Middlegrounds Overview
CharkBytes

Dana Point’s launch ramp facility is one of the best in the state. It is extremely wide and capable of launching around a dozen boats at the same time. There are eight spaces set aside for cleaning boats after your trip, each with a free fresh water hose bib. All you need is a hose and biodegradable cleaning supplies. The launch ramp and parking lot is controlled by an automatic barrier and costs $11 to open.

A look at a chart will give an immediate indication why the fishing, especially shark fishing, is so good. There is a deep-water canyon right off the harbor entrance. Its edge roughly parallels the coast and begins to drop off sharply around 300 feet. Excellent threshers and makos can be found by trolling or drifting the canyon, especially off "The Hospital", six miles north of the harbor. South of Dana Point are several areas known for excellent halibut and sand bass fishing. Still further south are "The Domes", the San Onofre nuclear power plant, an excellent area for rockfish and wide-open yellowtail action.

Oceanside also has excellent private boater facilities. Although smaller than Dana, the ramp is capable of launching four boats at a time. Fresh water is available at no charge for post trip washdowns. The large parking lot is capable of handling hundreds of vehicles and trailers. Parking is $5.00 a day. Tickets are purchased from the red ticket machine about 300 feet north of the launch ramp. Be sure to bring a $5 bill that’s in pretty good condition. Free parking is available in a parking lot east of the Helgren’s Sportfishing office. Look for the green and white "Free Parking" sign at the railroad tunnel. Go through the tunnel to get to the lot. Good live bait can be purchased at the Oceanside Bait Company bait barge as you head for the open ocean. Oceanside facilities also monitor VHF 11. Certified scales are available at the Harbor Department facility, just north of the large blue and white "Oceanside" sign on the hill, and at Ken’s Custom Reel, in the lighthouse next to Helgren’s. Ken’s is one of the better places in Southern California to take reels for service or repair.

Helgren’s Sportfishing has a newly remodeled facility located at the southeast corner of the harbor. Look for the blue and white building where Harbor Drive makes a sharp 90-degree bend. The old cramped facility was remodeled last winter and replaced by a modern, spacious office and well stocked tackle shop.

Helgren’s offers long range trips on the Oceanside-95, as well as local half-day, ¾ day, full day and twilight trips aboard the Electra, Sea Trek and Advance. Several other boats, including the Laura J., Sea Star, Pacific Venture, Karmakaze and Grander are available for charter and are capable of handling from five to 40 anglers. The Oceanside Belle takes harbor visitors on one-hour tours of Oceanside harbor and the adjacent coastline. Information may be obtained by calling (760) 722-2133 or visiting www.helgrensportfishing.com. A fish count phone line, (760) 722-2433, reports the daily catch.

Oceanside’s boats range from "The Domes" to the La Jolla kelp beds. The Barn Kelp, south of The Domes, produces excellent calicos, yellowtail and white seabass and "The Clam Beds", just north of the harbor are renowned for halibut and sand bass. Oceanside also has a deep-water canyon just off the Encina power plant at Agua Hedianda lagoon, south of the Oceanside pier. This canyon also produces excellent shark fishing and deep-water rockcodding. Buccaneer, Anderson and Cardiff Pipes are steady producers of sand bass and sculpin. The run to La Jolla is long but can be very rewarding. Several previous world record yellowtail and seabass have come from the "Northwest Corner", the area off Point La Jolla, known locally as "Alligator Head".