Waterlands

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Leopard sharkRetention open

Cape · California

Bruhel Point

39.61°N · 123.79°W · Cape · Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm

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Best score today · 12 AM · Leopard shark

68/100Great
Now
3011 PM PDT
Best window
11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
Tide now
Ebbing4.3 ft ▼

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 11 PM · now

Time11PNOW
Score30Fair
Tide4.3 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.4 knmodeled · toward WNW
Wind8 kn NNWgusts 15 · easing
Sea stateVery rough7.6 ft · 9 s
Air temp55°Mild
WeatherClear13% cloud
Water56°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Mendocino Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Leopard shark

Retention open
Daily limit
3 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 36 in, total length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.

From CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 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))
  • Lingcod Retention open (2 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)

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Leopard shark is best here

Shoulder season for Leopard shark · 5 more weeks at shoulder

Leopard shark season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Leopard shark · 5 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Leopard shark in California

Spot profile

Bruhel Point

Depth
4-15 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · Semi-exposed
Season
Shoulder seasonLeopard shark

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 Bruhel Point

Bruhel Point is a cape in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm, California. Depth in the nearest water is 4-15 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are rockfish, surfperch and lingcod. It is peak season now for rockfish, surfperch, albacore tuna and cabezon, and shoulder season for lingcod, Pacific halibut, California halibut and kelp greenling. Rockfish peak from May through September. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November.

Tackle & technique

Leopard shark
Leopard sharks cruise shallow mudflats, sloughs and channel edges in bays, most often in less than 15 feet of water, and follow the flooding tide onto the flats to feed on crabs, worms, clams and small fish. Anchor or fish from shore or a pier with a sliding sinker rig and a chunk of squid, mackerel or ghost shrimp on the bottom. The bite is often better into the evening and at night.
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.
Surfperch
Surfperch feed in the troughs and holes within about 30 feet of the waterline, just outside the first set of breakers. Cast a two-hook high-low or Carolina rig with size 4 to 2 hooks and a 1 to 6 ounce pyramid sinker and let the surge work it through the trough. Fish the incoming tide on beaches with a steep drop, and switch to jetties, pilings and bays when the surf is too big.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Ten Mile River Bluff

    Cape · 3.2 mi

    64
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 64
    • Surfperch 60
    • Lingcod 58

    8 kt NNWL 3:39 AM · 0.4 ftH 10:26 AM · 4.7 ft

  • Cape Vizcaino

    Cape · 8.6 mi

    64
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 64
    • Lingcod 57
    • Surfperch 54

    6 kt NNEL 3:39 AM · 0.4 ftH 10:26 AM · 4.7 ft

  • Williams Point

    Cape · 10 mi

    64
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 64
    • Surfperch 62
    • Lingcod 57

    6 kt NNEL 3:39 AM · 0.4 ftH 10:26 AM · 4.7 ft

  • Rockport Bay

    Bay · 9.0 mi

    59
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 59
    • Surfperch 56
    • Lingcod 52

    6 kt NNEL 3:39 AM · 0.4 ftH 10:26 AM · 4.7 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.