White Seabass

The ghost of the kelp. White seabass follow the squid, bite for twenty minutes a day, and haunt the anglers who chase them — which is exactly why a 40-pounder in gray light is the West Coast inshore fish of a lifetime.

Atractoscion nobilis · Also known as: Whites, ghosts, croaker royalty. Ideal water temp 58–66°F.

Habitat & structure

Kelp edges, squid grounds and structure adjacent to deep water. The whole fishery keys on squid: find spawning squid at the islands or along the coast and the seabass are underneath. Gray light and the last hour of the night are when they slide shallow to feed.

Where they’re biting

Santa Barbara & Ventura — The island squid grounds at Santa Cruz and Anacapa.
Oceanside & Carlsbad — Kelp edges on the spring squid.
Santa Monica Bay — Kelp edges off Malibu and Palos Verdes, summer–fall.
Monterey Bay — Fall squid runs along the kelp — soaked whole squid at night.
Newport & Dana Point — Spring squid nests off the headlands.

Season by season

Season	Best bait	Best lures	Notes
Spring	Live squid on the nests — the whole ballgame	White jigs and big swimbaits over the squid	The peak. Spawning squid concentrate every seabass on the coast — be there in gray light.
Summer	Live squid where you can make it, sardines otherwise	Heavy swimbaits along the kelp edges	Island fish and kelp-line locals. Dawn patrol only.
Fall	Fresh-dead squid soaked at night	White jigs yo-yo'd through bait schools	A second squid push some years — Monterey's window.
Winter	Fresh-dead squid on deep structure	—	Scarce and deep. A patient soak for the true believers.

Preferred water temperature

Active from 56°F to 70°F — sweet spot 58–66°F. Watch the live water temp on our location pages.

Weather, light & cloud cover

The classic gray-ghost window: dawn, dusk and after dark on the squid grounds. Bright sun sends them deep and lockjawed — the sportboat program is anchored on the squid before first light. A big tide swing in the dark hours is the trigger.

Proven for white seabass

Squid Strips on Dropper Rig — Natural bait · spring / summer / fall / winter. The tough, stay-on-the-hook option for piers and party boats. In Monterey, whole squid soaked at night calls white seabass.
4–6" Weedless Swimbait (Kelp Rig) — Soft plastic · spring / summer / fall. THE calico bait. Rig it weedless, cast into the stringers — not next to them — and swim it out. Hang-ups are the cost of doing business.
Live Squid, Fly-Lined or Dropper Loop — Live bait · spring / summer. When the squid nests form, everything eats. Fly-line it shallow for seabass in gray light; dropper-loop it on the bottom over structure for everything else.

What should you throw today?

Get a live lure pick from the smart lure tool, browse the full lure & bait database, or go back to all species guides.