Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

SurfperchRetention open

Cape · California

Point Alones

36.62°N · 121.90°W · Cape · Monterey Bay

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 3 PM · Surfperch

66/100Great
Now
423 AM PST
Best window
3-4 PMFlood tide
Tide now
Flooding2.5 ft ▲

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

Notify me when Point Alones scores 75+

Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.

Sign in to set an alert

24-hour conditions

Sunday, Nov 8 · 7 AM

Time7A
Score47Good
Tide5.1 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.2 knmodeled · toward ENE
Wind12 kn NNEgusts 15 · steady
Sea stateVery rough7.3 ft · 12 s
Air temp61°Mild
WeatherPartly cloudy34% cloud
Water66°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)

Source: CDFW · synced yesterday

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

Point Alones

Depth
3-70 ftDrop-off
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · drop-off
Season
Shoulder seasonSurfperch

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 Point Alones

Point Alones is a cape in Monterey Bay, California. Depth is 3-70 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

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

  • Aumentos Rock

    Bar · 1.5 mi

    63
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 63
    • Rockfish 53
    • Surfperch 42

    4 kt WSWH 6:25 AM · 4.7 ftL 12:11 PM · 2.2 ft

  • Lovers Point

    Cape · 1.0 mi

    61
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 61
    • Rockfish 50
    • Surfperch 42

    4 kt WSWH 6:25 AM · 4.7 ftL 12:11 PM · 2.2 ft

  • Lucas Point

    Cape · 1.8 mi

    61
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 61
    • Rockfish 50
    • Surfperch 42

    4 kt WSWH 6:25 AM · 4.7 ftL 12:11 PM · 2.2 ft

  • Point Pinos

    Cape · 2.1 mi

    61
    Top: LingcodPeak season
    • Lingcod 61
    • Rockfish 50
    • Surfperch 42

    4 kt WSWH 6:25 AM · 4.7 ftL 12:11 PM · 2.2 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.