Del Mar Beach Surf Fishing: Complete How-To Guide

This guide will provide all the essential information for surf fishing at Del Mar Beach. Del Mar is one of the top locations for surf fishing in San Diego as you can find areas with easy access as well as spots that require a bit of walking (from the access point) to get to. Below, we’ll discuss topics such as common fish species, terrain and structure, optimal tides, recommended bait, and more.

Parking Info	Free and Paid – Free is All Street Parking and Medium/Difficult to Find
Ease of Access	Very Easy
Tides	Any Tide is Good North of Power House
Crowds	Medium Crowds
Terrain Type	Mostly Sandy with Reefy Areas South
No Fishing Areas	None
Recommended Gear and Tackle	Surf Fishing Gear and Tackle

Overview of Surf Fishing at Del Mar Beach

The beach is located immediately north of Torrey Pines. Like Torrey Pines, it’s terrain is made up of a mix of sandy flats, pebbly sections (sometimes), and partial reefs. For this reason, the potential for an abundance of species is likely here.

All major styles of surf fishing are productive here so see the section below on what types of fish you can expect to catch here. Additionally, like Torrey Pines, the north side of Del Mar features a lagoon that creates yet another unique fishing zone.

If you access at Power House park, heading south will take you to the section of the beach with bluffs lining the shoreline and some reef in the water at low tides. North will be a shoreline backed by expensive houses but more sand.

Parking at Del Mar Beach

There are many different options for parking at Del Mar Beach. Literally from 4th street through 29th street, you have residential options (all along Camino Del Mar which turns into the 101). Powerhouse Park has metered parking and some limited 2 and 4 hour parking spots. But, if nothing looks good, I usually head over to Santa Fe Avenue. Additionally, just north of the inlet at Dog beach, there’s more metered parking across the street from the Brigantine.

What Fish Can You Catch Surf Fishing at Del Mar Beach?

Del Mar is one of those typical north county beaches. If the tide is low enough, you should be able to find some reef on the south stretch of sand that will allow you to target species like calico bass, sand bass, halibut and white seabass. If it’s higher than a 1.5 ft tide, your best going for light tackle species like corbina, spotfin croaker, surfperch, yellowfin croaker, guitarfish and all the other commonly caught species using sand crabs or mussel/clam for bait.

Sharking is productive at all tides at this beach. Just be aware that the south stretch may be more “snaggy” than the north. See the list of common species of fish below and follow the links to learn more about each one.

Common Species	Peak Season	General Season
California Corbina	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Spotfin Croaker	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Yellowfin Croaker	May-Aug	May-Oct
Barred Surfperch	Nov-Apr	Year-Round
Walleye Surfperch	Nov-Apr	Year-Round
Shovelnose Guitarfish	Jun-Aug	May-Oct
Sting Ray (Round Ray)	Jun-Aug	Year-Round
Bat Ray	Jun-Aug	Year-Round
Leopard Shark	May-Aug	Apr-Oct
California Halibut	Jan-May	Year-Round
Soupfin Shark	Mar-Jul	Year-Round

Bait and Gear & Tackle

From May through August, sand crabs should be your number one choice of bait for all the light tackle species (corbina, croaker etc.) If sand crabs aren’t available (usually from October-April), opt for clams or mussel meat. See the drop-down below for my exact gear and tackle for light tackle surf fishing.

For lures, I will use both jerkbaits and swimbaits here. If it’s a year where more reef is exposed, I’ll opt for swimbaits. If it’s a year where less structure is exposed, I’m okay with jerkbaits. Additionally, if I’m intentionally fishing the reef on the south stretch, I’ll use swimbaits only. See the drop-down below for my specific gear and tackle for each style.

Sharking here for me just depends on the time of year, time of day, tides and crowds. The north side is easier when crowds are minimal because there’s more sand to work with and there’s less reef to snag on. If you’d like to be a bit more secluded, the south side is appealing.

YouTube Video: Surf Fishing Del Mar Beach

Where to Legally Fish at Del Mar Beach:

I don’t know much about the regulations on surf fishing the San Dieguito lagoon, but there are no MLPAs that restrict surf fishing on Del Mar Beach.

Tides for Fishing Del Mar Beach

Again, be careful here. While the bluffs aren’t as tall, they may be just as unstable. The south stretch is similar to the south stretch at Torrey Pines, maybe a 4-5 foot high tide is all it can handle, but the north side has plenty of sand to withstand even the highest King Tides.

The area with the most sand is typically between Powerhouse Park and 25th street. And as I’ve mentioned preciously, if you’re looking for the reef, go at less than a 1.5 ft tide and head south. Otherwise, any tide works.

Terrain and Structure at Del Mar Beach

Del Mar beach features a mix of sand and reef. Generally, Power House Park and north are mostly sandy, whereas south holds lots of reef. Similar to Torrey Pines however, each year is different and each season is different.

Winter storms will tear away sand and spring will usually feature the lowest sand levels and most reef exposure. Some years there’s lots of it, others, not so much.