Imperial Beach, CA Fishing: The Jewel of the South Bay
Imperial Beach is the jewel of South Bay. Anglers flock to its beautiful residential beaches abundant with fish. Read here to learn its best fishing spots.
Every year, tourists flock to Imperial Beach, one of the most popular destinations at the south bay of San Diego County, California. Incorporated in 1956, Imperial Beach locates on the southwest corner of the continental United States, with Tijuana, Mexico bordering to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The city got its name from the desert region of Imperial County, California. Early settlers of Imperial Beach were farmers looking for cooler weather during the summer season.
Imperial Beach has undergone rapid renovations to make it attractive to tourists and take advantage of its location in the south bay of California. It has many beach resorts, including the Pier South Resort, an upscale resort connected to the beach, with spas, restaurants, and conference rooms. Tourists also flock to Imperial Beach because of its cozy all-year-round warm temperatures. Most residents do not have to worry about installing heaters or air conditioners in their homes because it is sunny and breezy most days of the year in this city.
Beach lovers will have a blast walking down Imperial Beach because it consists of 4 miles of beach sand, complete with lifeguard staff who are on duty all year-round. You can do everyday activities such as beach volleyball, surfing, and sunbathing on the Imperial Beach Pier and Boca Rio beach. The San Diego Magazine recognized these two beaches as the best surfing spots in the country. Of course, fishing opportunities around Imperial Beach are high quality. Being connected to the Pacific Ocean, big waves bring migratory fish to excited anglers, fishing offshore or inshore.
Imperial Beach Fishing
As the southernmost city in the country, fishing in Imperial beach is an excellent experience to have for the family or even for solo anglers. Imperial Beach Pier is among the best fishing locations in the city, covering 1,500 feet of the surf zone, and is known to be home for fish like yellowtail, common carp, pacific herring, pacific cod, and white bass. This pier is loaded with fishing stores and seafood grills to cook what you have caught. Also, since this is a public pier, a California Sport Fishing License is not required. However, it would be best to observe the rules and regulations imposed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife sport fishing. If you want to fish here at Imperial Beach Pier, bag limits, angling methods, and fishing vessel type should be adhered to.
If you prefer to fish somewhere not crowded in Imperial Beach, try heading to Marina Bayside Park. Lazy waters surround this area, and you will have no trouble drifting your boat to find schools of fish because fish such as sand bass, California flounder, pacific halibut, spotted bass, and spotted grouper flock the waters. Marina Bayside Park also offers a scenic sunset view for anglers who wish to fish during the late afternoons. Compared to the Imperial Beach Pier, a fishing license is required to be at your person when fishing in the waters of Marina Bayside Park. So if you want your fishing trip here to be a success, stock up on supplies such as bait, get a good tackle, and carry a fishing license.
Once you start frequently fishing in Imperial Beach, you will notice that deep sea fishing is popular among anglers here. Since the city connects to the waters of the Pacific Ocean, anglers hit deeper waters where they reach 30 meters of depth. In deep-sea fishing, the chances of catching bigger fish are high because they generally live around these depths. In some cases, migratory fish also pass through deeper waters because the currents are faster.
While deep-sea fishing in Imperial Beach sounds challenging, you can hire charter services or organize a boat fishing party to have mates who will share their knowledge with you and increase your chances of success with this technique.
If hitting the open ocean is not for you, try surfing in Imperial Beach. You fish from the shores using a long, durable rod attached to a strong line. With this method, you can catch delicious bottom feeders, and sometimes you can reel in an occasional trophy swimming from the banks.
Top 10 Fish Species in Imperial Beach, CA
The top 10 fish species to catch in Imperial Beach, CA are yellowtail, common carp, pacific herring, pacific cod, white bass, sand bass, California flounder, pacific halibut, spotted bass, and spotted grouper.
Seasonal Fishing
If you are looking for the peak season in Imperial Beach, CA, drop by during summer or from June until late September. These months are usually when fish such as pacific cod and pacific herring migrate. You may catch them on the open waters offshore from Imperial Beach Pier or any of the fishing locations in the city. Anglers recommend starting fishing from 3 am until 11 am to take advantage of increased fish visibility and activity during the peak season.
Waters around Imperial Beach do not freeze over, and you can continue fishing even in the winter season. Although, you should prepare for stronger winds by packing heavy tackles and storing live bait. Heavy tackle will help you wade through the cold waters, and live bait with pungent odor will attract the fish quickly. During winter, fish are frequently in search of food, and they will not give up on your line once they lock jaws with your bait and hook.
Experience the Beauty of Imperial Beach
Whether you are coming up to shore after a worthwhile fishing experience or warming up before heading to the waters of Imperial Beach, these spots in the city will give you a thrilling experience aside from fishing:
1. Go Bird Watching at the Tijuana River National Estuary
View as many as 350 native and migratory birds in this 3.65 square miles of conserved land. Educational videos are also shown to accompany your bird-watching tour. You can tour the estuary and experience bird watching from your boat or foot.
2. Bike Down Bayshore
Have an iconic ride on the Bayshore Bikeway filled with palm trees bordered by a sun-soaked coastline. This 24-mile bike ride will let you loop through the city and explore its surroundings while enjoying a scenic view.
3. Catch Some waves
There is a norm that you should be surfing when not fishing in Imperial Beach. The city is among the top surfing locations in the country, and it will be a waste if you would pass up on surfing on the waves of Imperial Beach.
