From San Diego to Santa Barbara, barred sand bass are whapping lures and walloping live baits on a shallow flat near you.

Photo by: Capt. David Bacon
Bass Boom – This big “grump” sand bass was caught while fishing live bait on a dropper-loop near an oil rig in 200 feet of water.

Sizzling summer sand bassing is a blessing for skiff, kayak and half-day sportboat anglers and the action is going off right now.

In midsummer, anglers can hook big sand bass as they scour the inshore reefs, clam beds and sandy flats for their favorite foods. As with most other fish, understanding sand bass’ favorite foods and foraging patterns provides the clues necessary to successfully target the larger sandies kindly known as “grumps.”
They will readily eat a surprising array of foods including baitfish, squid, worms, clams, shrimp, pelagic red crabs and krill.

Sand bass will lie motionless in close proximity to camouflaging cover but also forage aggressively along the bottom or up in the open water column to seek any available and vulnerable food source.

Find your quarry: Common protocol is to patrol shallow sand and mud areas while intently studying a good fishfinder. Look for swarms of sand bass suspended in formation, from the bottom well up into the water column. Sometimes the formation of bass will resemble a Christmas tree, and other times just a cloud-shaped mass.

Sand bass have air bladders for sonar to get a signal return, so they give a good strong meter mark.

When a concentration of sand bass is metered, a successful plan of action is to anchor above or drift over the feeding fish. Chum live and/or chunked baitfish and squid pieces, and drop down hook baits or plastic grubs on leadheads. The action usually comes pretty fast when a school of aggressively feeding fish is found.

Other times, a study of the fishfinder will show good marks, but they will be spread out over a wide area in singles or small groups. Sandies often rise up off the bottom to feed on passing baitballs, and the sonar will show darker marks near the lower portion of the baitballs.

Techniques: Fishing live baits on a reverse dropper-loop rig (hook on the end of the line, with a weight attached to a loop a few feet up the line from the hook) is a simple and productive way to target these fish. This technique will typically produce a good number of sand bass and possibly a few calico bass mixed in.

When the fish are spread out over a wide area, tie on a plastic or Gulp! grub on a leadhead. Good color choices are brown, green, dark red or white. Add a strip of squid to the hook for added attraction.

Drop the lure to the bottom, and then slowly motor or paddle about 40 yards away while paying line off the reel. Shut down the engine and slowly walk the lure along the bottom with a pump-and-reel technique until the line is retrieved, or a fish is hooked. With that much line out, a good, long fight can be expected.

Once bit, begin your hookset by cranking fast on the reel. There will be considerable stretch with that much monofilament out, and this technique will help pull the line tight quickly.

Another highly effective offering is a heavy Luhr Jensen Krocodile spoon with squid or Gulp! strips adorning the hook. When jigged enticingly in very close proximity to a reef or wreck (within a foot of the structure), this combo seems irresistible to sand bass.

Drifting deeper structure: There are plenty of big, grumpy sand bass farther offshore. In the SoCal Bight, we have oil rigs in 140 to 250 feet of water, and anglers hook into some big sand bass near these artificial reefs aboard my charter vessel, WaveWalker.

Once the drift is understood, I’ll set up so the boat slides past one corner of the rig and out into open water. Once past the leg, I continue the drift for a good 100 yards because we often pick up big sand bass well away from the rig itself. Many rig operators do not want fishing vessels near their rigs, though I question their power to keep us off public trust waters.

Anglers should gear up to heavier rigs for this kind of fishing. The water is deeper, and dropping straight down quickly is important in order to present baits to the bigger fish holding tight to structure. Then the baits need to remain on the bottom during the drift. Because of these factors, I set folks up with a medium rig with 25-pound line, a reverse dropper-loop and a lively live bait, or large strip of squid.

The sandies we catch in shallow water can be photographed and released, but fish we catch out here in deeper water come up with their air bladders severely distended. Sand bass are hardy and tough critters, but I still recommend using a weighted and inverted crate to lower them back down 100 feet to release them into a fairly comfortable pressure range.

The unmistakable phantom-like shape of a thresher shark rising up behind a bait almost boatside sent shivers up my spine. It also made me start bellowing orders like a watch officer on the quarterdeck of a frigate in line of battle.

Photo by: Capt. David Bacon
Danger: Explosive – Make certain a thresher shark is thoroughly worn out before bringing that stick of dynamite aboard your boat.

Hungry and curious, the long-tailed thresher shark moved quickly and furtively, dashing away and then back again.

My deckhand, Tiffany, knew just what to do whether I was bellowing orders or not. She dashed for the cabin to grab a suitable rig while I tossed out a few live baitfish squeezed just enough to make them twitch and swim in a wounded fish circle. That action is a surefire shark attractant.

The shark stayed close by, feeding on the chum I was slowly metering out. Tiffany came out with just the right rig for a sporting battle with an angry thresher: a heavy-gauge VMS 6/0 live bait hook on 120-pound steel leader tied to the 65-pound Invisibraid main line spooled on a Penn 16VSX reel on a Penn Mariner rod. I estimated the shark to be 175 pounds.

We belly-hooked a lively 6-inch mackerel, dropped the baitfish in the water and let it take line out until it was about 30 feet from the boat. Then we engaged the clicker, put the reel in free spool and set it in a rod holder.

I continued to meter injured chumfish, and within five minutes, the reel screamed for three seconds and then went silent. The shark had whacked the mack with its long, powerful tail.

An eager passenger took the rod out of the holder and waited for my instructions. I told him to wait for the shark to take the fish the rest of the way into its mouth and move off again. Just as I finished, the reel went off with a prolonged clicking. I let it run about 15 yards before instructing the lad to put the reel in gear and slam that hook home hard.

He did, and the surprised thresher greyhounded in the air three times in a row and raced for open water. That was an adrenaline rush moment! After 45 hard-fought minutes, we double-gaffed the critter and hauled it aboard amid hearty backslaps, high-fives and cameras flashing.

As thresher sharks move up the mainland off Southern California each spring, we suddenly have a major game fish option within reach of many boaters, skiff anglers and gutsy kayakers.

The SoCal Bight frequently becomes crowded with concentrations of baitfish, which act as a magnet for larger predators. Threshers use the area for nursing, as their young can find plenty of food to grow up fast and strong.

Because female thresher sharks do not reproduce until they weigh well in excess of 200 pounds, we generally release shark pups smaller than 70 pounds caught aboard my charterboat, WaveWalker.

Shark fishing is a fun combination of frenzied activity, great patience and ongoing bait-catching work. On charters, I have one or two people constantly work bait gangions on spinning gear to catch small mackerel or smelt, which are among the best baits for these sharks. Threshers will also eat anchovies and sardines, but when we can jig up some 6- to 8-inch mackerel, we have the perfect baits.

The size of the hook is determined by the type and size of the bait. With a 6-inch mackerel, use a 6/0 to 7/0 hook and either tail-hook or belly-hook the mackerel. With smelt, a sardine, or a very large anchovy, choose a 2/0 to 3/0 hook. With smaller baits, go down to size 1 or 1/0 hooks. The hook must be tough and sharp, so select a heavy-gauge, and sharpen the point if needed.

No weight is required, unless there is considerable wind and the drift is so quick that live-lined baits stay too close to the surface. In windy conditions, use a sliding sinker on the main line above the leader so the bait stays at least several feet below the surface. Between 5 and 10 feet down is where I prefer a bait to soak and struggle enticingly.

A thresher may whack a bait with its tail, or just mouth the bait without any tail action. Fish with the reel in freespool, but have the clicker on to alert the crew and guard against backlashes from a savage tail-whack. Let the fish make a good run, then spin down the drag to a medium-heavy setting for the line strength, switch the clicker off and slam that hook home.

Now hang on tight, because you just lit the fuse on a big stick of dynamite!

How long has it been since you’ve savored the fresh taste of a just-caught white seabass? Was it last season? This season is now heating up sufficiently to give your taste buds a very welcome treat.

Photo by: Capt. David Bacon
Spring Seabass -- Anglers are finding willing white seabass -- and T-shirt weather -- at Santa Rosa Island.

You need to be armed with good information, good bait and good tackle to go out in pursuit of the mighty white seabass. Critical information includes sea conditions, marine weather forecasts, sea temperatures, fish reports from yesterday and a dose of local knowledge. You might want to visit sport-fish-info.com and terrafin.com to get some of these details.

The best bait is live or fresh frozen squid, but bring along some of whatever is sold at the live bait receiver. Small mackerel are favored by large white seabass, researchers tell us. No telling what the seabass may want to bite today, and it is best to be well armed with a variety of baits and lures.

That’s where the local knowledge comes in -- so, hang around the tackle shops and online discussion boards. Some anglers on the boards think they are being sly when they won’t let you know where they caught a fish, so a tackle shop is often a better information resource. Tackle shop owners want you to catch fish, so they’ll give you what info they have.

Join local fishing clubs to connect with savvy anglers who are happy to share what they know and even hook up to fish together. I’ve put on numerous talks for fishing clubs, and I find them to be great sources of camaraderie -- and local fishing information.

Trusted recent fish reports will tell you where the bite was on or off yesterday. In the absence of recent (within the last couple of days) positive reports, it is usually wise to try a few of the areas the fish have been known to frequent all through the year.

For anglers out of the Ventura County harbors, that would include the back side of Anacapa Island, Scorpion Cove and Chinese Harbor on the north side of Santa Cruz Island, and Yellowbanks on the south side of the same island. There have been thousands of seabass taken from those areas this past season, and you stand a good chance of making some dreams come true by working these spots.

For anglers out of Santa Barbara Harbor, these same spots can easily be fished. But other hot spots that don’t get as much fishing pressure are also within reach.

We’ve taken good numbers of seabass aboard my charter boat, WaveWalker, from Bechers Bay, Eagles Nest and Carrington Point to Rodes Reef -- all on the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island.

At Catalina Island, soak some baits at Ben Weston, Little Harbor, the Vs and the East End.

The bite at San Clemente Island gets going around the east end and in the coves along the back side. Drop white jigs at these spots, and jig slowly just above the bottom for the seabass that are chewing up post-spawn squid.

Populations of white seabass along the mainland coast are rising appreciably, in part thanks to the Hubbs SeaWorld hatchery and volunteer grow-out facilities up and down the coast. Anglers catch most of these coastal white seabass at kelp beds while fishing for a combination of seabass and calico bass.

Once you’re at a spot, look for signs of an active food chain, such as birds and sea lions. Meter for bait, and then fish that area hard.

Mix things up by having everyone on board try something different. One or two folks can try jigging up some live squid, one can try a white jig near the bottom, another can fish a whole squid on a dropper loop just off the bottom, and yet another can soak a live hookbait at mid-column with a small sliding sinker. When one technique proves successful, you can duplicate that success by switching other anglers over to the proven rig.

Good equipment choices include 20- to 40-pound class rigs. My own favorite rig is a Fenwick Elite Tech parabolic rod and a Penn International 975 reel or a Daiwa Sealine 30SHV, spooled with 25-pound Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon line. A well-balanced, sensitive yet strong outfit will help you hook and catch more fish.

The selection of terminal tackle should include sliding sinkers up to 2 ounces, torpedo sinkers up to 8 ounces, large bait hooks such as VMC up to size 3/0 (use smaller hooks with anchovies and sardines, and larger hooks with whole squid), white jigs such as the Salas PL-68 lite, and a shorter version of a white jig and one of my favorites -- a large Luhr-Jensen Krocodile spoon.

Remember the regulations: White seabass must be 28 inches in total length. The bag limit is three fish per person, except between March 15 and June 15, when the bag limit is reduced to one fish per person.

If those regulations seem harsh, just remember that we have good numbers of seabass nowadays because of the stringent regs we’ve imposed and adhered to, and the work of recreational angler volunteers who have helped to raise white seabass fingerlings in grow-out pens throughout Southern California.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), however, don’t appear to be working for recreational anglers.

Catching fish is often all about timing. Follow this advice from a sportfishing captain, and you will catch fish like a pro — rather than looking like a novice with an empty sack.

Here is a common scenario: The skipper has his or her eyes glued to the fishfinder while exploring a potentially productive area. Suddenly, the skipper slows and turns the boat, hollers for everyone to bait up and be ready, and then does some fancy maneuvering. Finally, the skipper yells, “OK, drop ‘em!”

This is a fleeting opportunity — and you’ve got to be quick. The boat is right over a stack of happy-looking fish, but it will soon drift off. The skipper has set up the drift so that baits will drop right down to those hungry fish below.

Now, it’s up to the anglers to get their baits down there quickly. Wait 10 seconds before dropping because you failed to be truly prepared, and you’ll likely miss the fish.

Few things sadden a conscientious skipper more — after working hard to create the perfect drift and giving the command to drop — than turning to find anglers still baiting up or unwrapping their lines from the ends of their rods, or pulling out birds’-nest tangles from their reels.

The skipper did his or her job. The anglers must do theirs — or the lack of fish in the fishbox is their fault.

Here’s the way to be prepared and get those fish:

The first order of business is to prepare your terminal rigging before the moment when haste is crucial. When fishing this type of structure, it is common to use dropper loops, double dropper loops and reverse dropper loops. Tie them up, or ask a deckhand or a more-experienced angler how to tie these. Some good cards and booklets on knot-tying are available at most tackle shops, and they are very handy resources to have in your tackle box or pocket.

This is a perfect application for a double dropper loop rig. To make one, I slide two large hooks on the line and then tie on a fairly heavy (5- to 8-ounce or heavier, depending upon the speed of the drift) torpedo sinker. Then, I twist two dropper loops, one for each hook, spaced about 2 feet apart.

A live bait — crawdad, crab or bloodworm — is a wise choice for the bottom hook. Squid strips are great for the top hook, since most any of these fish down here will readily bite squid.

A common variation on this rig is to use a jig or leadhead/plastic tail combo in place of the torpedo sinker — and then go with one dropper loop above the lure, in order to stay within the maximum allowable hook count (two, when fishing for rockfish or when rockfish are aboard).

The weight, jig or leadhead must be heavy enough to drop quickly down to the bottom. If the weight is too light, the baits will not drop into the stack of fish.

Pay close attention to what the boat is doing. When the skipper begins maneuvering, bait your hooks. Never wait until after the skipper gives the command to drop.

Hold your weight in one hand and your rod in the other, thereby minimizing the dangers of flailing weights and hooks. When the skipper says to drop them, you want to be already at the rail and ready. Not only should you begin to drop the baits down as soon as the skipper asks, but you should be sure to allow the bait to drop as quickly as possible.

Even after all preparations, if the bait is lowered too slowly, the stack of fish will be missed. Drop the baits fast, with your thumb just barely feathering the spool, so that it can pay out line at top speed, yet will stop when the weight hits the bottom.

Now, click the reel into gear and quickly get that weight up about 1 foot from the bottom, so it doesn’t hang up in the rocks. You are now probably about two seconds away from getting bit, because you have done everything right and your baits are surrounded by hungry fish.

Once you feel a bite, set the hook and begin reeling simultaneously, so that the fish never gets an inch of slack. Slack line loses fish — so, keep that line taut at all times.

It really adds to the fun of the fishing experience when everyone aboard puts their minds into the sport and tries to do the right thing at the right time. I call this “precision fishing” — and during my charters, I commend my passengers when they are focused and taking advantage of all the opportunities I carefully create for them.

Everyone aboard tends to smile a lot when the fish are coming aboard, but there is no more genuinely happy smile than the one on the skipper’s face.