I can still remember my first Calico Bass trip with my boyfriend Paul. He had been twisting my arm to go out on his boat, but at the time I was not much of a saltwater type and preferred freshwater fishing for Largemouth Bass. In early May I decided to take the plunge and see why he was so excited over this Calico
Bass. The weather was perfect. The water temperature was in the high fifty's. I couldn’t understand why he was so excited, why are they so special, and what the big deal was? As we pulled onto an area Paul fished frequently he tossed me a Big Hammer swimbait saying, “That will get 'em”.  I tied the bait on and made a long cast. When my lure hit the water it was as if I had just rang the dinner bell. I was hit, and had no idea a Calico could smash a lure with such force, or that they could pull so hard. I found that the Calico’s were extremely eager to come out and play and now I understood the big deal about this fish and just wish I had gone sooner. The Calico Bass has become a real passion of ours. Now after years of refining our tactics, techniques and artillery, we have developed a wide range of effective methods that we like to share with anglers who are eager to get started or improve their catching skills.

Calico Bass were once one of the most popular and targeted species as both sport and table fare. Unfortunately as their popularity rose, their population dwindled and today the Calico Bass is reserved for the recreational angler. With that title we have a certain responsibility to the Calico, and that is we should limit our harvest. Calico Bass mature, reproduce and grow at a very slow rate. I have found for example that a sixteen inch bass is incredibly nine or ten years old. Most bass of this size and age haven’t even spawned yet. They are characterized by an olive or brown coloring with whitish angular blotches and spots on their back. Calico Bass are found from Southern California to Northern Baja California (Pacific Ocean Side) and can be caught year round. Calicos are abundant off the coast of Southern California, and provide a large part of the action for anglers. These fish are more intelligent then your average fish, and Calico’s that are over eight pounds are very difficult to approach. According to the I.G.F.A the largest recorded All-Tackle Calico caught weighed 14 pounds 7 ounces, and was caught at Newport Beach, CA. on October 1993. What a toad!

Calico Bass are ambush and brute force fish. They normally remain near structure like kelp forest and rocky inshore areas and they tend to stay in relatively shallow water less then 150 feet. When looking for fish you should always keep an eye for birds. When running or metering around the birds are usually a good sign that there are fish and bait below. This would be a good place to make a few casts and see what happens. If you see fish boiling there is a good chance you will get bit. Bass are opportunists and when anything edible ventures close they can muster up surprising speed for a short distance. Almost anything can turn up on the bass menu such as crustaceans, anchovies, sardines, brown bait, smelt and grunion. They also go after juvenile fish of all types, starfish and mollusks. In other words if the Calico can run it down, ambush it and stuff it in it’s mouth then you can bet it’s on the menu and part of the smorgasbord.

Choosing the appropriate lure can be real confusing given the smorgasbord of colors, sizes and brands you have to choose from. Over the years and after many fishing trips, we have found that the bass really love swimbaits.

Now that you’re totally confused let me just say that color selection can have a big influence on your success. Water clarity, depth, plankton, forage population and bass moodiness all play a part in their color preferences. We always keep a large color and size selection on hand to cover any situation. One of the many sayings is “Match the Hatch,” what this means is that when the crustaceans and squid are prevalent you should try combinations of reds, pinks, gold and browns. Combinations with blue and purple seen to be the ticket when anchovies are available and greens are hot for imitating sardines. When all else fails just pick a color that "talks" to you.

One of the things we have found that makes calico fishing so exciting and challenging is that bass can be very fickle. Some days they are flying high in the water column and some bass you would swear were holding onto the bottom with their teeth. Some times they want the lure coming up hill and then they want it down hill. Let’s tell the truth… there is no right or wrong retrieve, it’s all about what the scaly critters want, and some days I think the fish have no idea where, how or what they want. When using the Big Hammer tails I usually start off with a fast retrieve from the bottom, if that’s not working I slow down and keep trying different speeds and depths. The warmer the water the faster the retrieve, but when the temperature goes down I find that the bass like it nice and slow. You really just need to work the water column, starting on the bottom and working your way to the mid water and all the way to the surface.

When it comes to our equipment we prefer to use long sticks in the 7 to 9˝ foot range. The longer sticks provide longer casts and extra leverage for rock solid hook sets. The Rods should be able to cast anything from half ounce to two ounce for the plastic. We use graphite rods because we feel the graphite delivers more sensitivity, lift and better fighting power. G. Loomis, Lamiglas, Phenix and Shimano are a few we use and can really handle the job. At this time we have a limited selection of reels like the Shimano Calcutta 400, 400B and 400TE.

There are many conditions that effect Calico Bass fishing. You have water temperature, ocean currents and water clarity. The water temperature plays a vital role in the production and well being of all organisms and can very depending on time of year and location. We have caught fish in water as low as 53 degrees, it’s tough, but if you’re persistent you’ll get them. Ocean currents play an important role in carrying cold water to warm parts and warm to colder water. This movement of water helps in the dispersal of fish and other pelagic organisms in the ocean. Water clarity can also be important to your fishing success. If the water is too clear/clean the fish have most likely moved to another area with good current and water color. Try to look for off color water such as blue/green or green/ brown.

We truly have a passion for the Calico’s and we try to minimize the impact on our favorite spots and fish by releasing all Calico Bass. Anglers everywhere are becoming more aware that the resources of the sea are not limitless. Anglers are learning that the fish and their habitat must be protected from over fishing, pollution and commercial exploitation. As we develop an increase of knowledge and an understanding of the fish we should also have a greater appreciation of them as a living creature.

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