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California yellowtailRetention openBay · California
Fourth of July Cove
33.45°N · 118.50°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 · California yellowtail
- Now
- 598 AM PDT
- Best window
- 4-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding4.2 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Fourth of July 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 · rolling from now
Conditions · 8 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
59Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.5 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
87Wind: 2 kt SPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
77Water temp: 73°F, warmLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 4.2 ftSeason & habitat · California yellowtail
Species seasonality
68Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Yellowtail
Retention open- Daily limit
- 10 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 24 in, fork length. Five fish less than 24 inches fork length may be taken or possessed.
- 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 (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)
- 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)
Source: CDFW · synced yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When California yellowtail is best here
Peak season for California yellowtail · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Fourth of July Cove
- Depth
- 10-110 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · ExposedBay · drop-off
- Season
- Peak seasonCalifornia yellowtail
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 Fourth of July Cove
Fourth of July Cove is a bay in Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands, California. Depth is 10-110 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads bay, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are California yellowtail, surfperch and lingcod. It is peak season now for California yellowtail, California halibut and leopard shark, and shoulder season for surfperch, lingcod, rockfish and kelp bass. California yellowtail peak from July through September. Surfperch peak from December through March. Lingcod peak in April and from November through December.
Tackle & technique
- California yellowtail
- Yellowtail school around the offshore islands, banks, high spots and kelp paddies from spring into fall, moving north from Baja as the water warms past about 64 degrees. Fly-line a sardine or mackerel, cast a surface iron to breaking fish, or drop a heavy iron and wind it fast when they hold deep. Heavy line matters because they run straight for kelp and rock.
- 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.
- 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
- Harbor Reef65
Bar · 0.6 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 65
- Kelp bass 60
- Lingcod 59
2 kt SH 8:46 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:17 PM · 1.8 ft
- Eagle Reef65
Bar · 1.0 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 65
- Lingcod 61
- Rockfish 60
2 kt SH 8:46 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:17 PM · 1.8 ft
- Ship Rock65
Bar · 1.1 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 65
- Lingcod 61
- Rockfish 60
2 kt SH 8:46 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:17 PM · 1.8 ft
- Isthmus Cove59
Bay · 0.4 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 59
- Surfperch 58
- Lingcod 57
2 kt SH 8:46 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:17 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.