Waterlands

NWS zone PZZ540 · Northern California

Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm fishing forecast

California · Pacific coast

Score now

67Great
Lingcod · 3:00 PM PST
Named spots
27
Species scored
10
Tide stations
1

Overview

Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm is NWS marine zone PZZ540 on the California Pacific coast, in the Northern California species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as open coast, near shore. It holds 27 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System and has 1 NOAA tide station nearby.

10 species are scored here in this forecast; Lingcod and Kelp greenling are at peak season now.

At 3:00 PM it scores 67 (great), led by Lingcod. The best window for the rest of today is 6 PM-12 AM (ebb tide), peaking at 68 for Lingcod. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Thu, Nov 5 at 9 AM, scoring 71.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 3:05 PM PST.

Best window today

6 PM-12 AM · Ebb tide

Top species: Lingcod

68Great

Best hour of each day, next 14 days

  1. Mon, Nov 2

    68

    2 PM

    Lingcod

  2. Tue, Nov 3

    67

    6 AM

    Lingcod

  3. Wed, Nov 4

    69

    5 PM

    Lingcod

  4. Thu, Nov 5

    71

    9 AM

    Lingcod

    Best day

  5. Fri, Nov 6

    39

    12 AM

    Lingcod

  6. Sat, Nov 7

    58

    10 PM

    Lingcod

  7. Sun, Nov 8

    70

    7 AM

    Lingcod

  8. Mon, Nov 9

    64

    7 PM

    Lingcod

  9. Tue, Nov 10

    59

    12 AM

    Surfperch

  10. Wed, Nov 11

    62

    4 PM

    Striped bass

  11. Thu, Nov 12

    70

    3 PM

    Lingcod

  12. Fri, Nov 13

    70

    3 PM

    Lingcod

  13. Sat, Nov 14

    71

    4 PM

    Lingcod

  14. Sun, Nov 15

    67

    5 PM

    Striped bass

Species · 10

Listed for the Northern California region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.

67Great
LingcodOphiodon elongatus · nearshore

Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 9 AM (71)

59Good
SurfperchEmbiotocidae (mainly Amphistichus spp.) · surf

Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 6 AM (64)

58Good
Kelp greenlingHexagrammos decagrammus · nearshore

Peak season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 6 AM (66)

57Good
RockfishSebastes spp. · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 8 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 9 AM (61)

56Good
Striped bassMorone saxatilis · sea-run

Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Sat, Nov 14 at 4 PM (70)

50Good
CabezonScorpaenichthys marmoratus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 9 AM (59)

49Good
Albacore tunaThunnus alalunga · pelagic

Shoulder season, changing this week · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 6 AM (50)

34Fair
White seabassAtractoscion nobilis · nearshore

Off season, about 4 more weeks · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 12 AM (35)

30Fair
California halibutParalichthys californicus · bottom

Off season, about 21 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 8 PM (35)

30Fair
Leopard sharkTriakis semifasciata · inshore

Off season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 7 PM (35)

Named spots · 27

Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.

Nearest tide stations

Regulations

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with CDFW Nov 2, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

This bay system’s spots fall in North of Point Conception (27 spots), San Francisco Management Area (27 spots), San Francisco salmon area (27 spots) and South of Point Arena (27 spots).

Ocean waters north of Point Conception (34°27' N. lat.) · CDFW

Albacore tunaRetention open

25 per day

Season: No closed season on file

In addition to the general limit of 20 finfish.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Striped bassRetention open

2 per day · Minimum 18 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Angling, spearfishing or bow and arrow only. No sinker over 4 pounds, no power-driven gurdy or winch, no snagging. The CDFW San Francisco Bay District page states the same limits for the bay: two fish, 18 inches total length.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

White seabassRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 28 in, total length. Or twenty and one-half inches alternate length (Section 28.35).

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW pages disagree on the alternate length: the regulation text says 20.5 inches, the booklet summary table 21.5 inches, and the regional web pages 20 inches. Total length is 28 inches on all of them.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

San Francisco Groundfish Management Area · CDFW

CabezonRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

California halibutRetention open

2 per day · 2 in possession · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Kelp greenlingRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat. CDFW limits and seasons cover kelp and rock greenlings together.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

LingcodRetention open

2 per day · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

RockfishRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. Within the 10-fish RCG limit: no more than 1 copper rockfish, 2 canary rockfish, and 2 vermilion/sunset rockfish. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat. Yelloweye, cowcod, bronzespotted and quillback rockfish may not be kept.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Statewide

Leopard sharkRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 36 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

SurfperchRetention open

20 per day · Minimum 10.5 in, total length. Redtail surfperch only. No minimum size for other surfperch.

Season: No closed season on file

In San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, surfperch are closed April 1 through July 31 and the limit is 5 (shiner perch excepted). 20 surfperch in combination, not more than 10 of any one species. Shiner perch have a separate limit of 20.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Other California bay systems