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LingcodRetention openBay · California
Bear Harbor
39.91°N · 123.94°W · Bay · Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 9 AM · Lingcod
- Now
- 462 PM PDT
- Best window
- 6 PM-12 AMHigh slack
- Tide now
- Ebbing3.1 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Bear Harbor scores 75+
Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.
14-day forecast
Best days to fish
24-hour conditions · rolling from now
Conditions · 2 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
48Tide: EbbingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 9 kt NWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
Open-Meteo Marine
25Water temp: 58°F, warmLight: Bright sunSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 6.4 ftSeason & habitat · Lingcod
Species seasonality
68Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Mendocino Groundfish Management Area
Lingcod
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 22 in, total length
- Season
- Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.
From CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026), read Sep 13
Other species here
- Albacore tuna Retention open (25 per day)
- Barred sand bass Retention open (4 per day (5 kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass combined))
- Cabezon Retention open (10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined))
- California halibut Retention open (2 per day)
- Chinook salmon Closed (No retention)
- Coho salmon Closed (No retention)
- Kelp bass Retention open (5 per day (5 kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass combined))
- Kelp greenling Retention open (10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined))
- Leopard shark Retention open (3 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Retention open (10 per day)
- Pacific bluefin tuna Retention open (2 per day)
- Pacific halibut Retention open (1 per day)
- Rockfish Retention open (10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined))
- Sablefish Retention open (10 per day)
- Striped bass Retention open (2 per day)
- Surfperch Retention open (20 per day)
- White seabass Retention open (3 per day)
- Yellowfin tuna Retention open (10 per day)
- Yellowtail Retention open (10 per day)
Source: CDFW · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Lingcod is best here
Shoulder season for Lingcod · 1 more week at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Bear Harbor
- Depth
- 15-25 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Exposed
- Season
- Shoulder seasonLingcod
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 14 on a 464 m grid. Depths are feet below mean sea level, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Bear Harbor
Bear Harbor is a bay in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm, California. Depth in the nearest water is 15-25 ft. Its profile reads bay, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are rockfish, cabezon and striped bass. It is peak season now for rockfish, cabezon, striped bass and surfperch, and shoulder season for Pacific halibut, lingcod, kelp greenling and white seabass. Rockfish peak from May through September. Cabezon peak from May through September. Striped bass peak from June through July and from September through October.
Tackle & technique
- Lingcod
- Lingcod ambush prey from rock outcrops, reef edges and kelp where current runs, most often in 30 to 300 feet, and males move shallow to guard nests in winter. Drift over the reef bouncing a lead-head swimbait or metal jig on the bottom, or fish herring or squid on a heavy leader, since their teeth cut light line. From jetties and rocky shore, work bait or jigs along the rocks on the incoming tide.
- Rockfish
- Rockfish live on rocky reefs, pinnacles and kelp from the shoreline out past 300 feet, with black and blue rockfish schooling mid-water over shallow reefs and copper, quillback, yelloweye and vermilion sitting tight to deeper bottom. Drift over the structure with a shrimp fly above a lead-head grub or metal jig, or a squid strip, and reel up a few cranks after touching bottom to cut snags. Use a descending device to release any fish brought up from deep water.
- Cabezon
- Cabezon sit in rock crevices, kelp beds and jetty boulders from the intertidal zone to about 100 feet and feed mostly on crabs and small fish. Fish a fish-finder rig with sand shrimp, squid or crab right on the bottom in the rocks, or drag a lead-head grub slowly through the kelp. Expect snags, and do not eat the roe, which is toxic.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Small White Rock60
Bar · 5.7 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 60
- Lingcod 53
- Pacific halibut 53
9 kt NWL 3:10 PM · 2.9 ftH 8:58 PM · 5.5 ft
- Duffys Reef57
Bar · 0.7 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 57
- Pacific halibut 54
- Cabezon 53
9 kt NWL 3:10 PM · 2.9 ftH 8:58 PM · 5.5 ft
- Shelter Cove44
Bay · 10 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 44
- Albacore tuna 30
- Cabezon 30
9 kt NWL 3:10 PM · 2.9 ftH 8:58 PM · 5.5 ft
- Point Delgada43
Cape · 10 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 43
- Albacore tuna 30
- Cabezon 30
9 kt NWL 3:10 PM · 2.9 ftH 8:58 PM · 5.5 ft
Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with CDFW before you keep a fish.