Waterlands

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CabezonRetention open

Cape · California

Saint Anthonys Point

39.14°N · 123.72°W · Cape · Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm

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Best score today · 6 PM · Cabezon

70/100Great
Now
655 PM PDT
Best window
5-11 PMEbb tide
Tide now
Flooding4.5 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 5 PM · now

Time5PNOW
Score65Great
Tide4.5 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward SW
Wind7 kn NWgusts 15 · easing
Sea stateRough5.4 ft · 7 s
Air temp58°Mild
WeatherOvercast98% cloud
Water54°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Mendocino Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Cabezon

Retention open
Daily limit
10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined)
Possession
Not published
Size
No minimum size limit.
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. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. 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))
  • 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)

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Cabezon is best here

Peak season for Cabezon · 1 more week at peak

Cabezon season by week of the year. Peak season for Cabezon · 1 more week at peak.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Cabezon in California

Spot profile

Saint Anthonys Point

Depth
25-35 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · Semi-exposed
Season
Peak seasonCabezon

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 Saint Anthonys Point

Saint Anthonys Point is a cape in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm, California. Depth in the nearest water is 25-35 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are cabezon, rockfish and surfperch. It is peak season now for cabezon, rockfish, surfperch and striped bass, and shoulder season for kelp greenling, lingcod, Pacific halibut and white seabass. Cabezon peak from May through September. Rockfish peak from May through September. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September.

Tackle & technique

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.
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

  • Biggar Rock

    Cape · 5.5 mi

    70
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 70
    • Cabezon 68
    • Surfperch 65

    7 kt NWH 7:01 PM · 5.0 ftL 2:24 AM · 0.6 ft

  • Whitesboro Cove

    Bay · 6.2 mi

    65
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 65
    • Rockfish 61
    • Cabezon 60

    7 kt NWH 7:01 PM · 5.0 ftL 2:24 AM · 0.6 ft

  • Greenwood Cove

    Bay · 0.2 mi

    64
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 64
    • Rockfish 60
    • Cabezon 59

    7 kt NWH 7:01 PM · 5.0 ftL 2:24 AM · 0.6 ft

  • Cuffeys Cove

    Bay · 0.6 mi

    64
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 64
    • Rockfish 60
    • Cabezon 59

    7 kt NWH 7:01 PM · 5.0 ftL 2:24 AM · 0.6 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.