Calico bass and white seabass prime as SoCal enters late-May transition window

What's Biting

What's Next

With surface temperatures sitting at 62–65°F across the LA Bight, the next several days should hold the current late-spring pattern before any significant push toward summer blue water. Wind running approximately 14 knots out of the west at buoy 46025, combined with 3-foot seas at buoy 46221, will keep runs to the Channel Islands sporty for smaller boats through the holiday weekend — plan early morning departures when swell and wind typically lay down.

For calico bass, the kelp-bed bite should remain consistent through the week. The slight temperature differential between the outer-bight reading (65°F per buoy 46025) and the cooler near-shore water (62°F per buoy 46221) can concentrate bait and predators on thermal edges. Swimbaits and live bait fished tight to the kelp wall during current movement are the standard setup for this pattern.

White seabass deserve serious attention through the end of May and into early June. The 62–65°F range aligns with their preferred spawning-run temperatures, and this is typically the most reliable window of the year for larger fish. Kelp beds along the San Pedro Channel and around Catalina Island hold fish during this phase; squid-line areas and anchor-and-chum rigs are the traditional approach once schools are located — check current state regulations before harvesting.

Yellowtail are the species to watch as temps climb. At 65°F the bite remains spotty; yellowtail typically lock in more consistently once surface temps push toward 67–68°F. Any warm-water intrusion shoreward in the coming week — plausible as late May transitions toward early June — could flip that bite quickly. BD Outdoors Forums (West Coast) showed anglers already rigging kite setups for the season, and suspending live bait under a kite is a proven technique once the yellowtail show arrives in earnest.

First Quarter moon this weekend brings moderate tidal swings. Fish the transition windows — the hour on either side of peak or slack tide — for the best shot at calico bass and white seabass around structure.

Context

Late May is one of the most productive transitional windows in Southern California saltwater fishing, and the current buoy readings are on pace with seasonal norms. The LA Bight typically runs 62–66°F surface temperatures in late May before climbing into the 68–72°F range that drives the region's marquee yellowtail and bluefin tuna fishery through summer. The 62–65°F spread we're seeing now is unremarkable for the date and does not suggest either an unusually warm year or a cold-water setback that would suppress the season.

The 3-foot swell at buoy 46221 is likewise typical for late spring, when the Pacific storm track still generates moderate northwest energy before the flatter, fog-influenced June Gloom period takes hold through June.

No specific year-over-year catch comparison data surfaced in this cycle's intel feeds. SoCal Fish Reports is the region's primary repository for LA Bight and Channel Islands dock counts, but detailed tallies were not available in the current pull to benchmark this Memorial Day week against prior years.

One contextual signal worth noting: Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that Central Coast salmon conditions near Monterey are "actually looking pretty good," citing a recent drop in water temperatures driven by northwest wind upwelling. A similar upwelling pattern, if active along the SoCal coast, would be consistent with the cooler 62°F reading at buoy 46221 versus the warmer 65°F at buoy 46025. Sustained upwelling tends to hold nearshore surface temps below the summer peak longer, which can delay the pelagic push but works in favor of white seabass and calico bass, both of which are comfortable in this temperature range.

Overall, conditions appear to be tracking on a normal late-May SoCal schedule. Anglers targeting calico bass and white seabass should find this a productive stretch; those waiting on consistent yellowtail action will likely need water temperatures to climb further, which may arrive in two to three weeks barring continued upwelling pressure.