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Barred sand bassRetention 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 · 7 AM · Barred sand bass
- Now
- 498 AM PDT
- Best window
- 4-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding4.5 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 · rolling from now
Conditions · 8 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
30Tide: FloodingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
88Wind: 2 kt EPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
81Water temp: 72°F, warmLight: DawnSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 2.8 ftSeason & habitat · Barred sand bass
Species seasonality
55Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Barred sand bass
Retention open- Daily limit
- 4 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. No more than 4 of the 5 bass may be barred sand bass. This sub-limit is set to end June 1, 2028.
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)
- 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)
- Yellowtail Retention open (10 per day)
Source: CDFW · synced yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Barred sand bass is best here
Shoulder season for Barred sand bass · 1 more week at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Woods Cove
- Depth
- 7-60 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Bay · Outer · ExposedBay · drop-off
- Season
- Shoulder seasonBarred sand 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 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 surfperch. It is peak season now for California halibut, California yellowtail and leopard shark, and shoulder season for lingcod, surfperch, rockfish and kelp bass. California halibut peak from May through September. Lingcod peak in April and from November through December. Surfperch peak from December through March.
Tackle & technique
- Barred sand bass
- Barred sand bass hold on the sand and rock edge of reefs, artificial reefs, breakwaters and bays, mostly in less than 90 feet of water. In summer they stack up over sand flats in 60 to 120 feet to spawn, and a plastic or live anchovy bounced on the bottom under the boat will catch them. A sudden drop in water temperature from upwelling can shut the bite off for a day or two.
- 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
- Arch Cove68
Bay · 0.2 mi
Top: California halibutPeak season- California halibut 68
- Lingcod 58
- Surfperch 58
2 kt EL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ftH 7:55 PM · 5.5 ft
- Cactus Point62
Cape · 0.1 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 62
- California halibut 60
- Lingcod 58
2 kt EL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ftH 7:55 PM · 5.5 ft
- Sugarloaf Point62
Cape · 0.5 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 62
- California halibut 60
- Kelp bass 57
2 kt EL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ftH 7:55 PM · 5.5 ft
- Cheneys Point62
Cape · 1.0 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 62
- California halibut 60
- Kelp bass 57
2 kt EL 1:56 PM · 1.8 ftH 7:55 PM · 5.5 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.