Know before you go. Barge locations, hours, phone numbers, and links to real-time bait reports from Everingham Bros. and the SoCal fishing community.
The primary live-bait receivers from Dana Point south to San Diego. All operated by Everingham Bros., the largest live-bait supplier in Southern California.
Check these before every trip. Combined, they give you the full picture of bait availability across SoCal.
Know what to use, when to call, and how to keep your bait alive.
For bluefin, call the bait receiver the evening before and again around 4–5 AM on departure day. New bait boats unload overnight and the load can flip from chovies to sardines (or run dry) in a few hours.
Many successful private boaters make the bait call before deciding whether to fish Dana Point or trailer down to San Diego.
Sardines: Keep bait tank at 65-68°F. Don't overcrowd — one scoop max in a standard tank. Hook through the nose with a #2 circle hook.
Anchovies: More delicate than sardines. Use a smaller hook (#4) and fish them immediately. They don't live as long in the tank.
Bluefin Tuna: Fly-lined sardines or spreader bars at dawn
Yellowtail: Big sardines or mackerel on dropper loop
Halibut: Live sardines on Carolina rig near structure
Bonito: Sabiki rig or small feathers — they'll eat anything
If you're fishing out of Dana Point, call Hogan's Bait & Tackle before you head down. Staff are often the first to know what size sardines are available and which tuna boats are finding the best bait.
Tackle shops have direct relationships with the barge operators and get early morning updates.