Fishin' Report for Saturday, May 3, 2025by Artificial LureMornin' anglers! Your old pal Artificial Lure here with the latest on what's bitin' in our SoCal waters. It's a beautiful May morning, though we're still dealing with some challenging conditions along parts of our coast.Down in Oceanside, things have slowed considerably since last month. Bill Litchfield reports that water's been murky from rain runoff and that pesky red tide has shown up[2]. The city's pumping sand onto the beach, which isn't helping water clarity either. Inshore you might pick up a few perch, but the croaker action is slow, with just the occasional halibut mid-pier. The end of the pier remains closed for rebuilding, limiting those prime shark spots[2].Over at Oceanside Harbor, same story – dirty water and slow fishing. You might find some small perch and bass hanging around the inshore rocks, but casting out isn't producing much action[2].Up in Santa Barbara, they've been having better luck. The Santa Barbara Landing reported limits of nice grade fish on May 2nd[4]. Channel Islands fishing has been decent too, with good numbers of sheephead, whitefish, and the occasional triggerfish and calico bass reported in late March[4].Important regulation updates: Spiny lobster season closed March 20th and won't reopen until September 26th at 6 PM[1]. The recreational ocean salmon season will briefly open for two days only – June 7-8 – with a 7,000 Chinook summer harvest quota[1][5]. This will be the first recreational salmon fishing opportunity in California since 2022[5]. Sadly, giant sea bass and red abalone remain closed year-round in SoCal waters[1].For those wanting to try their luck, I'd suggest heading to the Channel Islands area where the water's been clearer and the bite more consistent. Bring squid, sardines, or anchovy for bait, or try plastics in motor oil or brown colors to mimic the local forage. Slow-pitch jigs have been working well for the reef species.If you're staying local to San Diego, La Jolla Shores can still produce some action if you get there early. The kelp beds off Point Loma are another decent bet, especially if you can get live bait from the barge.Just be prepared for potentially tough conditions, bring plenty of terminal tackle (you might lose some in the murky water), and maybe have a backup plan. At least you'll be out on the water enjoying this fine May weather!Tight lines, folks. This is Artificial Lure signing off – hope to see ya on the water!