Seal Beach, CA Fishing: A Peek into the home of Leisure World

Fish along the beautiful town of Seal Beach and witness beauty, peace and adventure combine perfectly.

Seal Beach, CA Fishing: A Peek into the home of Leisure World
Seal Beach, CA Fishing: A Peek into the home of Leisure World
Team Guidesly

January 3, 2022, 7 min read

Updated on January 3, 2022

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Seal Beach is a coastal city in Orange County, California, located in the westernmost region of the county. It covers a total area of 13.0 square miles, with water bodies spanning roughly 1.7 miles. Traveling to the northwest of Seal Beach is Long Beach Cityadjacent to San Pedro Bay. To its southeast, you can find Huntington Harbour and Sunset Beach. To the eastern part of the city, you can see Westminster City and the neighborhood of West Garden Grove. Toward the northern part of Seal Beach is the unincorporated community of Rossmoor and the city of Los Alamitos.

In the mid-1860s, the eastern area of the Old Town Seal Beach was known as the Anaheim Landing. A warehouse and wharf were built on a small bay where Anaheim Creek empties into the Pacific Ocean. The landing had become a hotspot because of the number of shipments that landed in it. Then in 1903, Los Angeles realtor Philip A. Stanton sold a plot of land to John C. Ord. Ord was considered to be the first permanent resident of the city. Then, in 1944, the U.S. Navy bought about 5,000 acres, which is now the Naval Weapons Station. The progress of the town began from then. After some time, they started hiring full-time firefighters to assist the all-volunteer fire department when it annexed the Leisure World Senior Community. Today, Seal Beach is one of the most peaceful places to retire. Its picturesque surroundings offer peace to those who want to lay low and escape the big cities’ business around them.

Seal Beach is also known for its charming, small-town atmosphere and 920-acre national wildlife refuge. But what makes it most known for those who visit is its scenic beaches, great weather, and multiple fishing opportunities.

Seal Beach Fishing

California fishing is undeniably one of the best angling locations one might experience. Its great weather and climate and the numerous bodies of water around it make angling possible anywhere, any time of the year. Whether you are visiting the big cities in California or just the small ones, you are sure to land on some productive catch. Seal Beach lives up to the expectations because of the many fishing opportunities and multiple fish species. From jet ski fishing to whale watching to sportfishing, your visit to Seal Beach will surely be something you will remember. So, where and when is the best time to fish in Seal Beach? Here are some hotspots in the area. 

man fishing early in the morning, 3 fishing pole pierced in the sand

The first stop is the Seal Beach Pier. When you come across the movie Sunset Beach, the pier and its surroundings might be familiar to you. The famous NBC soap opera was shot there during the late ‘90s. Although the movie did not precisely capture the city’s charming “small town,” the locals are still pleased with the popularity and the attention Seal Beach Pier received during that time. The pier appeared in different movies before and after the NBC Soap. However, movie appearances are not what made Seal Beach Pier a hotspot to visitors. Visitors, and locals, visit the pier for angling.

Fishing in Seal Beach Pier is free and does not require a fishing license. However, anglers must follow fishing regulations on the size, volume, and species that can be caught. Fishing time starts at 6:00 in the morning and is open until 10:00 in the evening. Anglers also find different amenities accessible, like designated areas to clean their catches. Trash cans and specific receptacles for used fishing lines are also accessible. Not only does it keep the pier clean, but it also prevents animal entanglement and pollution issues.  

Some species caught in the area include corbina, perch, mackerel, halibut, lobster, rockfish, rock bass, sharks, spotted sand bass, largemouth bass, kelp bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, and yellow drum. One can also come across some white croaker, barred sand bass, black croaker, topsmelt, and barracuda, but one must avoid consuming these species. This is because these species have high levels of toxins, such as dichloro-diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), which may pose some health risks. 

The next angling location in the area is Alamitos Bay. Alamitos Bay is an inlet on the Pacific Ocean coast that provides different angling opportunities to both visiting and local anglers. Angling in the area was made possible after multiple efforts to clear the contaminated sediments and improve the circulation in the bay. 

Alamitos Bay is located just a mile away from Seal Beach. It is popular for anglers who land on rock bass, flounder, smelt, perch, and  California Halibut. Moreover, fishing in the area is also possible year-round. Whether you are fly fishing or baitcasting, there is a high chance that you will go home with a productive catch. 

Alamitos Bay is home to the larger corbina. Corbina in the area can be found along all the drop-offs, but they mostly lurk around the bay strand of the Los Alamitos Yacht Club to 50th street. Both local and tourists, many anglers flock to the bay searching for a challenging yet fun corbina action.

When fishing in the Alamitos Bay to pursue the corbina, innkeeper worms are the best bait. However, these worms are hard to capture. One must get into the waist-deep waters and plunge a plastic pipe device into a small sand hole on the drop-off. Then, you need to suck out the critters. Normally ghost shrimp and Innkeeper worms will both be pumped out. Both can be used as bait, but the worms would be a better bait for the bay.  

The next must-visit place for anglers visiting the area is Moody Creek. Moody Creek is a two-mile-long tributary of Coyote Creek. The physical stream is located near the Hawaiian Gardens Shopping Center and La Quinta Hawaiian Gardens. Angling in the area might produce channel catfish, largemouth bass, and rainbow trout. However, Moody Creek has quite several fishing regulations.  Thus, before you plan to go angling in the area, it is best to familiarize yourself first with the angling rules and regulations.  

 

Top 10 Fish Species in Seal Beach, CA

The top 10 fish species in Seal Beach are corbina, halibut, rock bass, largemouth bass, kelp bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, white croaker, and barred sand bass.

Fishing Seasonality

Fishing in Seal Beach is possible and bountiful any time of the year. With different fishing hotspots and opportunities, anglers are sure to expect productive catches anywhere in town. However, if you are looking for the best angling opportunity in Seal Beach, nothing beats Spring fishing. 

When the moon is up, the best time to fish in Alamitos Bay is from 6:52 a.m. to 8:52 a.m., and when the moon is down, the best time to fish is from 7:28 p.m. to 9:38 p.m. Meanwhile, the best times to fish in Seal Beach are 6:52 a.m. to 8:52 a.m. during a lunar transit and 7:28 p.m. to 9:28 p.m. during an opposing lunar transit. Furthermore, pier fishing is best done at sunrise and sunset. Fish are most active during these times as they travel in search of food. Similarly, the moving tides attract many baitfish to the area, attracting large and hungry predators.

Seal Beach Fishing is exciting as long as you keep track of the different fishing regulations when you go angling in other areas. Before you book your next angling trip in Seal Beach, California, make sure that you update yourself with the allowed volume of species one could catch and the species you must avoid.

There’s More to Fishing in San Clemente, CA

While Seal Beach is known for its bountiful fishing opportunities, it offers locals and tourists more. Here are some of the things you can do in Seal Beach aside from angling:

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Seal Beach is such a small town with many angling opportunities. For first-time anglers, fishing in the area might be overwhelming because of the multiple angling hotspots in the city. Booking a fishing charter with experienced guides in the area will help you attain one of the best angling experiences you’ll get in the country. 

2. Ride a Bike Trail along the San Gabriel River

The ride along the San Gabriel River is about one and a half hours, and the trail is mostly flat. This makes it easy to navigate, especially for not that professional bikers. One will pass through residential streets in Leisure World to its north gate during the ride. Then, towards the south, you will go through some industrial wasteland, which will make you appreciate the beauty of the San Gabriel River more. 

3. Visit the U.S. Submarine Veterans WWII National Memorial West

The U.S. Submarine Veterans WWII National Memorial West has a mission to honor the memory of those who have served the nation aboard submarines of the U.S Navy.  Visiting the national memorial is a powerful reminder of the nation’s past, all its service, and sacrifice to be the land of the free.

Fish in Seal Beach and beyond.