Waterlands

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Albacore tunaRetention open

Cape · California

Toms Point

38.22°N · 122.95°W · Cape · Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm

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Best score today · 6 PM · Albacore tuna

73/100Great
Now
4412 PM PDT
Best window
6-9 PMFlood tide
Tide now
Ebbing4.0 ft ▼

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

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 12 PM · now

Time12PNOW
Score44Fair
Tide4.0 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.3 knmodeled · toward NNE
Wind4 kn Wgusts 12 · building
Sea stateRough6.3 ft · 9 s
Air temp74°Warm
WeatherClear0% cloud
Water58°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

San Francisco Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

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)

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Albacore tuna is best here

Peak season for Albacore tuna · 4 more weeks at peak

Albacore tuna season by week of the year. Peak season for Albacore tuna · 4 more weeks at peak.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • Not here
  • This week

Albacore tuna in California

Spot profile

Toms Point

Depth
4-9 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Inner · Protected
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 Toms Point

Toms Point is a cape in Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm. Depth in the nearest water is 4-9 ft. Its profile reads point, inner water and protected.

Waterlands scores 12 species here; the best right now are cabezon, surfperch and rockfish. It is peak season now for cabezon, surfperch, rockfish and striped bass, and shoulder season for kelp greenling, lingcod, white seabass and Pacific halibut. Cabezon peak from May through September. Surfperch peak in May and from July 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.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Preston Point

    Cape · 1.0 mi

    67
    Top: CabezonPeak season
    • Cabezon 67
    • Surfperch 65
    • Kelp greenling 59

    4 kt WL 5:21 PM · 1.7 ftH 10:33 PM · 4.7 ft

  • Tomales Bay

    Bay · 3.9 mi

    65
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 65
    • Cabezon 61
    • Kelp greenling 58

    4 kt WL 5:22 PM · 2.1 ftH 10:39 PM · 4.9 ft

  • Clam Island Bar

    Bar · 0.7 mi

    64
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 64
    • Cabezon 59
    • Rockfish 55

    4 kt WL 4:26 PM · 2.0 ftH 9:49 PM · 4.8 ft

  • Seal Island Bar

    Bar · 0.9 mi

    64
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 64
    • Cabezon 59
    • Rockfish 55

    4 kt WL 4:26 PM · 2.0 ftH 9:49 PM · 4.8 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.