June 2025 Surf Fishing Report – Why So Many Surfperch?

Welcome to the June 2025 surf fishing report for Southern California! After a slow start to the year, the bite has picked up—and while we’re not quite in peak summer form just yet, there’s plenty of action to be had across all styles of surf fishing. Here’s what’s happening on the beach right now.

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What’s Being Caught Right Now?

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

Light Tackle

After a sluggish winter, early May brought a promising bite from corbina, yellowfin croaker, and spotfin croaker. Just when it looked like the surfperch had backed off, they came back in full force—only this time, they’re mostly small.

Lately, a typical light tackle session produces a surfperch nearly every other cast, with the occasional surprise spotfin croaker. Corbina and yellowfin croaker have shown up too, but not consistently… yet.

Lure Fishing

Lure fishing has been very productive through May and into early June. Halibut, white seabass, and calico bass have all been chewing aggressively. Of the sessions I’ve fished, all but one have produced quality action. This is shaping up to be a strong window for artificial presentations, and I expect things to stay solid through most of the month.

Shark Fishing

The shark fishing bite has been solid—not quite as good as the past two Mays, but still respectable. If you can keep a bait soaking for more than 20–30 minutes at a time in a 4 hour session without too much interference from current or seaweed, you’re looking at better than 50/50 odds of hooking up on a good conditions day.

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Recommended Gear

Use the dropdowns below to learn about the recommended gear for each style of surf fishing mentioned in this article.

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Some Recent Catches

While surfperch have been the predominant catch, they thankfully haven’t been the most noteworthy.

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Sand Crab Status

Sand crabs have shown up strong and continue to grow in size. No surprises here—everything’s on schedule. At this point in the season, I no longer bring backup bait. Through August, I expect reliable sand crab availability for all light tackle trips.

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Conditions Report

• Water Temps: We’re now seeing consistent temperatures between 65–67°F.
• Seaweed: So far, seaweed has been very manageable. Even in reefier zones where kelp die-off impacts are more visibly seen, it’s still totally fishable.
• Swell: Typical June pattern—periods of large surf followed by glassy, mellow days. It’s been a below-average surf year overall, which makes fishing easier, but I’ve noticed that sandy light tackle beaches are showing less structure. Likely a side effect of the lighter swell not carving out deep troughs and holes.

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Surf Fishing Forecast – June Outlook

• Light Tackle: Not quite in full summer swing, but we’re close. Last year, the bite didn’t turn wide open until early July. That said, the current vibe feels like things are on the brink of breaking loose—especially for corbina, croaker, and guitarfish. Expect steady improvement over the next few weeks.
• Lure Fishing: Right now is prime time. I expect halibut, seabass, and calico action to stay strong through at least mid-to-late June. Historically, bite consistency dips a bit deeper into summer, but this is still an excellent window for throwing artificials.
• Shark Fishing: It’s been decent so far, but I think the best is yet to come. June typically brings peak activity for surf sharks, and the next couple of weeks could see a noticeable uptick. Keep those baits soaking and hooks sharp!

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Comment Below

Been out fishing lately? Drop your own report in the comments and let me know what you’ve been seeing and catching!