Waterlands

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CabezonRetention open

Bar · California

Sur Rock

36.28°N · 121.89°W · Bar · Monterey Bay

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Best score today · 7 AM · Cabezon

74/100Great
Now
573 AM PDT
Best window
6-11 AMFlood tide
Tide now
Flooding0.6 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 3 AM · now

Time3ANOW
Score57Good
Tide0.6 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.3 knmodeled · toward SW
Wind12 kn NNWgusts 17 · steady
Sea stateRough4.5 ft · 8 s
Air temp60°Mild
WeatherMostly cloudy84% cloud
Water60°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Central Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Cabezon

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. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

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))
  • 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)
  • 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 Cabezon is best here

Peak season for Cabezon · 1 more week at peak

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

Cabezon in California

Spot profile

Sur Rock

Depth
45-80 ft
Structure
Ledge · Outer · Exposed
Season
Peak seasonCabezon

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 Sur Rock

Sur Rock is a bar in Monterey Bay, California. Depth is 45-80 ft. Its profile reads ledge, outer water and exposed.

Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are rockfish, cabezon and lingcod. It is peak season now for rockfish, cabezon, striped bass and surfperch, and shoulder season for lingcod, Pacific halibut, white seabass and kelp greenling. Rockfish peak from May through September. Cabezon peak from May through September. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November.

Tackle & technique

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.
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.
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

  • Kasler Point

    Cape · 9.0 mi

    62
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 62
    • Rockfish 61
    • Cabezon 58

    6 kt NNWH 9:03 AM · 3.8 ftL 1:38 PM · 2.9 ft

  • Cooper Point

    Cape · 3.6 mi

    61
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 61
    • Rockfish 59
    • Cabezon 57

    2 kt NNWH 9:03 AM · 3.8 ftL 1:38 PM · 2.9 ft

  • Molera Point

    Cape · 1.6 mi

    60
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 60
    • Rockfish 58
    • Cabezon 57

    2 kt NNWH 9:03 AM · 3.8 ftL 1:38 PM · 2.9 ft

  • Point Sur

    Cape · 1.7 mi

    60
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 60
    • Rockfish 59
    • Cabezon 55

    12 kt NNWH 9:03 AM · 3.8 ftL 1:38 PM · 2.9 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.