Waterlands

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RockfishRetention open

Cape · California

Cypress Point

36.58°N · 121.98°W · Cape · Monterey Bay

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Best score today · 7 PM · Rockfish

77/100Great
Now
631 PM PDT
Best window
6-11 PMEbb tide
Tide now
Flooding4.1 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 1 PM · now

Time1PNOW
Score63Good
Tide4.1 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.3 knmodeled · toward NNE
Wind12 kn NWgusts 16 · steady
Sea stateRough4.1 ft · 9 s
Air temp61°Mild
WeatherClear3% cloud
Water61°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Central Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Rockfish

Retention open
Daily limit
10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined)
Possession
Not published
Size
No minimum size limit.
Season
Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. 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. 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 (25 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
  • 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)

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Rockfish is best here

Peak season for Rockfish · 1 more week at peak

Rockfish season by week of the year. Peak season for Rockfish · 1 more week at peak.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Rockfish in California

Spot profile

Cypress Point

Depth
3-80 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · ExposedPoint · drop-off
Season
Peak seasonRockfish

NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 14 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.

About this spot

Fishing Cypress Point

Cypress Point is a cape in Monterey Bay, California. Depth in the nearest water is 3-80 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.

Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are rockfish, cabezon and surfperch. It is peak season now for rockfish, cabezon, surfperch and striped bass, and shoulder season for lingcod, Chinook salmon, white seabass and kelp greenling. Rockfish peak from May through September. Cabezon peak from May through September. Surfperch peak in May and from July 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.
Cabezon
Cabezon sit in rock crevices, kelp beds and jetty boulders from the intertidal zone to about 100 feet and feed mostly on crabs and small fish. Fish a fish-finder rig with sand shrimp, squid or crab right on the bottom in the rocks, or drag a lead-head grub slowly through the kelp. Expect snags, and do not eat the roe, which is toxic.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Sunset Point

    Cape · 0.8 mi

    63
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 63
    • Cabezon 59
    • Lingcod 54

    12 kt NWH 4:03 PM · 4.6 ftL 12:15 AM · 0.8 ft

  • The Pinnacles

    Bar · 1.7 mi

    63
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 63
    • Lingcod 54
    • Cabezon 52

    12 kt NWH 4:03 PM · 4.6 ftL 12:15 AM · 0.8 ft

  • Pescadero Point

    Cape · 2.0 mi

    63
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 63
    • Cabezon 59
    • Surfperch 55

    12 kt NWH 4:03 PM · 4.6 ftL 12:15 AM · 0.8 ft

  • Stillwater Cove

    Bay · 2.3 mi

    61
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 61
    • Cabezon 59
    • Rockfish 58

    12 kt NWH 4:03 PM · 4.6 ftL 12:15 AM · 0.8 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.