About Chevron Reef

Chevron Reef is an outer-exposed drop-off off Santa Monica, California, where a mixed bottom falls away through depths of 105 to 500 feet. The structure holds California Halibut, which peak from March through July and respond to drift fishing with live anchovies, sardines, or smelt across the sloping bottom. Calico Bass build from April through August and hold on the reef's harder edges, where plastic swimbaits and soft plastic grubs on leadhead jigs work the structure, while California Sheephead run April through September and take live shrimp, squid, or cut mackerel fished on the bottom. Deeper along the drop-off, Nearshore Rockfish peak March through July on dropper-loop rigs baited with squid strips and mackerel chunks, and Sculpin fill in June through September on the same dropper-loop approach. Barred Sand Bass, Leopard Shark, and summer drift work round out the season across a spot where depth and structure change dictate which technique fishes best.