Waterlands

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Kelp greenlingRetention open

Bar · California

Tide Rock

35.95°N · 121.49°W · Bar · Monterey Bay

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Best score today · 7 AM · Kelp greenling

72/100Great
Now
492 PM PDT
Best window
3-8 PMFlood tide
Tide now
Flooding2.9 ft ▲

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

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 2 PM · now

Time2PNOW
Score49Good
Tide2.9 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.4 knmodeled · toward NW
Wind5 kn Wgusts 14 · steady
Sea stateModerate3.9 ft · 10 s
Air temp67°Mild
WeatherClear2% cloud
Water64°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Central Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Kelp greenling

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. CDFW limits and seasons cover kelp and rock greenlings together.

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))
  • 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)

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Kelp greenling is best here

Shoulder season for Kelp greenling · 1 more week at shoulder

Kelp greenling season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Kelp greenling · 1 more week at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Kelp greenling in California

Spot profile

Tide Rock

Depth
70-120 ftDrop-off
Structure
Ledge · Outer · ExposedLedge · drop-off
Season
Shoulder seasonKelp greenling

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 Tide Rock

Tide Rock is a bar in Monterey Bay, California. Depth is 70-120 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads ledge, outer water and exposed.

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

Tackle & technique

Kelp greenling
Kelp greenling are solitary bottom fish of rocky shores, jetties and kelp beds, usually in water shallower than 60 feet. Use a small number 4 to 6 hook with sand shrimp or marine worms, or a small lead-head grub, dropped to the bottom and reeled up slightly. Larger fish show in October and November when they spawn close to shore, and mornings tend to fish best.
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.
Pacific halibut
Halibut sit on sand and gravel bottoms near drop-offs, bars and pinnacles, most often in 90 to 500 feet in Alaska and on the shelf off Washington, Oregon and far northern California. Anchor up-current of a likely edge and fish herring, squid, octopus or a salmon head on a circle hook with 24 to 32 ounces of weight, or bounce a large jig on the bottom. The best bite usually comes in the hour around slack tide.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Ragged Point

    Cape · 16 mi

    61
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 61
    • Pacific halibut 60
    • Cabezon 56

    7 kt WH 7:16 PM · 4.9 ftL 2:26 AM · 0.4 ft

  • 60
    Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season
    • Pacific halibut 60
    • Rockfish 60
    • Lingcod 54

    10 kt NNWH 7:15 PM · 4.9 ftL 2:27 AM · 0.3 ft

  • Lopez Point

    Cape · 6.3 mi

    59
    Top: RockfishPeak season
    • Rockfish 59
    • Cabezon 54
    • Striped bass 54

    5 kt WH 7:15 PM · 4.9 ftL 2:27 AM · 0.3 ft

  • Jade Cove

    Bay · 3.7 mi

    58
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 58
    • Pacific halibut 57
    • Rockfish 53

    5 kt WH 7:15 PM · 4.9 ftL 2:27 AM · 0.3 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.