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Albacore tunaRetention openBay · California
Horseshoe Cove
38.61°N · 123.37°W · Bay · 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
- 4611 AM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing4.0 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Horseshoe Cove 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 · 11 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
63Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.3 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 5 kt WPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
20Water temp: 58°F, coldLight: Bright sunSolunar: Major periodSeas: 6.2 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
Horseshoe Cove
- Depth
- 10-60 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Semi-exposedBay · 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 Horseshoe Cove
Horseshoe Cove is a bay in Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm. Depth is 10-60 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads bay, outer water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are surfperch, cabezon and rockfish. It is peak season now for surfperch, cabezon, rockfish and striped bass, and shoulder season for kelp greenling, Pacific halibut, lingcod and white seabass. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Cabezon peak from May through September. Rockfish peak from May through September.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Rocky Point69
Cape · 1.7 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 69
- Kelp greenling 64
- Rockfish 61
6 kt WNWL 3:35 PM · 1.8 ftH 9:31 PM · 4.8 ft
- Stump Beach Cove69
Bay · 2.7 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 69
- Cabezon 62
- Kelp greenling 60
5 kt WL 3:36 PM · 2.1 ftH 9:10 PM · 5.3 ft
- Black Point69
Cape · 5.7 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 69
- Surfperch 69
- Kelp greenling 64
6 kt WNWL 3:35 PM · 1.8 ftH 9:31 PM · 4.8 ft
- Fisk Mill Cove62
Bay · 1.3 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 62
- Kelp greenling 60
- Surfperch 60
5 kt WL 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.