About Catalina Island - Isthmus / Ship Rock

Ship Rock and the Isthmus sit off the northwest end of Catalina Island, where rocky pinnacles and kelp-lined structure drop across depths of 20 to 150 feet. Yellowtail run strongest from May through October and respond to live bait such as sardines and mackerel, along with yo-yo jigging on heavy iron over the deeper edges. White Seabass move through from March into July, taken on live squid and sardines or worked with surface and yo-yo iron near the kelp margins. Calico bass hold tight to the rocks and grass from April through August, where swimbaits and soft plastic grubs on leadhead jigs cover the shallower structure, while rockfish stay catchable year-round on dropper loops baited with squid and cut mackerel along the bottom. California sheephead, barracuda, and Pacific bonito fill out the warmer months, with lingcod turning on from September into February over the deeper rock.