Fishing

Yes! Blue Water Hunter ships fishing rods under 8 feet in length. Due to shipping restrictions and oversized packaging requirements, rods 8 feet and longer are available for in-store pickup only at our Santa Barbara Harbor location. Additional shipping charges may apply depending on the rod and delivery destination.

If you have any questions about shipping a fishing rod, please contact our team at info@blueh20.com.

Most Blue Water Hunter orders are processed and shipped within 1 to 3 business days (Monday through Friday), excluding weekends and holidays.

Once your order ships, you will receive a confirmation email with tracking information. Delivery times vary depending on your location and the shipping method selected at checkout.

Surf setup: a typical surf setup pairs a 2500 to 4000 size spinning reel with an 8 to 9 foot rod rated for 8 to 17 lb line.

All-purpose conventional setup: for general use, anglers usually choose a 16 to 30 size conventional reel with either star or lever drag, matched to a rod rated 20 to 50 lb.

Heavy-duty trolling setup: trolling gear is built for the biggest fish, with a wide-spool 16 to 50 size reel and a rod rated 80 to 130 lb.

Browse our rods and reels, or come in and we will match a setup to what you want to catch.

Live or fresh anchovies, sardines, and smelt are the local staples, especially for halibut and bass. Squid, shrimp, and sand crabs work well for bottom fish and surfperch. Blue Water Hunter carries a handful of frozen bait options.

Halibut ambush prey on sandy bottoms, so fish near the sand and structure transition at places like Goleta Beach and Carpinteria. Drift live bait on a Carolina rig, or bounce a swimbait or grub along the bottom. Give the fish a few seconds to take the bait before setting the hook.

Start with a sabiki rig to catch your own baitfish, or try frozen bait such as mackerel and sardines. Then use that bait live on a bottom rig or a slider rig for larger fish. Pack a pier net or drop net, since fish are hard to lift up to the deck by line alone. Our bait rigs cover both.

Use a simple Carolina or high-low rig with small hooks, baited with sand crabs, sandworms, or small pieces of shrimp. Cast just past the breaking waves and work a slow retrieve, especially around a rising tide. It is a good beginner technique.

Soft plastics on a light jig head, small swimbaits, and drop-shot rigs work well around kelp beds and rocky structure. Keep your gear heavy enough to pull fish out of the rocks and kelp, since they will try to dive into cover. See our lures and lead heads.

These fast-moving fish respond to jigs, live bait, and surface-iron and yo-yo style lures. Most anglers target them from boats or kayaks, since they hold farther offshore.

California halibut, kelp bass (calico bass), barred sand bass, rockfish, lingcod, Pacific mackerel, sculpin, and surfperch are all regular catches. Yellowtail, bonito, and white seabass show up seasonally, depending on water temperature and bait.

Halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and white seabass are popular table fish. Yellowtail and tuna are also fantastic options. Check CDFW and local health advisories, which sometimes warn about eating fish or shellfish from particular areas.

Anyone 16 or older needs a valid California sport fishing license, except when fishing from a public pier. California does not require a license for anglers under 16.

Yes, though what bites changes with the season. In fall and winter, the focus shifts to deeper rockfish, lingcod, and halibut on sandy transitions, with calm weather windows key for small boats and kayaks. Some species have closed seasons, so check CDFW's Southern Region regulations (Point Conception to the Mexican border) for current dates.

Dawn and dusk are usually best, especially in the hour or two around a tide change. Afternoon wind often picks up along the coast, which can make casting harder, so mornings tend to be more comfortable.

Piers are the easiest start. You can catch mackerel, sardines, and more with simple gear. Beaches with sandy bottoms, like Goleta Beach, are good for surfperch and the occasional halibut, and a half-day charter is a good way to learn the channel.