Essential Weights, Rigs & Rods for Deep Sea Fishing in Southern California

Harry back at Tackle Express in Santa Clarita. You’ve got the right hooks (from our last post), but if your bait isn’t reaching the bottom fast in deep SoCal water, you’re still coming home empty-handed.

These are the exact weights, rigs, and combos every local uses on charters from 60 feet all the way down to 700 feet. No fluff, just the essentials that keep you fishing while the rest of the boat is still tying knots.

Sliding Egg Sinkers – Stealth Depth Control When fish drop just a few feet off the surface or the birds disappear, add a small sliding egg sinker above your fly lining hook. It slides freely so fish don’t feel drag, yet gets your live bait right in the strike zone. Game-changer on those “slow” deep sea days.

Torpedo Sinkers & Dropper Loop Rigs – Deep Water Bombers For serious bottom fishing in 600–700 feet, you need 12–16 oz torpedo sinkers to get down quick. Pair them with a pre-tied PLine Rock Cod rig (two hooks, two swivels—ready to go) or tie your own dropper loop. Add an AA Octopus plus a strip of squid and you stay at the rail catching the biggest reds while everyone else is running to the bait tank.

Rod & Reel Combo Built for Deep SoCal Water Looking for quality without breaking the bank? The Daiwa Seagate 35 conventional reel spooled with 50–65 lb braid and paired with a 7’6” Okuma PCH 30–60 lb rod is the exact setup I recommend to every first-timer heading offshore. Conventional reels sit on top so you can rest the rod on the rail and crank 700 vertical feet without damaging your line—something spinning rods simply can’t handle safely in deep water.

Comfort Essentials That Keep You Fishing All Day Dramamine the night before, quality sunblock, a good hat, bait towels on a carabiner, line cutters, and sturdy boots. When you’re comfortable and organized, you stay focused on catching fish instead of fighting seasickness or wet feet.

Everything we talked about—torpedo sinkers, PLine Rock Cod rigs, Daiwa Seagate reels, Okuma rods, and more—is on the shelf at our Santa Clarita store or ships same-day from tackleexpress.com (free shipping over $59.99).

Next time the captain says “they’re down deep today,” you’ll be the one with fish on the deck. See you at the shop or on the water—tight lines!