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Albacore tunaRetention openBay · California
Mendocino Bay
39.30°N · 123.80°W · Bay · Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 11 PM · Albacore tuna
- Now
- 436 AM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding1.6 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Mendocino Bay 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 · 6 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
97Tide: FloodingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 4 kt NEPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
10Water temp: 55°F, coldLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 7.2 ftSeason & habitat · Albacore tuna
Species seasonality
97Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Mendocino Groundfish Management Area
Albacore tuna
Retention open- Daily limit
- 25 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Not published
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- In addition to the general limit of 20 finfish.
From CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026), read Sep 13
Other species here
- 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)
- 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)
Source: CDFW · synced yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Albacore tuna is best here
Peak season for Albacore tuna · 4 more weeks at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- Not here
- This week
Spot profile
Mendocino Bay
- Depth
- 15-70 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Semi-exposedBay · drop-off
- Season
- Peak seasonAlbacore tuna
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 Mendocino Bay
Mendocino Bay is a bay in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm, California. Depth is 15-70 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads bay, 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
- Albacore tuna
- Albacore hold 30 to 100 miles off Oregon and Washington in clear blue water around 60 to 65 degrees, usually along a temperature break. Troll clones, cedar plugs and diving plugs at 6 to 8 knots until a fish hits, then stop and work the school near the surface with live anchovies, swimbaits or iron. Bar conditions and the long run decide most trips before the fish do.
- 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
- Colby Reef66
Bar · 3.3 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 66
- Lingcod 61
- Surfperch 55
4 kt NEH 10:19 AM · 4.7 ftL 3:40 PM · 2.2 ft
- Van Damme Beach62
Bay · 1.7 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 62
- Rockfish 58
- Lingcod 53
4 kt NEH 10:19 AM · 4.7 ftL 3:40 PM · 2.2 ft
- Buckhorn Cove59
Bay · 2.8 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 59
- Rockfish 58
- Lingcod 53
4 kt NEH 10:19 AM · 4.7 ftL 3:40 PM · 2.2 ft
- Pacific Ocean58
Sea · 2.5 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 58
- Surfperch 55
- Lingcod 53
4 kt NEH 10:19 AM · 4.7 ftL 3:40 PM · 2.2 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.