Waterlands

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SurfperchRetention open

Cape · California

Abalone Point

41.13°N · 124.16°W · Cape · Humboldt Bay

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Best score today · 7 AM · Surfperch

68/100Great
Now
589 AM PDT
Best window
9-10 AMFlood tide
Tide now
Flooding4.8 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 9 AM · now

Time9ANOW
Score58Good
Tide4.8 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward SE
Wind6 kn Ngusts 7 · steady
Sea stateVery rough7.2 ft · 10 s
Air temp56°Mild
WeatherOvercast89% cloud
Water55°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Northern Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Surfperch

Retention open
Daily limit
20 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 10.5 in, total length. Redtail surfperch only. No minimum size for other surfperch.
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
In San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, surfperch are closed April 1 through July 31 and the limit is 5 (shiner perch excepted). 20 surfperch in combination, not more than 10 of any one species. Shiner perch have a separate limit of 20.

From CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 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))
  • 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)
  • 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 Surfperch is best here

Peak season for Surfperch · 1 more week at peak

Surfperch season by week of the year. Peak season for Surfperch · 1 more week at peak.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Surfperch in California

Spot profile

Abalone Point

Depth
About 15 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposed
Season
Peak seasonSurfperch

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 Abalone Point

Abalone Point is a cape in Humboldt Bay, California. Depth in the nearest water is about 15 ft. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are rockfish, lingcod and surfperch. It is peak season now for rockfish, surfperch, cabezon and striped bass, and shoulder season for lingcod, Pacific halibut, California halibut and kelp greenling. Rockfish peak from May through September. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September.

Tackle & technique

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.
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

  • Rocky Point

    Cape · 0.3 mi

    65
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 65
    • Lingcod 60
    • Surfperch 58

    6 kt NH 10:21 AM · 5.2 ftL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ft

  • Palmers Point

    Cape · 0.3 mi

    65
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 65
    • Lingcod 60
    • Surfperch 58

    6 kt NH 10:21 AM · 5.2 ftL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ft

  • Omenoku Point

    Cape · 4.7 mi

    65
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 65
    • Lingcod 60
    • Surfperch 58

    7 kt NH 10:21 AM · 5.2 ftL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ft

  • College Cove

    Bay · 4.8 mi

    63
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 63
    • Rockfish 60
    • Lingcod 55

    7 kt NH 10:21 AM · 5.2 ftL 3:37 PM · 2.9 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.