This page covers mahi-mahi, also called dorado, and what to expect fishing it from Marina del Rey. Mahi-mahi is not documented from this port specifically, so this page applies what holds for Southern California and ties it to the harbor’s own layout. For the harbor, launch ramp and landings, see the Marina del Rey port page. For identification and general biology, see the mahi-mahi fishing guide.
When mahi-mahi show up along this coast
Along the Southern California coast, dorado come in late summer and fall, and the good years follow warm water arriving from the south. In a cool year they may be few or absent. The warm edge is the thing to watch: where warm water pushes toward the offshore banks, dorado follow the edge and the floating kelp that drifts along it. The Southern California mahi-mahi guide (see also the Pacific Southwest region guide) covers the water in more detail.
Where boats run from the harbor
Marina del Rey is a Los Angeles County small-craft harbor on Santa Monica Bay. Boats enter through a dredged channel behind a detached breakwater, with two openings between the jetties and the breakwater. The entrance channel runs northeast about 0.7 mile from the breakwater, and the harbor channel then runs north about 0.6 mile. Open water lies to the southwest across the bay. Sailboats use the center lane of the entrance channel in both directions, so expect them close alongside on busy weekend afternoons.
Sport fishing barges usually anchor one to two miles offshore in summer. Underwater installations between King Harbor and Marina del Rey, out to nine fathoms, can be a hazard at certain tides, and a run south along the beach toward Redondo may keep outside that line. Sea fog is a persistent problem along this stretch in fall and winter, so an early departure may start in fog. Check conditions yourself before running offshore.
Grounds and structure
No dorado ground is named for Marina del Rey boats. Catalina Island is among the island destinations documented for trips from the harbor, but no mahi-mahi catch is documented there. The banks that hold dorado in warm years along this coast, Tanner and Cortes among them, are far offshore and are not documented as Marina del Rey grounds.
How mahi-mahi are fished out of Marina del Rey
No method for dorado is documented from this harbor. The general approach applies: run the edges of warm water and of kelp or debris, scan for birds and bait, and troll feathers or ballyhoo along the edge of a weedline rather than through it. When a school rises, pitch to the fish that come up, and keep one hooked fish in the water beside the boat to hold the others.
Who fishes them
No Marina del Rey charter is documented as targeting dorado. The trips documented from the landings focus mostly on nearshore species such as calico bass, sand bass and rockfish. Ask the boat directly whether it runs offshore for dorado before you book.
FAQ
When can I expect dorado off Marina del Rey?
Along this coast they come in late summer and fall in warm-water years. Watch the warm water and the color breaks rather than a calendar date.
Is there a dorado charter at Marina del Rey?
No charter is documented as targeting dorado from the harbor. Ask the landings directly before booking.
Is the entrance hard to read?
The two openings between the jetties and the breakwater can be hard to tell apart at night or in haze. Use the chart and a radar or plotter before you arrive.
