About Carlsbad Canyon

Carlsbad Canyon is an outer-exposed rocky drop-off off Oceanside, California, where the bottom falls from roughly 100 to 600 feet along broken structure. The canyon edge holds Yellowtail through the spring and summer months, peaking April to August, alongside White Seabass from February to June and California Barracuda from April to September. Deeper along the rocks, Rockfish stack up from March to October and Lingcod move in from September through January, with Ocean Whitefish working the same ground from April and again July into October. Anglers drift live sardines and mackerel for Yellowtail and White Seabass over the shallower ledges, while dropper loop rigs with squid strips and mackerel chunks reach the Rockfish and Whitefish holding on the rock at depth. Vertical jigging with heavy iron produces on Lingcod and Rockfish where the drop-off is steepest.