August Surf Fishing Report – Best Opportunity We’ve Had All Year
July is behind us and it wasn’t pretty, so what does the August surf fishing report hold for us? The rough surf that plagued us through May and June carried straight through July with barely a break, making this the most consistently elevated surf I’ve experienced in 12 years of fishing this coast. To call it the worst season I’ve had would be accurate – not because the fish aren’t there, but because conditions have simply refused to cooperate long enough to fish them properly. But also… the fish don’t seem like they’re there – at least at the level they should be.
That said, there is genuine reason for optimism heading into August. The forecast – as far out as it can be trusted right now – is showing the most stable, fishable stretch of conditions we’ve seen all year. If there’s any chance of experiencing the delayed peak season we’ve been hoping for, the next two weeks are it. Will it happen? I honestly don’t know. But this is the best opportunity this season has given us and it’s worth being ready for it. If you’re looking to book a guided surf fishing session, click the link.
Here’s the full review of July and what to expect as we head into August.
What’s Been Biting
Light Tackle
Light Tackle Gear
Light tackle fishing through July continued to disappoint relative to what this time of year normally delivers. Surfperch remain by far the most commonly caught species for most anglers, and overall quantities on light tackle (corbina, spotfin croaker, yellowfin croaker and surfperch) have been running about half of what a typical July produces. The bites have been there but inconsistently so, making it hard to string together the kind of back-to-back productive sessions that define a normal SoCal summer.
One bright spot worth highlighting is quality. There are some very large corbina and spotfin croaker in the shallows right now – fish that have apparently been out there all season doing just fine regardless of what the surf has been doing to our sessions. Some of the anglers finding them have been sight casters willing to put in serious time scanning the water – some have been getting rewarded with legitimately big fish. Interestingly, while early morning and late evening are classically the best windows for sight casting (and surf fishing in general), this year I’ve actually been seeing more fish in that late morning to early afternoon period when the light is better for seeing through the water. If you haven’t tried sight casting and want to understand the technique, read my full breakdown here: Sight Casting for Surf Fishing in So Cal . There’s one video at the start of that article and one at the end. The one at the end is a really fun one.
Yellowfin croaker have been present but similarly inconsistent. Nothing that signals a typical peak season. But the signs of quality fish in the shallows suggests that when conditions do settle, the bite could be solid.
Sand Crab Update
Sand crabs can be found if you put in the time, but the situation remains well below normal for this point in the season. The majority of beds you’re finding are dominated by small baby crabs, and the beds of good-sized usable crabs are few and far between compared to what a typical July/August looks like. It seems the combination of the persistent swell pattern all season and the elevated water temps has kept crab populations from establishing the kind of reliable widespread beds we’d normally be swimming in by now.
Lure Fishing
Lure fishing has mirrored the light tackle story – not terrible, but well below expectations for this time of year. Halibut are still out there and anglers covering water and fishing structure have been finding them. That said, even halibut numbers are down from what we’d expect in a normal August.
Seabass have been the bigger disappointment. Reports have been sparse and the WSB bite that should be building through July and into August simply hasn’t materialized the way it normally does. This is likely tied to the same combo of high surf and the El Niño-driven disruption affecting the rest of the inshore fishery. As conditions calm through August, keep lure fishing on your radar – this is the type of bite that can turn on quickly when surf settles and bait concentrations improve. That said, it may simply be too warm for halibut to really turn on and especially seabass.
Sharks
Sharks Gear
If you’ve been frustrated with this season, shark fishing has been the saving grace. Leopard shark fishing has been phenomenal and remains in peak season right now. While everything else has struggled against the persistent rough conditions, leopard sharks have shown up consistently and in numbers for anglers willing to put in the sessions.
Soupfin sharks have been caught with less frequency this year than in recent seasons but they are around. If you’re targeting soupfin specifically, patience and prime tidal windows are your best friends.
A note on leaders: With wire leaders now prohibited within 1,000 yards of shore under the current California emergency regulation, 200lb mono is the go-to inshore leader material for shark fishing. My pre-made 200lb mono shark leaders are the exact leaders I use on every guided session and every personal session – available here: Pre-Made 200lb Mono Shark Rig
200 LB Mono Leader |
Grunion Runs – August Is Open Season
Another thing worth mentioning in this August surf fishing report is that August is one of the best months of the year for grunion runs and this is worth planning around. Unlike earlier in the season when grunion are protected and catching is prohibited, August is fully open – you can legally scoop them by hand.
For full details on timing, locations, and how to fish around grunion runs: Grunion Run — Where, When, and How To
Conditions Report
Water temperatures have climbed to 74-75°F, and well above the historical average for this time of year. This is the El Niño signature playing out exactly as expected. While it could be screwing up the light tackle and lure bight from the surf, the sharks seem to be loving it.
Seaweed made sure to show up during the one stretch of mellow surf we got in July – classic timing – but has since cleared up at most spots. It can return quickly with any shifting conditions, so check your spot before committing to it.
High surf has been the story of this entire season and July was no exception. In 12 years of fishing this coast I have never experienced a summer stretch of consistently elevated surf like what we’ve seen since late May. It has been the primary limiting factor across every style of fishing and it’s the reason this season has been the most challenging I can remember.
Forecast — The Best Opportunity We’ve Seen All Year
This is where the August surf fishing report takes a different tone than the last three months.
The forecast through the first week of August looks genuinely good – and it’s showing continued stability through at least August 13th at the time of writing this. It looks like it could pop back up after that, but I can’t trust the forecast that far out anyway just yet. Calm surf, manageable conditions, the kind of setup that gives fish a chance to settle into the shallows and feed comfortably. If any stretch of this season is going to deliver the delayed peak season bite we’ve been waiting on, this is it.
Here’s what to watch for if conditions hold:
Light tackle is primed to improve significantly. Corbina and spotfin that have been present but tough to catch in rougher conditions should become much more accessible in calm surf. The quality fish in the shallows are already there – conditions have just been preventing clean presentations. If the forecast holds, this is the window.
Lure fishing should follow suit. Calmer water means cleaner retrieves, better visibility, and more active halibut in the troughs.
Sharks will stay strong. Leopard shark season has plenty of runway left through August and into September. Calm conditions make shark sessions more consistent and more productive with less current to fight, and an easier time keeping your bait out there.
Grunion runs in August are worth planning around as noted above. Check the grunion run schedule and position yourself for the post-run bite if you can.
The big question is whether the forecast holds. We’ve had false starts all season. But based on what the models are showing right now, August has a genuine shot at being the month this season finally delivers. Get out there.
Final Thoughts
This has been the most challenging surf fishing season in my 12 years on this coast – there’s no sugarcoating that. The surf has been relentlessly rough, the bite has been inconsistently slow, and the conditions that define a great SoCal summer have been largely absent.
But there are some fish out there. The leopard shark bite has been exceptional. Large corbina and spotfin are in the shallows for those willing to put in the time to find them. And the forecast heading into August is the most encouraging thing I’ve seen all year.
If you’ve been waiting for your moment to get out there, this might be it.
Follow along on Instagram and YouTube for real-time session updates from the beach. Fished recently? Drop your report in the comments – always good to hear what others are finding out there.