The Channel islands are home to the biggest populations of calicos anywhere in the SoCal bight. The north shore of Santa Rosa island and the west end of Santa Cruz island are two of my favorite calico hotspots. Here s an interesting note. The movie classic, King Kong, was filmed on Santa Cruz Island. In honor of that movie, any big calico caught near that island aboard my charterboat, the WaveWalker, is affectionately called a kong calico instead of the usual term toad calico .
Spring is the time to begin fishing sandy shallows for halibut.
The vast Ventura Flats hold plenty of the tasty flatfish. Other good areas include Carpinteria and Summerland, Goleta, Ellwood, and Hollister Ranch. Some of the best places at the islands are Bechers Bay and the north shore of Santa Rosa island, and both the west and north shores of San Miguel island. Drift fishing with live baits on the bottom is a popular method, however bounce-balling with a flasher blade and trailing hoochy is even more effective. White seabass move into the shallow kelp beds during the springtime and pleasantly surprise us while we fish for calico bass.