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RockfishRetention openBay · California
Divers Cove
33.55°N · 117.80°W · Bay · Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 5 PM · Rockfish
- Now
- 523 AM PDT
- Best window
- 4-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding0.4 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Divers Cove 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
Sunday, Sep 27 · 7 AM
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
100Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.2 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
96Wind: 4 kt SEPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
59Water temp: 74°F, hotLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 3.7 ftSeason & habitat · Rockfish
Species seasonality
65Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In range
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
Divers Cove
- Depth
- 25-60 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · Semi-exposedBay · drop-off
- 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 Divers Cove
Divers Cove is a bay in Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands, California. Depth is 25-60 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads bay, inner water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are California halibut, lingcod and rockfish. It is peak season now for California halibut, California yellowtail and leopard shark, and shoulder season for lingcod, rockfish, barred sand bass and surfperch. California halibut peak from May through September. Lingcod peak in April and from November through December. Rockfish peak from April through June.
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.
- 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
- Twin Points56
Cape · 0.2 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 56
- Lingcod 52
- Rockfish 52
1 kt WNWH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ftL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ft
- Recreation Point56
Cape · 0.2 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 56
- Lingcod 52
- Rockfish 52
1 kt WNWH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ftL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ft
- Shaws Cove55
Bay · 0.2 mi
Top: California halibutPeak season- California halibut 55
- Lingcod 52
- Rockfish 52
1 kt WNWH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ftL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ft
- Crescent Bay55
Bay · 0.4 mi
Top: California halibutPeak season- California halibut 55
- California yellowtail 51
- Barred sand bass 48
1 kt WNWH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ftL 1:56 PM · 1.8 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.