is a protected dive and fishing area off Los Angeles, California, marked by kelp forest and rocky structure across depths of 15 to 100 feet. The site holds rockfish year-round, with calico bass peaking April through August and California sheephead active April through September. White seabass move through from March to July, while lingcod fishing improves September through February and California halibut runs March to July. Anglers work the rocky bottom for rockfish using a dropper loop with squid or cut mackerel, and drop metal jigs or leadhead swimbaits for lingcod along the deeper edges. Over the sand and kelp margins, drift fishing live anchovies or sardines targets halibut, while plastics such as swimbaits and soft plastic grubs draw calico bass from the kelp.