Average Cost of Fishing Charters in San Diego (Full Guide)
The waters around San Diego are full of fish and home to some of the best tuna fishing in the Pacific Ocean. Anglers should consider charter costs carefully before booking.
The average cost of a San Diego fishing charter trip that lasts 4 hours is $647, 6 hours is $1165, 8 hours is $1245, 10 hours is $1905, and 12 hours is $2501.
Most charters offer nearshore fishing trips on nearshore but offshore fishing can be excellent too. Charter costs depend on the demand and vary throughout the year.
In this guide, we’ll provide anglers with the statistics on the charter costs in the region. Use these data to plan a budget for your fishing trip and select the best time of the year to fish in San Diego
San Diego Fishing Charters: Costs by Duration
4-hour trips
Most 4-hour trips will be inshore, but some trips sacrifice fishing time to travel offshore to target different species. Based on 21 charters surveyed, the average cost was $647, the most expensive was $900, and the cheapest was $450.
4-hour trips work great with group and family trips, they allow you to catch a few fish and spend some time with them, and aren’t too long of a trip. Travel time will generally take around 30 minutes to an hour, depending on what kind of fishing you will be doing.
This leaves you with at least 3 hours of fishing. For 4-hour trips, you should plan on bringing a snack, drinks, and some sunscreen as it’s not a guarantee that the captain will have those things. 4-hour trips are the least intense trips and can make for a relaxing day on the water.
6-hour trips
The average cost of a 6-hour trip in San Diego was $1165, the most expensive trip was $2640, and the cheapest trip was $600, based on 13 charters surveyed.
6-hour trips are one of the most popular options as the day isn’t too long, and you can get plenty of opportunities to catch fish. In San Diego, most 6-hour trips will be a mile or from shore, so you can expect around an hour to an hour and a half of travel time, leaving you with around 4.5-5 hours of fishing.
There are options for inshore 6-hour trips as well, but most species in San Diego can be found offshore, so most trips will be offshore and will target lingcod, halibut, and snapper.
8-hour trips
Based on 15 charters, the average cost was $1245, the most expensive was $1900, and the cheapest was $850.
8-hour trips are considered full-day trips and can be more intense than the short options on this list. 8 hours on the water means that you will need to be prepared with plenty of food and drinks to last you most of the day. These trips are not recommended for groups or families as coordinating that many lines get difficult for that long.
You will be dealing with the waves and weather all day as well, which can be exhausting for some. These trips are for those who take fishing more seriously but don’t want to use their whole day fishing. Most 8-hour trips will be offshore with an hour or two of travel time.
10-hour trips
The average cost for 10-hour trips out of San Diego was $1905, the most expensive was $2200, and the cheapest was $1600, based on 19 charters surveyed.
10-hour trips are one of the most intense days of fishing you can have, especially if you travel offshore. The waves and weather can be exhausting to deal with, so bring plenty of food and water, because most captains will not provide it.
You can expect around 2 hours of travel time for 12-hour trips. These trips are also more commonly canceled than others. If the weather is bad and the waves are too high, captains can’t take their boat out to find the fish, and this could potentially damage their boat.
12-hour trips
Based on 9 charters surveyed, $2501 was the average cost, $1900 was the cheapest, and $3200 was the most expensive.
In most cases, a 12-hour trip is the longest trip a charter will offer. They are not recommended to those who are not used to being out on big water for a long time. These trips can be canceled by the captain if the weather or waves are too rough, and they will give you a refund if the trip is canceled.
12-hour trips can be very exhausting, so groups are not recommended. You will most likely spend around 2 hours traveling to and from spots. There will be bigger waves since you will most likely travel further offshore than any of the other trips. Most 12-hour trips will stick offshore, but there are options for 12-hour inshore fishing trips as well.
Recommended Fishing Charters in San Diego
These San Diego-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Fin Runner Sportfishing Charters | Coronado, CA |
| Pelican Sportfishing | San Diego, CA |
| Risen Tide Sportfishing | Coronado, CA |
| Awol Sportfishing | San Diego, CA |
| Wild Goose Fishing Charters | San Diego, CA |
| San Diego Charters | San Diego, CA |
| The Long Run Sportfishing | San Diego, CA |
| Brothers Sport Fishing | San Diego, CA |
| Bubba Jean Sportfishing | San Diego, CA |
| Western Star Sportfishing | San Diego, CA |
| Pacific Bluefin Sportfishing – Time Machine | San Diego, CA |
| Good Times Sportfishing | San Diego, CA |
| Fishers Of Men SD | San Diego, CA |
San Diego: Seasonal Trip Cost Breakdowns
Spring
Spring fishing in San Diego offers good opportunities to catch halibut, sea bass, and ling cod, three great fighting and tasting offshore fish. Spring isn’t the most popular time to book a charter, so there shouldn’t be any extra charges for your trip, and you can still find some great fishing.
Most of the fishing in the spring will be done offshore, but inshore trips can be successful as well. Barracuda and spotted bay bass are popular inshore targets during the spring.
Summer
Summer in San Diego is the best time to book a charter, almost all fish in the area will be in season including halibut, snapper, and tuna. Trips in the summer may have an increased price due to the increase in demand since summer is the busiest season for charters in San Diego.
It is a good idea to book your trip as far in advance as you can, since availability may be limited. When going on a trip in the summer, you can expect some competition out on the water, but most of the time, the spots are big enough to hold enough fish for everyone.
Fall
During the fall, you can expect fishing to be consistently good throughout the season. Fish like halibut and snapper will be very active during the fall while they prepare to go to deeper water for the winter. Fall is a good time to go because the weather will be much milder than the winter or summer, and you can find charters for a decent price during the fall.
Fall is one of San Diego’s busiest seasons, but there should be no extra charge due to the season. As with summer, you should book as early as possible to make sure you get the charter you would like to take a trip with.
Winter
Fishing in San Diego can be good if you’re targeting certain species, but some of the area’s most sought-out fish are not in season during the winter. Some of the species you can catch include barracuda, wahoo, and bonito. The reason why so many fish leave the area is because of how cold the water gets.
They migrate out of the area and will return in spring. One perk of winter fishing in San Diego is the weather. The weather will be very mild, which helps you stay on the water for longer.
San Diego Charters: Factors Impacting Costs
Charter costs are affected by multiple things. The main factors are gas and bait prices. If those prices go up, charters may increase their rates to adjust for that price increase. Demand is also a factor that can affect the price of a charter. If it’s the peak season of a popular gamefish in the area, charters may increase their rates to adjust to the increase in demand.
Some charters do this, and some don’t, just make sure that you are looking at the correct prices when booking your trip. Day of the week can also impact charter costs. If you book on a weekend, some charters may have a higher rate than during the week.
Some more indirect factors are the experience of the captain. Higher costs can sometimes mean that the captain that you are going out with is experienced, giving you a better chance of catching fish.
Cost of Shared Fishing Charter
A shared charter is when the charter captain picks the group of people to take out. The group is determined by the charter captain and is usually a random group of people that booked the trip around the same time as you.
When on a shared charter, things can get a bit chaotic with too many people, but there will be plenty of opportunities to catch fish, even more so if you choose to go with a longer trip. The cost of a shared trip is split evenly, and the tip is given by each person individually rather than the group splitting it evenly.
Some shared charters will provide some food and drinks but expect to have to bring your own. Shared trips can be both in offshore and inshore waters, but in San Diego, offshore shared charters are much more common.
You can also take up multiple spots on the shared trip meaning that you can bring a group of people along and have others fill in the other spots on the boat, making it a mix of a shared and private group trip.
Additional Costs with Charter Fishing
While booking a charter can be expensive in itself, there can be other costs associated with a charter trip. The main ones are the tip and what you bring on the boat for the day. Tips are usually expected by captains and are a big help to first mates as well.
A normal tip in this industry is around 15-20%. This may seem expensive, but captains and first mates work extremely hard throughout the fishing seasons with hundreds of trips per year. It is also a job with very long days, no breaks, and usually a very short down season in San Diego.
Things that you need to bring on a charter include an appropriate amount of food and drinks for the length of your trip and sunscreen. The sun is very powerful in San Diego, so it’s smart to either cover up or use plenty of sunscreen.
Another cost that can be included with a charter is the cleaning and transportation of your fish. Some captains will clean the fish for you, but sometimes you will have to pay someone else to do it for you.
If you are planning on transporting this fish back home, you will need to flash freeze and vacuum seal your fish to keep it fresh. Most places that do this aren’t extremely expensive, but it is another cost you should keep in mind along with the cost of having another checked bag or two on the plane.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in San Diego, please check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Los Angeles, please check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the charter costs in Cabo San Lucas, please check out this guide.
