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Albacore tunaRetention openCape · California
Punta Gorda
40.26°N · 124.36°W · Cape · Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 7 AM · Rockfish
- Now
- 306 PM PDT
- Best window
- 9 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding4.1 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Punta Gorda 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
Saturday, Oct 3 · 7 PM
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
100Tide: EbbingWind & pressure
ECMWF
86Wind: 7 kt NPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
97Water temp: 55°F, primeLight: DuskSolunar: Major periodSeason & habitat · Striped bass
Species seasonality
95Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In range
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Northern 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 today
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
Punta Gorda
- Depth
- 7-30 ft
- Structure
- Point · Outer · Exposed
- 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 Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is a cape in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm, California. Depth is 7-30 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are albacore tuna, cabezon and California halibut. It is peak season now for albacore tuna, cabezon, rockfish and striped bass, and shoulder season for California halibut, kelp greenling, leopard shark and lingcod. Albacore tuna peak from September through October. Cabezon peak from May through September. California halibut peak from May through August.
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.
- 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.
- California halibut
- California halibut are ambush feeders that lie on sand or mud bottom, mostly in water shallower than 100 feet and often inside bays, harbors and estuaries. Drift or slow-troll a live anchovy or sardine on a sliding sinker rig, or bounce a swimbait along the bottom over flats, channel edges and sandy areas near structure. Keep the bait within a foot or two of the bottom and give a fish time to turn the bait before setting the hook.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Cape Mendocino57
Cape · 13 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 57
- Surfperch 54
- Lingcod 52
19 kt NH 9:41 PM · 5.3 ftL 4:43 AM · 0.5 ft
- Blunts Reef38
Bar · 14 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 38
- Cabezon 30
- California halibut 30
19 kt NH 9:41 PM · 5.3 ftL 4:43 AM · 0.5 ft
- Rodgers Break35
Bar · 5.2 mi
Top: Albacore tunaPeak season- Albacore tuna 35
- Lingcod 35
- Rockfish 35
13 kt NH 8:58 PM · 5.5 ftL 3:54 AM · 0.5 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.