Waterlands

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RockfishRetention open

Bay · California

Bodega Harbor

38.32°N · 123.05°W · Bay · Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 7 AM · Cabezon

67/100Great
Now
513 PM PDT
Best window
5-7 PMFlood tide
Tide now
Low2.7 ft

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

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14-day forecast

Best days to fish

Best: Tue · 77

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 3 PM · now

Time3PNOW
Score51Good
Tide2.7 ftLow
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward SE
Wind8 kn WSWgusts 18 · steady
Sea stateRough6.7 ft · 9 s
Air temp74°Warm
WeatherClear0% cloud
Water59°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

San Francisco Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Rockfish

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. 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.

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))
  • 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)
  • 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)
Always check with CDFW ↗Fishing license ↗

Source: CDFW · synced today

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Rockfish is best here

Peak season for Rockfish · 1 more week at peak

Rockfish season by week of the year. Peak season for Rockfish · 1 more week at peak.
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  • Shoulder
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Rockfish in California →

Spot profile

Bodega Harbor

Depth
3-5 ft
Structure
Bay · Inner · Protected
Season
Peak seasonRockfish

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 Bodega Harbor

Bodega Harbor is a bay in Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm. Depth is 3-5 ft. Its profile reads bay, inner water and protected.

Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are rockfish, surfperch and albacore tuna. It is peak season now for rockfish, surfperch, albacore tuna and cabezon, and shoulder season for Pacific halibut, lingcod, California halibut and kelp greenling. Rockfish peak from May through September. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Albacore tuna peak from September through October.

Tackle & technique

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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

View all on map →
  • Gull Rocks

    Bar · 3.2 mi

    55
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 55
    • Pacific halibut 54
    • Surfperch 51

    8 kt WSWL 3:13 PM · 2.7 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft

  • Spud Point

    Cape · 0.5 mi

    52
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 52
    • Surfperch 52
    • Albacore tuna 47

    8 kt WSWL 3:13 PM · 2.7 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft

  • Gaffney Point

    Cape · 0.9 mi

    52
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 52
    • Surfperch 52
    • Albacore tuna 47

    8 kt WSWL 3:13 PM · 2.7 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft

  • Horseshoe Cove

    Bay · 1.3 mi

    52
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 52
    • Albacore tuna 47
    • Rockfish 47

    8 kt WSWL 3:13 PM · 2.7 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft

Open in the tide map

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.