About our guided fishing trips in Southern California
We run guided surf and shark fishing trips (including surf fishing lessons and tuition) in Southern California, mainly around Orange County and LA County areas.
This page contains everything you need to know about booking a professionally guided surf fishing trip, surf fishing tuition or lesson, surf or leopard shark fishing trip, lifelist species fishing session, corbina fishing session or land-based shark fishing trip.
Our professional guiding service is licensed and bonded through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and we offer a variety of beach or land-based sessions (including tuition in any aspect of surf fishing) targeting all of the commonly available surf and shark species found in our area, including: leopard sharks, soupfin sharks, surfperch (barred and walleye), spotfin croaker, yellowfin croaker, all ray species, all legal shark species of any size and California corbina.
We can accommodate any level of experience and groups from singles to large parties, and we provide all tackle and bait, plus professional photography services to immortalize your experience.
Please see below for a list of the trips currently on offer and for information on how to book your guided surf or shark fishing trip in California.
Types of guided surf and shark fishing trips available
GENERAL SURF FISHING SESSIONS & TUITIONS FOR ANY LEVEL / AGE
(one to three anglers)
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Currently booking March '23 to January '24
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Approximately 3 to 4-hour sessions (more possible, please ask)
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Ideal for families, couples, solo anglers, anyone looking to learn more about any aspect of surf fishing or just have fun fishing on the beach catching a variety of species, many are often edible
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Tuitions cover learning everything about surf fishing with an experienced guide; rigs, baits, tackle, species ID, how to find structure, reading a beach, sand crab hunting, tides, swells, how to handle stingrays etc
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Orange County and LA County beaches
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All bait and tackle (rods, reels etc) provided
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Target species include surfperch (barred & walleye), yellowfin croaker, spotfin croaker, rays, guitarfish, California halibut, small sharks and California corbina
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Price including deposit: $225
All-round fun surf fishing sessions and tuition for any age group. Ideal for families, beginners, couples
"Great time...so much to be learnt!" Jim F, CA
SURF SHARK FISHING
(one to three anglers)
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Five to six-hour session, May to November
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Orange County, San Diego County, and LA County beaches
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Ideal for families, couples, anyone looking to learn how to catch sharks from the beach in California and have fun doing so
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All bait and tackle provided
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Target species include leopard sharks, soupfin sharks, large rays, any large seasonal predators
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Price including deposit: $310 for 2 people, $360 for 3
Ideal for families, couples, anyone looking to learn how to catch sharks and big rays from the beach
"A blast! Highly recommended..." Mark R, CA
Target a variety of large Pacific shark species from the beach. Ideal for families, friends etc
GROUP LAND-BASED SHARK FISHING
(two to six people)
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Six to eight-hour session (longer sessions can be arranged -
enquire for info) April to November -
Orange County, San Diego County, and LA County beaches
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Kayak, slide-deployed and casting baits for any legal SoCal sharks
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All bait and tackle (conventional and spinning) provided
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Target species include any large, legal, seasonal shark species
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Prices available upon enquiry with group numbers
"The best... five-star rating!"
Chad B, CA
CALIFORNIA CORBINA FISHING
(one or three anglers)
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3 to 4-hour session
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May - October availability
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Ideal for families, couples, anyone looking to learn how to catch the elusive corbina (Menticirrhus undulatus) using light line tactics on SoCal's sandy beaches. Clients are also welcome to bring suitable fly fishing tackle
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All bait and tackle provided
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Target species include the California corbina, plus spotfin croaker and surfperch
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Price including deposit $225 for 1 - 2 anglers, $275 for 3
A session specifically targeting California corbina on flat sandy beaches using light line tactics
"I had a blast fishing with and learning from Ben!" Stephen W, NE
SPECIES HUNTER / LIFE LIST FISHING
(one to three anglers)
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Day-long session (7-8 hours)
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May to October availability
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Venues around LA and Orange Counties
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Ideal for anglers seeking to add to their life list of species; we take you to a variety of saltwater venues over a day to target as many different SoCal species as possible, from bass and sharks to surfperch and weird rockfish, generally on light line spinning tactics. Great for boosting that life list!
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All transport, bait and tackle provided, clients welcome to bring tackle
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Target species include any resident SoCal saltwater species - call for details and specific requirements
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Price including deposit: $350 for two, $400 for three anglers
How to book guided surf fishing trips in California
We only take bookings by phone, text or email: ben@americanseafishing.com or +1 (714) 642-5770
Booking are on a session-by-session basis. Let us know what you want to catch, where you're based and when you can fish, and we'll make a plan to suit you. The more notice you can give us, the more likely we are to have availability.
If we're busy on the sand or with clients it can be tricky to take calls, so if you can't see a trip listed above that suits you or just want some more info, please email, text or WhatsApp us on ben@americanseafishing.com or +1 (714) 642-5770 with a line or two about what you're interested in and we'll get back to you directly with availability and pricing.
FAQs about guided surf fishing trips in California
What should I bring on a guided surf fishing trip with American Sea Fishing?
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A valid California fishing license with saltwater validation stamp from: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Online-Sales
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Suntan lotion, sunglasses (polarised), peaked hat
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Beach chairs
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Buff-style neck protector for sun protection and warmth in the evening, a hoodie is a good idea too
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Suitable clothing for spending the day in the sun and possibly getting wet (we recommend a long-sleeved, UV-resistant, rash vest-style top, board shorts due to their quick-drying properties, leggings to keep the sun off your legs and a warm jacket for evening sessions)
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Beach towel and/or change of clothes if you want to get in the water with the fish
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If fishing into the evening, please also be aware that temperatures at night can be quite low by comparison, so please bring a warm / windproof jacket, hoodie and pants to change into
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A good quality head-torch / head-lamp with fresh batteries or fully charged for afternoon-into-evening sessions
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Drinks and food to keep you well fuelled for the day (please be aware that alcohol is prohibited on most beaches)
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Camera or smartphone
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Fishing licence: please ensure you are properly licensed before your trip. The CDFW license page has all the information you need and enables you to book a fishing license for any duration or location. You will need the ocean enhancement stamp to fish in saltwater.
What equipment is provided on a guided surf fishing trip with American Sea Fishing?
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All fishing equipment (rods, reels, rigs etc)
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All bait
Can I bring my own fishing tackle?
Yes, please bring any tackle you’d like to use and we’ll accommodate where possible. This is a great idea on tutorial sessions. However, we provide everything for fishing, so you don’t need to bring tackle.
Can my family / friends come too?
Yes, but please ensure you bring enough chairs etc for everyone if extra spectators are coming. Almost all of our venues are suitable for young children and have parking nearby. We are happy to accommodate any requests regarding venue access and parking, please enquire.
Will there be bathrooms where we fish?
Yes, we choose beaches and venues where there are good quality public bathrooms available nearby.
Where will we be fishing?
Our guide will select a venue the day before the session, or sometimes on the day, somewhere as convenient as possible for the client. We will always contact the client in advance regarding venue choice and give them as much notice as possible.
Will I have to do much physical work?
Our guide/s will carry and transport all the equipment needed. Beyond this, you can do as little or as much as you like. We are flexible and happy to accommodate any special physical requirements - please speak to our guides in advance regarding this.
What are the booking terms?
A deposit is required to secure bookings - this is non-refundable and forms part of the overall fee for the booking (so not a separate charge) The main reason for this charge is to cover our expenses in the run up to a session - we have to catch fresh bait, prepare tackle, build fresh rigs, scout locations etc. This is time-consuming but vital for a successful trip.
The full balance of the deposit is due 24 hours before the booking takes place, unless otherwise arranged with American Sea Fishing’s representative.
If for any reason you wish to cancel a booking, please do so with more than 48 hours notice so we can rebook your trip at a later date using the same deposit. For any trips canceled with less than 48 hours notice, we reserve the right to hold the deposit.
For trips canceled with less than 24 hours notice, we reserve the right to hold up to 100% of the total fee. By booking with American Sea Fishing, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.