Calico Bass Fishing Out of Oxnard and Ventura

Calico bass fishing with Graphic Slayer Sportfishing is a private trip. It is your group, up to four anglers, and nobody else on the boat. Calico bass are one of the fish we target on local inshore and nearshore spots out of Oxnard and Ventura, along with seasonal California sheephead, rockfish, halibut and bonito. This suits people who want the boat to themselves. Friends, families, or a couple of anglers who want a full day of fishing without strangers at the rail. It also suits anyone who cares about what ends up on the plate, because every fish that comes aboard is ikejime'd and bled. If you are newer to fishing, tell me when you call and we will plan the day around that.

Calico bass are a seasonal fish here. I am not going to put months on a web page and have you plan around a guess. What is biting changes through the year, and the inshore trip is built around whatever is in season at the time. Call or text me and I will tell you straight what the calico bass fishing looks like right now and what else is around. The inshore spots are fished for sheephead, rockfish, halibut, bonito and calico bass, so the day is not built on one fish. I will confirm the season and the timing by phone before you book.

The trip most people book for calico bass fishing is the Half Day Inshore Fishing trip. It runs 8 hours, from 6 AM to 2 PM, Monday through Friday. The price is $1,085 for the boat, up to 4 guests. That is the whole boat, not a per person price. Calico bass are on the list of species our trips target, and the island trips fish other water too. The 3/4 Day Island Fishing trip is 9 hours, 6 AM to 3 PM, 7 days a week, for $1,200 for the boat. On the standard trips I bring the rods and the bait. Every fish is ikejime'd and bled before it goes in the box.

The boat is the Graphic Slayer, a 22' Westcoaster Bayrunner. I am Capt. John "JT" Lepien, and I have spent decades fishing these waters. The boat is set up for four anglers and that is the limit, so everyone has room to fish. My other great passion is cooking. I have been practicing ikejime since 2010, long before it became a mainstream way to keep a fish fresh. For me it has never been a trend. It is part of doing right by the catch. A stressed fish fills its own muscle with lactic acid and ammonia. Ikejime and bleeding help keep the texture and flavor the way they should be. On FishingBooker we sit at 4.7 from 23 reviews.

Trips leave from Oxnard and Ventura. Every trip leaves at 6:00 AM, so plan to be there and ready a little before that. I will give you the exact meeting spot when you book, so you are not guessing in the dark. Once everyone is aboard we head to the local inshore and nearshore spots and start fishing. On the inshore trip we fish until 2 PM. I decide the spots that morning based on what the water is doing and what has been biting. If you have questions about parking or the dock, ask me when you confirm your trip.

Bring a fishing license and lunch. I bring the rods and the bait on the standard trips. If you have your own gear and want to use it, there is the 3/4 Day Bare Bones trip, also called BYOT. It is 9 hours, 6 AM to 3 PM, 7 days a week, for $1,000 for the boat. That trip is four anglers max with three rod setups each. It comes with a licensed captain, the Graphic Slayer, a cooler and ice. Bring cash if you want live bait on that one. For anything else you are wondering about packing, ask me when you book.

Do I need a fishing license? Yes. Every angler brings their own license. That is one of the two things I ask you to bring, along with your lunch. If you are not sure which license you need or where to get it, call or text me before the trip and I will point you in the right direction. Get it sorted before the morning of the trip.

Can I keep the calico bass I catch? I am not going to quote rules or limits on this page. Ask me when you call and I will go over what can be kept on your trip. What I can tell you is that every fish that comes over the rail is handled with care, ikejime'd and bled, so the fish you take home are as fresh as they can be.

Can I fish for calico bass on a weekend? The Half Day Inshore Fishing trip runs Monday through Friday only. The island trips run 7 days a week, and calico bass are one of the species our trips target. If a weekend is the only day that works for your group, call me and we will talk about which trip makes sense for that day and what is likely to be around.

To book calico bass fishing, call or text JT at (805) 302-1901. You can also use the Book a trip button on this site. Tell me how many people are coming, which days work, and whether you want to use my gear or your own. I will tell you what the calico bass fishing is doing, confirm the season and the meeting spot, and get you on the calendar. Every trip is private for up to four anglers, and every trip leaves at 6:00 AM.