Redondo Beach is the South Bay's close-in fishing harbor. King Harbor sits at the mouth of Redondo Canyon — a submarine feature that pulls cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface — and the productive grounds of Horseshoe Kelp and the Palos Verdes Peninsula start within a short run. Catalina is reachable on a longer day. The fleet runs out of Redondo Sportfishing, working the same waters since 1956.
The harbor
King Harbor sits at the mouth of Redondo Canyon. The submarine canyon drives the same upwelling that pulls bait — and the occasional bait die-off; an estimated 2.5 million Pacific sardines ended up dead in the marina in March 2011 after a domoic-acid-and-hypoxia event. Redondo Sportfishing operates from the boardwalk at the base of the modern concrete pier, which opened in 1995 after the previous Horseshoe Pier burned to the waterline.
Grounds
Named grounds run close by:
- Horseshoe Kelp — starts just south of the San Pedro light and spans roughly 10 miles along the edge of an offshore shelf, with depths as shallow as 330 feet. Target mix is calico bass, halibut, white seabass, and yellowtail.
- 150 Fathom — sits nearby on the Long Beach Shelf.
- Palos Verdes Peninsula — forms the bay's south wall, with rockfish structure along its edges.
Regulations
The Point Vicente State Marine Reserve and the Abalone Cove State Marine Conservation Area together cover 19.87 square miles off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Point Vicente is fully closed to fishing. Abalone Cove prohibits the take of all living marine resources except that pelagic finfish — including white seabass and bonito — may be taken by recreational spearfishing, and swordfish may be taken by commercial harpoon. Charter boats running from Redondo fish outside both.
Getting there
The harbor is reached via the 405 and PCH, with the boardwalk and launch ramp at the base of the Redondo Beach Pier complex. Climate is Mediterranean — daily highs run from 65.9°F in February to 76.5°F in August with roughly 13.76 inches of annual rainfall concentrated in winter.
