Back to map
Groundfish Management Area SouthernKelp Bass · Open

Horseshoe Kelp

33.68°N · 118.23°W

Species
tap to switch species
Best score for the day · 1 PM
85/100
GOOD

Now 25 · 10 PM PDT

BEST WINDOW
7 AM-5 PM
Tide ebbing
CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Southern · Kelp Bass openRegulations ↗5 per day · min 14"
14-Day Forecast
Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Mon
Sep 14
Tue
Sep 15
Wed
Sep 16
Thu
Sep 17
Fri
Sep 18
Sat
Sep 19
Sun
Sep 20
Mon
Sep 21
Tue
Sep 22
Wed
Sep 23
Thu
Sep 24
Fri
Sep 25

24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

Tap or drag to read any hour

Conditions
Time
10 PM
Now
Score
25
Tough
Tide
4.9 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
Flood
Wind
5 kn
WNW · steady
Sea state
Choppy
2.7 ft
Air temp
72°
Warm
Weather
Partly cloudy
69% cloud
Hour 10 PM. Score 25 Tough. Tide 4.9ft Rising ▲. Current +0.6kn Flood. Wind 5kn WNW G5. Sea 2.7ft Chop. Air 71.6°.
Why this score
Current
0.5 kn light
Prime

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

Kelp Bass
Retention open
Daily limit
5 per day
Possession
5 in possession
Size
Minimum 14"
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Open year-round. Bag/possession limit is 5 fish in any combination of kelp bass, barred sand bass, and spotted sand bass (Paralabrax species). No more than 4 barred sand bass may be taken. Minimum size 14 inches total length or 10 inches alternate length.
Other species here
California Scorpionfish Retention openCalifornia Barracuda ClosedKelp Greenling ClosedVermilion Rockfish ClosedCabezon ClosedBarred Sand Bass Retention openCalico Bass ClosedCalifornia Sheephead Retention openBlue Shark Retention openBarracuda ClosedWhite Seabass Catch & releaseNearshore Rockfish ClosedBonito ClosedLingcod Catch & releaseYellowtail Retention openBonito ClosedRockfish (Aggregate) ClosedCalifornia Halibut Retention open
Always check with CDFW

Source: CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Southern · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Kelp Bass is best at this spot

No dataOff season for Kelp Bass
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff season
SPOT PROFILE
DEPTH
25-65 ft
Rock
LAUNCH
Not mapped
PEAK
STRUCTURE
Kelp Reef
Outer Exposed

Horseshoe Kelp is an outer-exposed kelp reef off Santa Monica, California, where a rocky bottom rises through depths of 25 to 65 feet. The reef holds Yellowtail through their May–October peak and White Seabass from March into July, with Calico Bass stacking up on the structure from April to August. Anglers work live sardines, mackerel, and anchovies for Yellowtail, while swimbaits and soft plastic grubs cover the Calico Bass along the rock. California Halibut and Barred Sand Bass show from spring into summer, both responding to drift fishing with live anchovies and sardines over the sand-and-rock edges. As water cools, Lingcod move in from September through February, taken on metal jigs and leadhead jigs with swimbaits worked vertically over the reef.

CUSTOM ALERT
Notify me when Horseshoe Kelp scores 75+
Email free · SMS available with Reelcaster Pro

Horseshoe Kelp is one of the spots we track around Los Angeles. See every scored spot in California.

Looking for the full interactive map? Open Explore.