Deep Sea Fishing in California

[airborne_angler]

So im from Arizona,and my wife is originally from California. We are brainstorming about taking a trip to California. Ive been to where shes from(Long Beach) and I asked her if we could go to San Diego.

One of the things id like to try is Chartered offshore deep sea fishing.

Anyone know how a trip like this would work. What kind of species can I look at catching? What kind of prices are we talking?

Id like someone with some experience to let me know the ins and outs of such a venture.

Thanks

[fourbizz]

I took a couple trips out of San Diego on party boats when I was younger.

Just various rock fish. Real mixed bag. A few sand bass and white sea bass. But that wasnt all that deep. 100 ft maybe.

Did some 400ft+ trips out of Ft. Lauderdale and Alaska, but none here.

[SirSnookalot]

I would first check info the Internet as to the species being caught this time of year and what charter rates are now, rates are generally per boat not fisherman so going with 4 as opposed to 1 fisherman will cost you less.

Charter boats fish differently than party boats, more trolling or drifting with live bait as opposed to drifting with cut or frozen bait.  Depth is merely a measurement of how far offshore you are fishing, for example 300' doesn't not mean you're dropping lead that far down in the water column. I'm going offshore today, I go every Wednesday, most likely will fish around 125' or so, 1-2 oz of lead so my baits probably won't be more than about 15-20' under the surface, the depth will vary with the speed of the drift.  When we troll, just like freshwater, the lures will be right at surface or barely under.

[fourbizz]

The party boats in socal fish live sardines and anchovies

[Talmadge]

if you are going to long beach i would go to pierpoint landing heres the site ( pierpoint.net ) there you can see prices and reports on what you would be catching for two adults on a half day its 35 each 3/4 day is 55 each right now you will be hitting bass some cuda possibly sculpin rockfish snappers there still alot of really good fish biting everytime i go out on the half day boat the southern cal i get my limit great baot great crew and the price isnt that bad good luck