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CabezonRetention openCape · California
Williams Point
39.75°N · 123.84°W · Cape · Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 11 PM · Cabezon
- Now
- 305 PM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding3.3 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Williams Point 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 · 5 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
93Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.2 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 7 kt NWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
Open-Meteo Marine
54Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 57°F, primeLight: Late afternoonSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 7.7 ftSeason & habitat · Cabezon
Species seasonality
86Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Mendocino Groundfish Management Area
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)
Source: CDFW · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Cabezon is best here
Peak season for Cabezon · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Williams Point
- Depth
- 20-40 ft
- 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 Williams Point
Williams Point is a cape in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm, California. Depth is 20-40 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
- 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
- Duffys Reef66
Bar · 12 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 66
- Surfperch 61
- Lingcod 59
9 kt NNWH 8:58 PM · 5.5 ftL 3:54 AM · 0.5 ft
- Cape Vizcaino65
Cape · 1.8 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 65
- Lingcod 59
- Surfperch 58
7 kt NWH 9:00 PM · 5.3 ftL 3:39 AM · 0.4 ft
- Rockport Bay60
Bay · 1.4 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 60
- Rockfish 59
- Lingcod 53
7 kt NWH 9:00 PM · 5.3 ftL 3:39 AM · 0.4 ft
- Bruhel Point39
Cape · 10 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 39
- Albacore tuna 30
- Cabezon 30
11 kt NNWH 9:00 PM · 5.3 ftL 3:39 AM · 0.4 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.