Yellowtail caught off of Santa Barbara Island with Capt. Jim and Santa Barbara Sea Charters
Catch of Sheepshead and Halibut with Santa Barbara Sea Charters on the Finaddict with Capt. Jim
Rockfish and Lincod caught in the Santa Barbara Channel with Santa Barbara Sea Charters and Capt. Jim
47 lb Sea Bass caught in the Santa Barbara Channel on a fishing trip with SB Sea Charters and Captain Jim Klein.
The Catch
Depending on the time of year, fish found in and around Santa Barbara may include:
​
-
Rockfish
-
Halibut
-
Calico and Sand Bass
-
White Seabass
-
Lingcod
-
Salmon
-
Ocean Whitefish
-
Sheephead
-
Cabezon
-
Yellowtail
-
Bonito
-
Barracuda
-
Thresher Sharks
-
Mako Sharks
-
Albacore
-
Tuna
The Santa Barbara Channel (SBC) region is the northern portion of the Southern California Bight, an area that extends from Point Conception to Baja California in Mexico. A great diversity of fisheries occur in the SBC region due to several key features:
​
-
Oceanographic transition zone
-
Strong upwelling zone
-
Northern Channel Islands
-
Port Hueneme Submarine Canyon
​
The SBC is a transition zone where the cold waters north of Point Conception mix with the warm waters of Southern California, resulting in a complex system of oceanographic currents and a great diversity of northern and southern ocean species. Upwelling occurs off Point Conception (usually from March through September), providing cold, nutrient-rich waters that move eastward throughout the channel. The region also includes the four Northern Channel Islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa – and associated rocky reefs and kelp forests that are located 12-28 statute miles (19-45 km) off the coast. These islands provide additional habitat for marine life and some protection from southerly storms.
​
​