Kelp Bass Fishing Guide

Kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus), also called calico bass, are the signature inshore game fish of Southern California — more accessible, more widely encountered, and more consistently targeted than almost any other Pacific coast species. Their bodies are mottled brown, white, and olive-green, perfectly matching the light-dappled interior of a kelp canopy. Kelp bass are structure-dependent, solitary, and highly territorial, with individual fish often occupying the same stretch of kelp or rocky structure for years. They reach legal size (12 inches in California) at around 5–6 years, and are considered long-lived for an inshore fish. The flesh is firm, white, and mild — one of the best-eating inshore fish in the state.

Kelp Bass is a saltwater species.

Habitat

Kelp bass are found from the Oregon border south through Baja California, most abundantly in the kelp forests and rocky nearshore habitats of Southern California and northern Baja. They inhabit the kelp canopy from the surface to the kelp holdfast zone at 60–80 feet, as well as rocky reefs, jetties, and structure. Individual fish are highly sedentary and site-faithful.

Diet

Kelp bass feed primarily on anchovies, sardines, squid, small mackerel, and crustaceans — they are not picky and will eat whatever is available in or near the kelp canopy. They are active predators that hunt by ambushing prey near structure and within the kelp stipe. Live anchovies are the premier bait, though they readily hit small jigs and swimbaits worked through the canopy.

Fishing Techniques

• Live anchovy on a single hook in the kelp
• Swimbaits in the 3–4 inch range
• Topwater poppers near surface kelp
• Drop shot along rocky reef faces

Best Seasons

Summer, Spring, Fall

Size & Records

Average weight: 2 lbs. World record: 14.7 lbs (Newport Beach, California, USA (1993)).