The California fishing CALENDAR

There are several factors when considering what is the “time of year” for offshore fishing in California. Not every year is the same and the 2 biggest factors come in the form of ocean temperatures near the equator known as El Nino and La Nina. Its the Ying and the Yang of ocean temperatures. When ocean temperatures near the equator are “above average” its known as a El Nino cycle which typically sends warmer water up the Mexican coastline to California which can reach as high as 80 degrees bringing species of fish only seen typically 500 miles south. La Nina on the other hand is when the same areas have “below average temperatures” in the same areas which makes our winters in California a little more cool and dry which keeps the water temperatures down. The cycle between these two events is known as the ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation). Now this cycle can also be in the neutral zone which is what we call our “Typical” fishing calendar.

Below is “Typical” calendar of when each species is around and what we would consider fishable in the Southern California bite.