Southern California Spearfishing Forecast: June 2026

June is when Southern California spearfishing hits stride. Water temperatures climb into the high 60s, yellowtail concentrations build, halibut peak on the sand flats, and the conditions transition into the typical summer marine layer pattern. Layered on top of the normal June setup, 2026 is being shaped by the lingering El Niño influence and the marine heatwave that has run California waters above-average for two seasons running. The result is a month with the makings of a strong setup - earlier-than-usual species arrivals, warmer water, and continued variability between calm windows.

This forecast covers what to expect through June 2026, the species timing to plan around, the moon phase windows that matter, and the conditions that closed May to set up the start of June.

Big-Picture Conditions

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center's most recent ENSO discussion places the 2024-2025 El Niño in a weakening phase, with neutral conditions forecast for late summer and a possible La Niña developing into fall 2026. Ocean temperatures lag atmospheric ENSO conditions by 2-4 months, so the warm-water effects in California will continue through the summer regardless of the atmospheric ENSO transition. The marine heatwave that built through 2025 remains present in the data.

Practically, this means California water temperatures will continue running 3-5 degrees above the 30-year June average. Species that respond to water temperature will continue to arrive ahead of historical schedules. Storm patterns through spring have been more variable than typical neutral years, with the NW swell impacts of late May as the recent example.

How May Closed

The back half of May produced two significant NW swell events that defined conditions across California:

• Late-May NW pulses disrupted visibility across the state, with Central Coast and Monterey getting hit harder than typical El Niño years would suggest

• Monterey Bay sites including Lover's Point ran pea-soup conditions (6 ft top-to-bottom uniformity) following the swell pulses

• Mill Creek on the Big Sur coast ran 4 ft visibility from stirred-up kelp fragments and sand despite flat calm surface conditions

• Carmel and South Monastery saw 10-15 ft visibility but dark and hazy water with significant surge

• La Jolla Shores by month's end was running under 5 ft in the shallows with 8-12 ft at the surface - hazy green water column

  

  Some areas saw less than 5' of visibility

• Laguna sites running 8-13 ft late-month with 1-3+ ft surf - 'thumbs sideways' conditions

• Water temperature in San Diego reached 67°F at the surface - consistent with the marine heatwave signal

June should see conditions improve as the spring storm pattern settles into the summer marine layer cycle. Watch for residual swell impacts to clear in the first week, then the more typical late-spring / early-summer pattern to establish.

Water Temperature and Visibility Outlook

Surface temperatures in June 2026 should run 64-70°F across Southern California, several degrees warmer than the 30-year June average. Expect 60-65°F at 15-30 ft depth in shallow kelp, 58-62°F on deeper structure. The thermocline will sharpen as the month progresses.

Current NOAA monthly sea surface temperature anomaly map (NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, captured May 2026). The warm-water signal in the eastern Pacific is the data behind California's above-average water temperatures and early species arrivals in 2026.

Visibility will be variable but generally improving. Expect a range from 8-15 ft during and after wind events to 30-45 ft in clean post-calm windows. Red tide risk remains elevated in warm-water years - check sdbeachinfo.com and California Department of Public Health advisories before any south-county dive.

Wind and Swell Patterns to Watch

• Marine layer fog most mornings - typically burns off by mid-morning, can linger into early afternoon during strong inversions

• Afternoon onshore wind picks up most days by early afternoon - early launches are the productive window

• South swell from southern hemisphere storms increases through the month (can push fish and warmer water up from the south) - watch buoys for arrivals

• Hurricane-derived south swells possible in late June from Mexican Pacific tropical activity (again can push warmer water and fish up from the south)

• Catalina Eddy events more likely as summer wind pattern develops - can produce calm windows along the south coast

Species Forecast

Yellowtail

June is one of the peak yellowtail months in California historically. In warm-water years, the schools arrive earlier and peak earlier - which fits the pattern 2026 is showing. Expect the strongest action through the first half of the month, with continued productivity through June. Catalina front side and the Channel Islands south sides build through the month as schools push north from the southern zones.

Bluefin Tuna

Bluefin in California typically peaks July through September in normal years. In El Niño / warm-water years like 2026, the season runs earlier - with first arrivals possible at offshore banks by late May and full-strength action through June. The warm water signal in this year may also pull fish closer to shore than typical, possibly within day-trip range by mid-month if temperatures continue to push up. Watch your network and charter reports for the inshore signal.

White Sea Bass

The May 16 new moon was the peak WSB spawn window for spring 2026. The June 14 new moon offers the next strong window of the season, though post-spawn fish behavior is less predictable than peak-spawn behavior. Squid grounds at La Jolla, Catalina backside, and Channel Islands south sides remain worth checking on first light around the new moon.

Dorado

In warm-water years, dorado are possible in California waters starting in summer. Most years they are a July-September fish. The warm-water signal in 2026 may pull them in earlier - watch offshore kelp paddies through June for early arrivals. Most likely they appear south of the border first.

Spot Categories Worth Tracking

The most productive zones in Southern California through June typically include the La Jolla and Point Loma kelp systems, the Coronado Islands (boat charter, Mexican fishing license required), Catalina Island front and back sides, the Channel Islands south sides (Anacapa, Santa Cruz), the Palos Verdes Peninsula kelp, and offshore high spots for pelagic targets. Conditions matter more than location - the calmest accessible spot on any given day is generally the productive choice.

Moon Phases and Tide Windows

• June 6: First quarter

• June 14: New moon - peak spring tide, strongest tide-driven feeding windows

• June 22: First quarter (waxing)

• June 30: Full moon - peak spring tide of the month

Plan WSB hunts around June 14 (the strongest window of the month). Plan yellowtail and offshore trips around either new or full moon for the strong spring tides. Halibut and reef species fish productively across all moon phases when conditions allow.

What June Sets Up For

If the warm-water pattern holds through June and July, 2026 is set up to be a memorable summer. Yellowtail are stacked early, bluefin is arriving early, and dorado is a real possibility. The variable is the storm pattern - calm windows are productive when they open, and divers who plan trips with weather flexibility will get more days on the water than divers who commit to fixed dates and refuse to flex. Use the SpearFactor dive conditions tool to check real-time visibility, water temperature, swell, wind, and species-specific activity at your target spots. Never dive alone. Always use one-up-one-down buddy protocol.

Image: NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory monthly SST anomaly product (Public Domain). For the most up-to-date version, visit psl.noaa.gov/map/clim/sst.shtml.