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Kelp bassRetention openBay · California
Isthmus Cove
33.44°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 · Kelp bass
- Now
- 362 PM PDT
- Best window
- 4-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Low1.8 ft
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Isthmus 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 · 2 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
32Tide: Low slackCurrent: 0.5 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 7 kt WNWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
35Water temp: 75°F, warmLight: Bright sunSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 3.9 ftSeason & habitat · Kelp bass
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Kelp bass
Retention open- Daily limit
- 5 per day (5 kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass combined)
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 14 in, total length. Or 10 inches alternate length.
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Fillets must be at least 7.5 inches long with a one-inch square patch of skin.
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 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)
Source: CDFW · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Kelp bass is best here
Shoulder season for Kelp bass · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Isthmus Cove
- Depth
- 8-100 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · Semi-exposedBay · drop-off
- Season
- Shoulder seasonKelp bass
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 Isthmus Cove
Isthmus Cove is a bay in Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands, California. Depth is 8-100 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, surfperch and barred sand bass. California halibut peak from May through September. Lingcod peak in April and from November through December. Rockfish peak from April through June.
Tackle & technique
- Kelp bass
- Kelp bass live in kelp beds, rocky reefs and breakwaters, most often in 9 to 70 feet of water, and seldom move far from home. In summer cast swimbaits or fish live anchovies along the up-current edge of the kelp and let them swim into the canopy. In winter the bigger fish move to reefs in 90 feet or more, where a squid-tipped jig works better.
- 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
- Harbor Reef51
Bar · 0.5 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 51
- Lingcod 50
- Rockfish 50
7 kt WNWH 8:09 PM · 5.2 ftL 2:52 AM · 0.1 ft
- Fourth of July Cove50
Bay · 0.4 mi
Top: California halibutPeak season- California halibut 50
- Lingcod 48
- Rockfish 48
7 kt WNWH 8:09 PM · 5.2 ftL 2:52 AM · 0.1 ft
- Ballast Point50
Cape · 1.0 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 50
- Rockfish 47
- Lingcod 46
7 kt WNWH 8:09 PM · 5.2 ftL 2:52 AM · 0.1 ft
- Catalina Harbor50
Bay · 1.1 mi
Top: California halibutPeak season- California halibut 50
- Rockfish 47
- Lingcod 46
7 kt WNWH 8:09 PM · 5.2 ftL 2:52 AM · 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.