Visitors and residents alike come to California’s coastal towns to rest, relax, recharge, and enjoy the ocean, beaches, and all the fun activities the west coast has to offer. While many visitors will dress in bathing suits and gather beach gear for a day on the shore swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, building sandcastles, or just enjoying the weather together, some have come in search of their next big fish story. Pack your bags – and your fishing gear – and head to California’s Newport Beach for a fishing trip of a lifetime. Don’t forget to secure a California fishing license and brush up on catch limits before heading out. Read more below about our fishing guide to Newport Beach!
Types of Fish
Before you head out, you’ll want to check your local fishing report for the most up-to-date news on what’s biting where. When fishing the waters of Newport Beach, you’re bound to hook calico bass, California halibut, white seabass, yellow amberjack, tuna, and more. The type of fish you hook will also depend on where around Newport Beach you drop your line.
Newport Bay
Cast off for a fishing expedition in Newport Bay. It’s the perfect place to head if you want halibut on the table for dinner, with its marshy, sandy, rocky, environment that the fish love. You might also come across calico and sand bass as well as barracuda.
Horseshoe Kelp
A feature of southern California fishing, you’d be remiss to miss your chance to fish the kelp beds around Newport Beach. The horseshoe kelp of the area consists of kelp paddies that are home to several species of inshore fish, as well as the occasional offshore visitor.
Dock & Dine
Whether you get hungry during your expedition or want to catch a meal before docking the boat for the night back at Carefree Boat Club, take advantage of the many restaurants of the area that participate in the “dock & dine” experience. Participating restaurants allow you and your crew to pull up and enjoy great food right on board your own vessel. You can even order your food to go and have a delicious fresh meal aboard while your adventure continues. You’ll have a myriad of choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour, or a soothing nightcap. Enjoy seafood from Newport Landing Restaurant, American fare from the Harborside Restaurant, or your favorite Mexican dish from Sol Mexican Cocina, just to name a few.
Spa Day
After a day on the high seas – which may have included rough waters – you deserve to rest, relax, and unwind. You can find several spas and salons in Newport Beach and the surrounding area. Choose your spa and treatments like manicures, pedicures, facials, wraps, scrubs, and more. You can even leave with a new look that includes a new hairstyle and professionally applied makeup. Even the guys can relax with treatments designed especially for them like a men’s manicure, facial, and other services created to meet their needs.
Fun Zone Arcade & Game Room
Indulge the kid and gamer in you after you’ve set the rod and reel aside. The arcade features both modern and “old-school” games. You’ll find Skee-Ball, Deal or No Deal, and many others to pass the time. The arcade has been around since 1936 and requires no admission fee. You can wander in and out as you explore the surrounding area and take a break from the high seas.
Pirate House
A perfect way to bring land and sea together is to go see where the pirates live. Pirate House is actually a private residence in the Newport Beach area. What makes it a fun attraction is the many pirate statues and pirate-themed pieces throughout the property. Spot pirates hanging out on the balconies, guarding the perimeter, and even keeping watch out back on the water. There are pirate flags waving from the boats, a boat with a cannon, and one lifts his telescope to keep watch on the goings-on beyond the home. Don’t be afraid to get out and take pictures with the pirates and other zany characters on the property. There’s even a group of pirates hanging out at the end of the dock playing cards for treasure.
Water Activities
As with any coastal town, the sand and water activities are endless. Trade your fishing gear for snorkel or SCUBA gear, wakeboarding, stand up paddleboarding, surfing, or just splashing around in the waves with your fellow anglers for a celebratory swim after a productive day on the boat.
Fishing Guide to Newport Beach
Once you seek out the best locations to cast a line around Newport Beach, you’ll want to make sure you can get to your chosen spot, settle in, and have everything you need to catch the feature of your next big fish story. That includes a fishing boat that can handle the waters of Newport Beach and wherever else your adventure may take you, as well as carry your whole crew and all of your gear. Have all those bases covered – along with some others you might not have thought of – with a membership to the Carefree Boat Club. There are locations all across the U.S., including the latest one in Newport Beach, that have the boat you need when you need it. Avoid the hit-and-miss availability of small rental companies, the hassle of storage, maintenance, trailering, covering, and cleaning, as well as fees like insurance and mooring that come with owning your own boat and transporting it between locations. Reserve a boat at Newport Beach or any of our other locations and it will be ready for your use each time you show up at our marina during your reservation period.
Contact us today to book your next great Newport Beach fishing trip!