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RockfishRetention openBay · California
Chinese Harbor
34.03°N · 119.61°W · Bay · East Santa Barbara Channel from Pt. Conception to Pt. Mugu CA including Santa Cruz Island
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 6 PM · Rockfish
- Now
- 523 AM PDT
- Best window
- 4-10 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding0.2 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Chinese Harbor 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
69Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.5 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
97Wind: 3 kt WNWPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
42Water temp: 71°F, hotLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 2.7 ftSeason & habitat · Rockfish
Species seasonality
62Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Rockfish(nearshore)
Retention open- Daily limit
- 10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined)
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- No minimum size limit.
- Season
- Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Changes
- Closed from Oct 1
- Other
- Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas (Section 27.50). 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. Boat-based take only shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area line. 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 (10 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 (5 per day)
- Chinook salmon Retention open (2 per day (2 salmon combined))
- 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)
Source: CDFW · synced yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Rockfish is best here
Shoulder season for Rockfish · 9 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Chinese Harbor
- Depth
- 25-50 ft
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · Exposed
- Season
- Shoulder 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 Chinese Harbor
Chinese Harbor is a bay in East Santa Barbara Channel from Pt. Conception to Pt. Mugu CA including Santa Cruz Island, California. Depth is 25-50 ft. Its profile reads bay, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are California halibut, kelp bass and California yellowtail. It is peak season now for California halibut, California yellowtail and leopard shark, and shoulder season for kelp bass, barred sand bass, lingcod and rockfish. California halibut peak from May through September. Kelp bass peak from June through August. California yellowtail peak from July through September.
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.
- California halibut
- California halibut are ambush feeders that lie on sand or mud bottom, mostly in water shallower than 100 feet and often inside bays, harbors and estuaries. Drift or slow-troll a live anchovy or sardine on a sliding sinker rig, or bounce a swimbait along the bottom over flats, channel edges and sandy areas near structure. Keep the bait within a foot or two of the bottom and give a fish time to turn the bait before setting the hook.
- Kelp bass
- Kelp bass live in kelp beds, rocky reefs and breakwaters, most often in 9 to 70 feet of water, and seldom move far from home. In summer cast swimbaits or fish live anchovies along the up-current edge of the kelp and let them swim into the canopy. In winter the bigger fish move to reefs in 90 feet or more, where a squid-tipped jig works better.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Yellowbanks Anchorage63
Bay · 3.8 mi
Top: Leopard sharkPeak season- Leopard shark 63
- California halibut 58
- Kelp bass 57
3 kt WNWH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:18 PM · 1.9 ft
- Middle Anchorage62
Bay · 3.8 mi
Top: Yellowfin tunaPeak season- Yellowfin tuna 62
- California yellowtail 60
- California halibut 58
3 kt WNWH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:18 PM · 1.9 ft
- Coche Point60
Cape · 0.7 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 60
- Kelp bass 54
- Lingcod 54
3 kt WNWH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:18 PM · 1.9 ft
- Cavern Point56
Cape · 3.4 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 56
- Lingcod 51
- Kelp bass 50
3 kt WNWH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:18 PM · 1.9 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.