Waterlands

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RockfishRetention open

Cape · California

Reef Point

33.57°N · 117.83°W · Cape · Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands

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Best score today · 5 PM · Rockfish

76/100Great
Now
558 PM PDT
Best window
8 PM-12 AMEbb tide
Tide now
Ebbing5.2 ft ▼

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

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14-day forecast

Best days to fish

Best: today · 76

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 8 PM · now

Time8PNOW
Score55Good
Tide5.2 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.5 knmodeled · toward SE
Wind5 kn Wgusts 13 · easing
Sea stateModerate2.6 ft · 10 s
Air temp70°Warm
WeatherClear0% cloud
Water73°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Southern Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

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)
Always check with CDFW ↗Fishing license ↗

Source: CDFW · synced today

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Rockfish is best here

Shoulder season for Rockfish · 9 more weeks at shoulder

Rockfish season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Rockfish · 9 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Rockfish in California →

Spot profile

Reef Point

Depth
25-70 ftDrop-off
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · 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 Reef Point

Reef Point is a cape in Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands, California. Depth is 25-70 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are California yellowtail, California halibut and leopard shark. It is peak season now for California yellowtail, California halibut and leopard shark, and shoulder season for kelp bass, lingcod, rockfish and surfperch. California yellowtail peak from July through September. California halibut peak from May through September. Leopard shark peak from June through September.

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 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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

View all on map →
  • Crystal Cove

    Bay · 0.7 mi

    68
    Top: California halibutPeak season
    • California halibut 68
    • Leopard shark 66
    • California yellowtail 60

    5 kt WL 2:09 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ft

  • Emerald Point

    Cape · 1.5 mi

    65
    Top: California yellowtailPeak season
    • California yellowtail 65
    • California halibut 60
    • Leopard shark 58

    5 kt WL 2:09 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ft

  • Pelican Point

    Cape · 1.5 mi

    65
    Top: California yellowtailPeak season
    • California yellowtail 65
    • California halibut 59
    • Kelp bass 56

    5 kt WL 2:09 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ft

  • Two Rock Point

    Cape · 2.2 mi

    65
    Top: California yellowtailPeak season
    • California yellowtail 65
    • California halibut 58
    • Kelp bass 56

    5 kt WL 2:09 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ft

Open in the tide map

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.