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Kelp greenlingRetention openBar · California
Saunders Reef
38.85°N · 123.66°W · Bar · Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 8 AM · Kelp greenling
- Now
- 303 AM PDT
- Best window
- 5-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing0.6 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Saunders 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 · 3 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
44Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.5 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 6 kt NPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
34Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 54°F, primeLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 8.4 ftSeason & habitat · Kelp greenling
Species seasonality
75Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
Kelp greenling
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. 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.
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))
- 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 yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Kelp greenling is best here
Shoulder season for Kelp greenling · 1 more week at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Saunders Reef
- Depth
- 35-45 ft
- Structure
- Reef · Outer · Exposed
- Season
- Shoulder seasonKelp greenling
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 Saunders Reef
Saunders Reef is a bar in Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm. Depth is 35-45 ft. Its profile reads reef, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are Pacific halibut, albacore tuna and cabezon. It is peak season now for albacore tuna, cabezon, rockfish and striped bass, and shoulder season for Pacific halibut, California halibut, kelp greenling and leopard shark. Pacific halibut peak from May through July. Albacore tuna peak from September through October. Cabezon peak from May through September.
Tackle & technique
- Kelp greenling
- Kelp greenling are solitary bottom fish of rocky shores, jetties and kelp beds, usually in water shallower than 60 feet. Use a small number 4 to 6 hook with sand shrimp or marine worms, or a small lead-head grub, dropped to the bottom and reeled up slightly. Larger fish show in October and November when they spawn close to shore, and mornings tend to fish best.
- Pacific halibut
- Halibut sit on sand and gravel bottoms near drop-offs, bars and pinnacles, most often in 90 to 500 feet in Alaska and on the shelf off Washington, Oregon and far northern California. Anchor up-current of a likely edge and fish herring, squid, octopus or a salmon head on a circle hook with 24 to 32 ounces of weight, or bounce a large jig on the bottom. The best bite usually comes in the hour around slack tide.
- 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
- Robinson Reef56
Bar · 8.7 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 56
- Lingcod 51
- Pacific halibut 50
6 kt NH 10:06 AM · 4.1 ftL 3:35 PM · 1.8 ft
- Robinson Point53
Cape · 8.5 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 53
- Surfperch 49
- Lingcod 48
6 kt NH 10:06 AM · 4.1 ftL 3:35 PM · 1.8 ft
- Havens Anchorage42
Bay · 5.4 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 42
- Albacore tuna 30
- Cabezon 30
6 kt NH 10:06 AM · 4.1 ftL 3:35 PM · 1.8 ft
- Arena Cove40
Bay · 5.1 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 40
- Albacore tuna 30
- Cabezon 30
7 kt NH 10:12 AM · 4.8 ftL 3:39 PM · 2.3 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.