Waterlands

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LingcodRetention open

Cape · California

Palmers Point

41.13°N · 124.17°W · Cape · Humboldt Bay

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Best score today · 7 AM · Lingcod

66/100Great
Now
561 PM PDT
Best window
11 PM-12 AMEbb 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 · 1 PM · now

Time1PNOW
Score56Good
Tide4.0 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward SSW
Wind9 kn Ngusts 11 · building
Sea stateVery rough7.0 ft · 10 s
Air temp56°Mild
WeatherMostly cloudy81% cloud
Water55°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Northern Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Lingcod

Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 22 in, total length
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. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

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))
  • Kelp greenling Retention open (10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined))
  • Leopard shark Retention open (3 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 Lingcod is best here

Shoulder season for Lingcod · 1 more week at shoulder

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

Lingcod in California

Spot profile

Palmers Point

Depth
25-30 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · Exposed
Season
Shoulder seasonLingcod

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 Palmers Point

Palmers Point is a cape in Humboldt Bay, California. Depth in the nearest water is 25-30 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and 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

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.
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.
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

  • Abalone Point

    Cape · 0.3 mi

    61
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 61
    • Lingcod 56
    • Surfperch 43

    9 kt NL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ftH 9:22 PM · 5.9 ft

  • Rocky Point

    Cape · 0.6 mi

    61
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 61
    • Lingcod 56
    • Surfperch 43

    9 kt NL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ftH 9:22 PM · 5.9 ft

  • Omenoku Point

    Cape · 4.4 mi

    61
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 61
    • Lingcod 56
    • Surfperch 43

    11 kt NNWL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ftH 9:22 PM · 5.9 ft

  • College Cove

    Bay · 4.5 mi

    56
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 56
    • Lingcod 51
    • Surfperch 48

    11 kt NNWL 3:37 PM · 2.9 ftH 9:22 PM · 5.9 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.