Sportfishing

Please come prepared to guarantee you have the best experience.

Alcohol and narcotics are also not allowed to be brought on board the boats, including medical card marijuana.

Safety & Security: Operating under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, TSA and State Maritime guidelines (and for your safety), we are required to be proactive in searching carry-on items, prior to boarding the boat.  Searches can be random or at a deckhand’s discretion, and are not based on race, gender, age or any other discriminating factors.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Check In: All anglers must check in for their fishing trips and get their boarding tickets at the tackle shop, one hour or earlier before the boat departs. The only exception for this is on standard overnight trips, where check-in is done at the dock. At the time of check-in, tackle shop employees will assist you with rod rental, tackle and fishing licenses. Gunny sacks are required for fish you would like to keep, and they may be purchased at the tackle shop or on the boat.

Smoking – Cigarette smoking is allowed on the boat, restricted to the outside deck areas – Please be considerate of your fellow anglers when smoking.

Small children are welcome on our boats. The smallest life jackets that we carry on our boats will fit a child to a minimum of 50 lbs.

Rigid ice chests and 5 gallon Buckets (i.e., plastic, styrofoam) are not allowed to be brought on board the boats, due to safety and liability issues.

Fishing Licenses: Licenses are required for adults and children 16 and older. Licenses are not required for children 15 and under.
At our tackle shop, licenses need to be paid using cash or check only. For the 2026 season:

One-day Sport Fishing License: $21.09
Allows a resident or nonresident to fish for one specified day. One-day sport fishing licenses are exempt from the Ocean Enhancement Validation requirement.

Two-day Sport Fishing License: $32.40
Allows a resident or nonresident to fish for two consecutive days. Two-day sport fishing licenses are exempt from the Ocean Enhancement Validation requirement.

We can accomodate all fishing licenses in our shop. 

For more information visit Sport Fishing Items and Fees.

 

Galley – There is a galley on each boat that offers items for purchase. They typically will prepare breakfast sandwiches or burritos in the morning, and hamburgers later in the day. They also offer beer, soda and water, along with chips and other snacks. Additional rock cod rigs and sinkers are available if needed. A running galley tab will be kept by the deckhands, and the customer will be asked to pay off the tab on the boat towards the end of the trip. The tab must be paid in cash, as the boats do not carry credit card capabilities. We reserve the right to refuse to serve alcohol in the interest of safety.

Fish Cleaning – On the way back from your fishing trip, the deckhands will ask if you would like to have your fish cleaned. The cost is $2.00 for rockfish and $3.00 for a lingcod. For your convenience, plastic bags are provided on the boat to put the fillets in. The fish cleaning cost must be paid using cash only.

Jackpot – An optional jackpot for the largest fish will be offered by a deckhand on the way out to the fishing area. The typical amount is $10.00 per person for 1/2 day and 3/4 day trips, $20.00 for the longer trips.

Tips – Please tip our deckhands. Tips for our crew members are greatly appreciated. They work diligently to provide you with superior customer service and assistance.

Good Fishing Practices – Customers are responsible for keeping track of fish they keep. Once a fish has been placed in a gunny sack, it may not be removed and thrown back. If full limits of fish for all anglers are caught before the usual return time, the boat will come back early. Virg’s Landing practices sustainable fishing, and will NOT continue to fish when full limits have been achieved, as the fish cannot be kept and will die due to the change in pressure. Descending devices are required if fish are returned to the ocean.

California is actively advancing sustainable fishing along its coast through coordinated programs and ecosystem-based management. The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) supports collaborative fisheries management, emphasizing reduced entanglement risks and the adoption of responsible harvest practices. The California Sustainable Seafood Initiative promotes environmentally sound fishing among both commercial operators and consumers, strengthening market demand for responsibly sourced seafood. At the same time, the California Groundfish Project works with local fishing communities to rebuild and sustain groundfish populations while supporting economic resilience. Complementing these efforts, the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) safeguards critical marine habitats, preserves biodiversity, and ensures fish populations remain healthy. Together, these initiatives demonstrate California’s strong commitment to protecting its coastal ecosystems while maintaining productive, sustainable fisheries for future generations.