Waterlands

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Leopard sharkRetention open

Cape · California

Abalone Point

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

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Best score today · 12 AM · Leopard shark

30/100Fair
Now
303 PM PST
Best window
3 PM-12 AMHigh slack
Tide now
Flooding3.2 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions

Monday, Nov 16 · 12 AM

Time12A
Score35Fair
Tide1.5 ft ▲Flooding
Wind9 kn SEgusts 14 · steady
Air temp50°Cool
WeatherPartly cloudy61% chance of rain
Water60°FPersisted

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Northern Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Leopard shark

Retention open
Daily limit
3 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 36 in, total length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.

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))
  • 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 Leopard shark is best here

Out of season for Leopard shark · shoulder season starts in 17 weeks

Leopard shark season by week of the year. Out of season for Leopard shark · shoulder season starts in 17 weeks.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Leopard shark in California →

Spot profile

Abalone Point

Depth
About 15 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposed
Season
Off seasonLeopard shark

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 9 species here; the best right now are cabezon, California halibut and kelp greenling. It is peak season now for kelp greenling and lingcod, and shoulder season for cabezon, rockfish, striped bass and surfperch. Cabezon peak from May through September. California halibut peak from May through August. Kelp greenling peak from October through November.

Tackle & technique

Leopard shark
Leopard sharks cruise shallow mudflats, sloughs and channel edges in bays, most often in less than 15 feet of water, and follow the flooding tide onto the flats to feed on crabs, worms, clams and small fish. Anchor or fish from shore or a pier with a sliding sinker rig and a chunk of squid, mackerel or ghost shrimp on the bottom. The bite is often better into the evening and at night.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Rocky Point

    Cape · 0.3 mi

    30
    Top: CabezonShoulder season
    • Cabezon 30
    • California halibut 30
    • Kelp greenling 30

    8 kt NNEH 6:44 PM · 5.5 ftL 1:11 AM · 0.7 ft

  • Palmers Point

    Cape · 0.3 mi

    30
    Top: CabezonShoulder season
    • Cabezon 30
    • California halibut 30
    • Kelp greenling 30

    8 kt NNEH 6:44 PM · 5.5 ftL 1:11 AM · 0.7 ft

  • Omenoku Point

    Cape · 4.7 mi

    30
    Top: CabezonShoulder season
    • Cabezon 30
    • California halibut 30
    • Kelp greenling 30

    6 kt ENEH 6:44 PM · 5.5 ftL 1:11 AM · 0.7 ft

  • College Cove

    Bay · 4.8 mi

    30
    Top: CabezonShoulder season
    • Cabezon 30
    • California halibut 30
    • Kelp greenling 30

    6 kt ENEH 6:44 PM · 5.5 ftL 1:11 AM · 0.7 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.