Waterlands

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SurfperchRetention open

Cape · California

Molera Point

36.28°N · 121.86°W · Cape · Monterey Bay

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Best score today · 6 PM · Surfperch

66/100Great
Now
524 PM PST
Best window
6-8 PMEbb tide
Tide now
High4.5 ft

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

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24-hour conditions

Sunday, Nov 8 · 3 PM

Time3P
Score38Fair
Tide0.0 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.5 knmodeled · toward NW
Wind4 kn NWgusts 12 · steady
Sea stateRough6.9 ft · 11 s
Air temp73°Warm
WeatherClear0% cloud
Water68°FModel

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Central Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Surfperch

Retention open
Daily limit
20 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 10.5 in, total length. Redtail surfperch only. No minimum size for other surfperch.
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
In San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, surfperch are closed April 1 through July 31 and the limit is 5 (shiner perch excepted). 20 surfperch in combination, not more than 10 of any one species. Shiner perch have a separate limit of 20.

From CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 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 Closed (No retention)
  • 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)
  • 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 Surfperch is best here

Shoulder season for Surfperch · 25 more weeks at shoulder

Surfperch season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Surfperch · 25 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Surfperch in California →

Spot profile

Molera Point

Depth
6-25 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · Exposed
Season
Shoulder seasonSurfperch

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 Molera Point

Molera Point is a cape in Monterey Bay, California. Depth in the nearest water is 6-25 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.

Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are lingcod, surfperch and rockfish. It is peak season now for lingcod and kelp greenling, and shoulder season for surfperch, rockfish, cabezon and striped bass. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Rockfish peak from May through September.

Tackle & technique

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.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Sur Rock

    Bar · 1.6 mi

    58
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 58
    • Rockfish 48
    • Surfperch 45

    7 kt NWH 4:15 PM · 4.6 ftL 11:24 PM · 0.1 ft

  • Point Sur

    Cape · 2.8 mi

    57
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 57
    • Surfperch 52
    • Rockfish 45

    7 kt NWH 4:15 PM · 4.6 ftL 11:24 PM · 0.1 ft

  • Grimes Point

    Cape · 8.5 mi

    57
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 57
    • Surfperch 51
    • Rockfish 45

    4 kt WL 11:17 PM · 0.1 ftH 6:11 AM · 4.5 ft

  • Cooper Point

    Cape · 2.4 mi

    55
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 55
    • Surfperch 51
    • Rockfish 44

    4 kt WH 4:15 PM · 4.6 ftL 11:24 PM · 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.