In Pursuit of Southern California’s
Iconic Saltwater Bass
A Kelp Bass Seminar
By Derrek Stewart 8/30/26
The author
with a personal best, 9.2 lb. Catalina Island, Kelp Bass, fooled with an A-Rig.
Make It Yours
As an angler, seminar listener, article reader, or YouTube tutorial viewer, your goal is not to directly copy the informational
source. Strive to learn the foundation of what the source is teaching and make
it yours. This applies to everything. Long-term angling success is built on a
solid foundation. You can’t grow as an angler by copying what you learn; you must
get out there and apply the lesson for yourself in a proficient manner tailored
to how you fish.
Personal preference: we all fish differently.
Freedom of choice: what is right for me might
not be right for you. There is no one way.
Confidence is a powerful factor. Fish your
strengths.
Nothing is more valuable to an angler than time
on the water. Time on the water creates confidence; you’ll learn fish behavior
in a myriad of conditions, and gain experience to make necessary adjustments.
Kelp Bass / Paralabrax clathratus
Paralabrax clathratus is the scientific name for Kelp Bass, which are also commonly referred to as Calico Bass.
Southern California is in the heart of the home of the
Paralabrax Bass family: Kelp Bass, Barred Sand Bass, and Spotted Bay Bass. These
three species range from Point Conception, CA to Baja California, Mexico,
creating a unique fishing opportunity found nowhere else on the planet.
Notice how
well the Kelp Bass directly in front of the kelp stringer blends in.
Kelp Bass body patterns create perfect camouflage for living
and hunting in kelp, hence the namesake of this ambush predator.
Minimum size limit is 14”
Bag limit is 5, combined Kelp, Barred Sand Bass,
and Spotted Bay Bass
Does everyone know that the MDR Halibut Derby
has a Saltwater Bass Division with Calcuttas?
Must be alive to bring to scales. 2x bonus weight for Spotted Bay Bass
Kelp Bass Fishing Is Fun
Hard fighters, pound for pound more tenacious
than freshwater counterparts and arguably most fish.
Find one biter, more are there.
Observe the conditions, why a spot bites, look
for more of the same.
Tides and current: moving water pushes the baitfish diet; baitfish follow their food into Kelp Bass feeding opportunities.
Sometimes you are at a good spot but at the wrong
time for the conditions.
Near-shore habitat, typically found in kelp
forests, rocky reef structures, bays, estuaries, artificial reefs, piers,
jetties, shipwrecks, oil rigs, and break walls.
An ambush predator, but they do roam; they can be caught
in open water but generally not far from cover and structure.
Common depths are surface to 70 feet; can be
found deeper, especially in winter/colder water. A tip for finding deeper
structure in winter is to look for buoys marking lobster pots further from
shore. Lobster fishermen set their pots on structure. When you see a lot of
pots grouped up, that indicates a larger, wider reef structure. You can confirm
this with sonar. You still need good conditions and moving water, on deep spots, so read tide charts. Just like a shallower kelp bed, up current conditions
work the same way on deeper structure. Just like shallow-water situations, when
fishing deeper in colder water, once you find success, study the location and
the conditions and look for additional locations with similar structure.
Prime diet: small crustaceans, squid, octopus,
small fish, bait fish.
Boat Types for Saltwater Bass Fishing
Why center console bay boats? Paralleling,
fishing tighter to cover and structure elements, allowing effective casts that
cross multiple ambush spots. Great maneuverability, shallow draft.
Bay boat versus others and sportfishing boats.
Trolling motors are common on center console bay
boats and expand the craft's maneuverability.
Advantages of spot lock trolling motors over deeper water locations.
How Ambush Predators Typically Set Up, and How to Exploit
The Behavior
There will always be exceptions to the rule.
Kelp Bass often use kelp and reefs.
Define structure versus cover; terminology is
important.
What is the number one goal when trying to
catch a fish? Convincing a fish that
it’s accomplishing its goal. You're creating an illusion (artificial lures), or using a live bait with a hook in it is a deception, and you’re attempting to make
your quarry think it’s their idea to attack.
Boat position, casting angles, and staying in the kill zone for as long as possible during your retrieve (demonstrate using objects in the room). Swimming into the ambush instead of swimming away from it highly increases your odds for a bite.
Fish Have No Hands. How many know who Mike
Gardner was? He's a Freshwater Bass angler to Saltwater. A Southern California Bay
Bass guide. Author of the book Fish Have No Hands. The no-hands premise is a
good one, but I'd like to take the concept further. Imagine a burger on a plate in the middle of a room with a
hardwood slick floor. If you had no hands, no arms, and just a mouth like a
fish to eat with, how are you going to do it? (can’t paint or play the piano
with your feet) Push the plate with the food into something, a corner of the room, or a solid object to trap it.
The biggest Kelp Bass will set up in a prime
location in a kelp patty that has good conditions and biting fish. If
you find a good bite, you can focus on these prime spots and develop a milk run
that targets only the spot-on-spot, running and gunning, maximizing time,
conditions, and a bite window. If a kelp bed is large, unproductive water can
consume a lot of time.
On kelp beds, the prime portion is
generally the up current leading edge. Kelp bass will set up on this edge
slightly tucked in, hidden with their incredible camouflage markings, waiting
for the current to push bait by them, the ambush. Understand that the current is
pushing what baitfish feed on, and baitfish are following their food source
that is easily moved by the current.
Equipment
Demonstrate set-ups for the audience to check out. Highlight
the St. Croix Grasp Handle. When it comes to gear, tackle, and lures, I don’t
take anyone’s word for it; I must try it for myself, then I believe.
My Kelp Bass gear is essentially the same as my freshwater
bass gear, especially the reels. The rods have the same action but are slightly
stouter.
The Hook Set
Reel, reel, reel, don’t swing, you’ll pull the bait away
from Kelp Bass. Today’s super sharp hooks and braid are the equalizer. Those
two items let an older, less strong angler stay in the Bass game.
Reeling hook set is how I set on any fish of
this type, salt or freshwater.
Kelp Bass don’t jump.
Keep the rod pointed at the fish, tip up, and with a bend in
the rod.
The Kelp Bass Follow Up
How many have caught a Kelp Bass and other bass were
swarming around the hooked fish?
Kelp Bass often puke when hooked and fighting; other
bass will feed on this.
Kelp Bass will try to take the lure away from a
hooked Bass, often catching both fish.
Miss a strike, stay in the game; Kelp Bass will
come back, and often more than one Bass is involved.
Casting behind the lead angler strategy, without
impeding the lead angler. A lure retrieved behind the lead lure often hooks up, scoring a double, many times the bigger bass.
Baits and Lures
Slide – 5 Artificial Lure Image
When it comes to lure selection, anglers should go beyond choosing lures only because they work; ask why it works. What does a lure do
to fool a game fish into striking? How does that lure work, move in the water,
and what part of the water column? When you
break a lure down to its swimming dynamics and understand what is special about
each lure, you understand when to use them and why, how to select them and
modify them based on specific conditions. Exceptional angling goes beyond
picking a lure because that’s what so-and-so told me to cast.
A variety of lures and live bait will fool Kelp Bass. The
list of effective lures is limited only by your imagination. I love taking
freshwater largemouth and smallmouth baits, bumping up the weight and size
slightly, and using them in the ocean to catch Kelp Bass. These are several of my favorite staples for Kelp Bass Fishing.
Swimbaits - This category of lures comes in many styles and sizes, and applies to a wide variety of situations. Swimbaits use the illusion of realism and have great drawing power, especially larger sizes.
A-Rigs – Drawing Power: When you get the first
hook-up, don’t rush to reel in, especially if it doesn't feel that big. Leaving the lure in the zone, several more Kelp Bass will attack and hook up. Turn one bitter
into two, three, four, even five at a time; that is extra fun!
Spinnerbaits - The cousin of the A-Rig. An old-school lure that still produces bites.
Jerkbaits - Think of the swim of an injured baitfish.
Tubes - A great, versatile lure for vertical presentations.
Surface Irons and Topwater Lures - It's hard to beat the thrill of watching a fish blow up on a topwater retrieve
Hollow-Bodied Frogs - Upsize to SPRO King Daddy Frog. Add rattles and BBs inside the hollow body for added sound. Cast the frog on top of a kelp mat when it lays down on the surface; experiment with cadence and 'Walk the Dog' retrieval or tap the kelp. It's freshwater frog fishing for bass on steroids.
Slugs - A weedless,
slender, elongated soft plastic solid body lure. A slug provides extremely
weedless rigging, making it perfect for long casts and fishing in and around
kelp. Try gliding when the slug comes off a kelp patch into open water.
Jigs - Vertical presentations on both structure and cover elements, including shipwrecks and artificial reefs. Dress the jig with a variety of trailers.
Bait Construction
Hard baits versus soft baits. Fish don’t know
what a bait is made of until it’s in their mouth, and by that time you should
have set the hook, so it doesn’t matter, or you’re too late. The lure's swimming dynamics are the number one attribute.
Deeper during Cold Water
Jig and Squid, deeper/winter
Colt Sniper
Lead Head and Scampi
Tactics and Where
Look for the
best bites on the up current leading edge of kelp beds.
Test everything: top, middle, bottom, the edge
of the kelp, the top of kelp, until you find a pattern.
Make a following cast after the lead angler and when an angler is hooked up.
Parallel keeps you in the strike zone longer; it's hard
to do on a sportboat.
The ends of
the kelp stringers are lying down, indicating the direction of the current.
Current pushing on the leading edge of kelp is the prime zone.
Flipping kelp edges and isolated stringers when
the bite is slow. Put it on their nose, make them bite. Tubes and Jigs work
well in this vertical situation.
Boiler Rocks and heavier swimbaits; man the
helm, stay aware, keep an eye out for unexpected waves and boat wakes, keep
engine running for fast maneuverability.
Kelp bass set-up on boiler rocks looking for
bait fish to get caught in the turmoil, disoriented or injured, making them easy
prey.
Cast heavier swimbait heads directly into the
foam, or past swimming through the boil.
Heavier heads allow for longer, precise casts
when the boat needs to stay back to avoid trouble.
Cast and engage the retrieve immediately to avoid hang-ups.
Be prepared; Yellowtail and White Seabass will
come through the same areas, especially when ample bait is present.
Additional Topics if Needed
Fishing On the Back Deck
The 'Reverse Angle' is a casting advantage for the back deck angler.
Who has seen underwater footage of Tuna, Dorado, or
Billfish, sometimes a combination of multiple predators working a ball of
baitfish? The fish do this to create a feeding advantage. The
bait ball in open water is the same thing as an ambush zone composed of
structural elements. The A-Rig is the same thing, yet just like a real bait
ball, it moves.
Color and Confidence
What color means to me might not be the same for you. We can
both be correct. Many items on a list make up a prescription
for success. In my opinion, color is a low priority. However, if a specific
color gives you confidence, that is more than enough reason to
use it. Confidence is a powerful fishing tool.
Conclusion(not to be superseded by additional topics)
Your goal as an angler is to learn, improve your game, and take things to the next level.
Learn the Technique Then Select Lures and Equipment
Learn what baits imitate and how they function in the water,
the illusion they create. How best do those baits apply to situational angling?
Answer those questions, and equipment answers will follow. By asking what equipment to use first, you focus on the wrong thing.
Is equipment important? Yes, of course. Yet, you can give a
videographer the best camera in the world. However, until a videographer
understands techniques such as lighting, transitions, timing, and
storytelling, the best equipment won't really help.
Learning new fishing methods and techniques isn’t any
different.
Time On the Water
Experience and time on the water are the most significant
multiplier in becoming a better angler; it’s the best enhancement in learning and
creating something that becomes part of your angling game. It’s an approach to
all angling.
Making fish-catching techniques your own will place you on a
greater path to best handle different angling situations successfully, regardless of what body of water you're on and the fishing conditions you
encounter.
Thank you for your attendance. Never stop learning and keep
casting!
Bait Ball
Image by Nautilus Adventures, all others by DSF.
