About Point Loma Outfall Buoy

The Point Loma Outfall Buoy marks an outer-exposed kelp reef over rocky bottom off San Diego, holding structure across depths of 60 to 120 feet. The reef supports a strong summer bass fishery, with Barred Sand Bass and Pacific Bonito peaking June through August and Calico Bass concentrating in June and July, while California Halibut and White Seabass move through from spring into early summer and California Sheephead and Leopard Shark hold through the warmer months. Drifting live anchovies, sardines, or squid works the sand bass over the rock, and plastics on leadheads—swimbaits, grubs, and paddle tails—cover the calicos tight to the kelp. Halibut respond to drifted live baits and swimbaits worked along the bottom edges, while sheephead come on squid strips, cut squid, and rock crab fished on the rock. Bonito and white seabass both take live bait through summer, with surface iron and yo-yo iron adding a jigging option when fish push up in the water column.