Long Beach Sportfishing is the open party landing at Berth 55, a Port of Long Beach fixture for more than two decades and the city’s main answer to the bigger San Pedro operations. Like 22nd Street, it sells seats per person on a fleet of party boats, and it covers the full range of trips, from a half day close to home to two day runs offshore for tuna. Reviewers come back to one phrase often: it feels like fishing with friends, which is the landing’s real selling point.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.2 the landing is a strong choice and the second-ranked open party operation on the Los Angeles ranking, a hair behind 22nd Street Landing. Trips and access and a long, consistent track record carry it. The crews are friendly and good with beginners, and the boats are clean and well equipped. The honest knocks are the overnight bunks, which several reviewers call tight and awkwardly laid out, and the crowding on a full boat, where the space between the wheelhouse and the rail gets narrow. Book it for a sociable, good-value day out of Long Beach.
The fleet
The fleet covers each trip length with a dedicated boat. The Ahra-Ahn runs the AM half day, the Victory the three quarter day, and the El Patron and other larger boats the full day Catalina trips, with the Eldorado handling the overnight and two day runs on bunks. The boats are Coast Guard inspected passenger vessels and draw good marks for condition and galley food. As on any party boat, a full load is a shared rail, and the overnight comfort is functional rather than roomy, which is the most common complaint.
The fishing and what you target
The local fishing is the Southern California rotation: rockfish in season, calico and sand bass, whitefish, barracuda, and bonito, with yellowtail as the water warms. The full day to Catalina reaches better island grades, and the overnight and two day boats run offshore for bluefin tuna in the warm months, which is the trip serious anglers book this landing for. As everywhere on this coast, the rockfish season and depth limits are set by the state and shift through the year, so confirm the current rules with California Fish and Wildlife before a bottom trip.
Trips and prices
Seats are per person with bait included. The Ahra-Ahn half day is about $78, the Victory three quarter day about $83, and the El Patron full day to Catalina $129 to $150. The Eldorado runs overnight trips around $270 and two day trips around $650. A California one day license is available aboard, and fish filleting carries a fee. The Berth 55 seafood market and deli on the dock is a genuine plus, though note it is a separate business from the landing when you read reviews. Our cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide help you weigh a shared seat against a private boat.
The crew
The crews are the heart of the good reviews: experienced, easy with regulars and first timers alike, and quick to help on deck. Like every landing, the captain and crew rotate by boat, so the day varies a little with the boat you draw, but the overall record is positive and consistent across a solid review base. The complaints that recur are about space and overnight comfort on full trips rather than the people or the fishing.
Booking and what to know
Book online or by phone, and arrive early to park off the 710 and check in. Bring a cooler, cash for filleting, and motion sickness medication for the longer runs. For an overnight, pack light, since the bunk space is tight. No advance license is needed, as the one day license is sold at the landing.
How we scored it
The Berth 55 landing scores 7.2: a full trip range, a friendly and experienced crew, clean boats, a long consistent record, and fair per-person pricing, with the bonus of a seafood market on the dock. Trips and access and track record are its strengths. Boat and equipment is where it slips, on tight overnight bunks and a crowded rail on full loads. See how we scored this landing, and compare it with the rest of the Los Angeles charters.