Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

California halibutRetention open

Cape · California

Sharp Point

41.24°N · 124.11°W · Cape · Humboldt Bay

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 6 AM · California halibut

75/100Great
Now
351 PM PST
Best window
1-7 PMHigh slack
Tide now
Flooding4.8 ft ▲

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

Notify me when Sharp Point scores 75+

Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.

Sign in to set an alert

24-hour conditions

Thursday, Nov 12 · 3 PM

Time3P
Score35Fair
Tide4.5 ft ▼Ebbing
Wind6 kn Sgusts 16 · steady
Air temp53°Cool
WeatherOvercast74% chance of rain
Water58°FPersisted

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Northern Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

California halibut

Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
2 in possession
Size
Minimum 22 in, total length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published

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))
  • 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 California halibut is best here

Out of season for California halibut · shoulder season starts in 22 weeks

California halibut season by week of the year. Out of season for California halibut · shoulder season starts in 22 weeks.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

California halibut in California →

Spot profile

Sharp Point

Depth
15-40 ft
Structure
Point · Outer · Exposed
Season
Off seasonCalifornia halibut

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 Sharp Point

Sharp Point is a cape in Humboldt Bay, California. Depth is 15-40 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.

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

Tackle & technique

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 greenling
Kelp greenling are solitary bottom fish of rocky shores, jetties and kelp beds, usually in water shallower than 60 feet. Use a small number 4 to 6 hook with sand shrimp or marine worms, or a small lead-head grub, dropped to the bottom and reeled up slightly. Larger fish show in October and November when they spawn close to shore, and mornings tend to fish best.
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

  • Lookout Point

    Cape · 3.1 mi

    70
    Top: Kelp greenlingPeak season
    • Kelp greenling 70
    • Lingcod 70
    • Cabezon 60

    4 kt WNWH 3:54 PM · 6.2 ftL 11:11 PM · -0.1 ft

  • Mussel Point

    Cape · 6.1 mi

    70
    Top: Kelp greenlingPeak season
    • Kelp greenling 70
    • Lingcod 70
    • Cabezon 60

    4 kt WNWH 3:54 PM · 6.2 ftL 11:11 PM · -0.1 ft

  • Rocky Point

    Cape · 7.3 mi

    70
    Top: Kelp greenlingPeak season
    • Kelp greenling 70
    • Lingcod 70
    • Cabezon 60

    7 kt NNWH 3:54 PM · 6.2 ftL 11:11 PM · -0.1 ft

  • Abalone Point

    Cape · 7.5 mi

    70
    Top: Kelp greenlingPeak season
    • Kelp greenling 70
    • Lingcod 70
    • Cabezon 60

    7 kt NNWH 3:54 PM · 6.2 ftL 11:11 PM · -0.1 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.