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Albacore tunaRetention openBar · California
Fort Ross Reef
38.50°N · 123.23°W · Bar · Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 11 PM · Albacore tuna
- Now
- 451 PM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing3.3 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Fort Ross Reef 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 · 1 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
100Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.4 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 7 kt WNWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
15Water temp: 58°F, coolLight: Partly cloudySolunar: Between periodsSeas: 6.0 ftSeason & habitat · Albacore tuna
Species seasonality
97Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco 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
Fort Ross Reef
- Depth
- 20-100 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Reef · Outer · ExposedReef · drop-off
- 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 Fort Ross Reef
Fort Ross Reef is a bar in Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm. Depth is 20-100 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads reef, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are rockfish, lingcod and striped bass. It is peak season now for rockfish, striped bass, cabezon and surfperch, and shoulder season for lingcod, white seabass, kelp greenling and Pacific halibut. Rockfish peak from May through September. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November. Striped bass peak from June through July and from September through October.
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.
- 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.
- Lingcod
- Lingcod ambush prey from rock outcrops, reef edges and kelp where current runs, most often in 30 to 300 feet, and males move shallow to guard nests in winter. Drift over the reef bouncing a lead-head swimbait or metal jig on the bottom, or fish herring or squid on a heavy leader, since their teeth cut light line. From jetties and rocky shore, work bait or jigs along the rocks on the incoming tide.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Horseshoe Cove65
Bay · 11 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 65
- Lingcod 60
- Striped bass 58
7 kt WNWL 3:35 PM · 1.8 ftH 9:31 PM · 4.8 ft
- Duncans Point65
Cape · 11 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 65
- Lingcod 59
- Striped bass 58
3 kt SSWL 3:50 PM · 2.3 ftH 9:23 PM · 5.3 ft
- Stump Beach Cove60
Bay · 7.9 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 60
- Striped bass 58
- Lingcod 54
7 kt WNWL 3:36 PM · 2.1 ftH 9:10 PM · 5.3 ft
- Fisk Mill Cove59
Bay · 9.2 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 59
- Striped bass 58
- Lingcod 52
7 kt WNWL 3:36 PM · 2.1 ftH 9:10 PM · 5.3 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.