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Leopard sharkRetention openBay · California
Woods Cove
33.53°N · 117.77°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 · Leopard shark
- Now
- 303 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 Woods 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
Tuesday, Sep 29 · 4 PM
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
30Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.4 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 5 kt WSWPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
43Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 75°F, warmLight: Late afternoonSolunar: Major periodSeas: 3.7 ftSeason & habitat · Leopard shark
Species seasonality
85Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In range
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Leopard shark
Retention open- Daily limit
- 3 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 36 in, total length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.
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))
- 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 yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Leopard shark is best here
Peak season for Leopard shark · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Woods Cove
- Depth
- 7-60 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · ExposedBay · drop-off
- Season
- Peak seasonLeopard shark
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 Woods Cove
Woods Cove is a bay in Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands, California. Depth in the nearest water is 7-60 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads bay, outer water and 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
- Leopard shark
- Leopard sharks cruise shallow mudflats, sloughs and channel edges in bays, most often in less than 15 feet of water, and follow the flooding tide onto the flats to feed on crabs, worms, clams and small fish. Anchor or fish from shore or a pier with a sliding sinker rig and a chunk of squid, mackerel or ghost shrimp on the bottom. The bite is often better into the evening and at night.
- 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
- Cactus Point56
Cape · 0.1 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
- Sugarloaf Point56
Cape · 0.5 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 56
- Lingcod 51
- Rockfish 51
1 kt WNWH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ftL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ft
- Cheneys Point56
Cape · 1.0 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 56
- Lingcod 51
- Rockfish 51
1 kt WNWH 8:29 AM · 4.5 ftL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ft
- Arch 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
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.