Waterlands

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LingcodRetention open

Cape · California

Bowen Point

33.96°N · 119.72°W · Cape · Outer waters from Santa Cruz Island to San Clemente Island to 60 NM offshore including San Nicolas and Santa Barbara Islands

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 7 AM · Lingcod

74/100Great
Now
502 AM PDT
Best window
6-8 AMFlood tide
Tide now
Ebbing0.2 ft ▼

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

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14-day forecast

Best days to fish

Best: Wed · 77

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 2 AM · now

Time2ANOW
Score50Good
Tide0.2 ft ▼Ebbing
Current0.8 knmodeled · toward WSW
Wind5 kn WNWgusts 13 · easing
Sea stateModerate3.0 ft · 8 s
Air temp63°Mild
WeatherClear0% cloud
Water71°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Southern Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

Lingcod

Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 22 in, total length
Season
Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas (Section 27.50). Boat-based take only shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area line. 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 (10 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 (5 per day)
  • 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)
  • 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)
Always check with CDFW ↗Fishing license ↗

Source: CDFW · synced yesterday

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Lingcod is best here

Shoulder season for Lingcod · 5 more weeks at shoulder

Lingcod season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Lingcod · 5 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Lingcod in California →

Spot profile

Bowen Point

Depth
45-90 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · ExposedPoint · drop-off
Season
Shoulder seasonLingcod

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 Bowen Point

Bowen Point is a cape in Outer waters from Santa Cruz Island to San Clemente Island to 60 NM offshore including San Nicolas and Santa Barbara Islands, California. Depth in the nearest water is 45-90 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.

Waterlands scores 13 species here; the best right now are California yellowtail, yellowfin tuna and Pacific bluefin tuna. It is peak season now for California yellowtail, yellowfin tuna, Pacific bluefin tuna and mahi-mahi, and shoulder season for kelp bass, lingcod, rockfish and white seabass. California yellowtail peak from July through September. Yellowfin tuna peak from August through September. Pacific bluefin tuna peak from June through September.

Tackle & technique

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.
California yellowtail
Yellowtail school around the offshore islands, banks, high spots and kelp paddies from spring into fall, moving north from Baja as the water warms past about 64 degrees. Fly-line a sardine or mackerel, cast a surface iron to breaking fish, or drop a heavy iron and wind it fast when they hold deep. Heavy line matters because they run straight for kelp and rock.
Yellowfin tuna
Yellowfin feed in blue water along canyon edges, the shelf break, current edges, deepwater platforms and FADs, usually from the surface to about 300 feet. Troll ballyhoo, spreader bars and cedar plugs early in the day, then chunk butterfish or sardines, fish live hardtails, or drop jigs to marks. Around Gulf platforms and in the canyons the night bite on chunks and jigs is often better than the day.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

View all on map →
  • Willows Anchorage

    Bay · 1.6 mi

    61
    Top: Yellowfin tunaPeak season
    • Yellowfin tuna 61
    • California yellowtail 61
    • Pacific bluefin tuna 55

    5 kt WNWL 2:29 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ft

  • Blue Banks Anchorage

    Bay · 3.1 mi

    61
    Top: Yellowfin tunaPeak season
    • Yellowfin tuna 61
    • California yellowtail 61
    • Pacific bluefin tuna 55

    5 kt WNWL 2:29 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ft

  • Valley Anchorage

    Bay · 3.6 mi

    61
    Top: Yellowfin tunaPeak season
    • Yellowfin tuna 61
    • California yellowtail 61
    • Pacific bluefin tuna 55

    5 kt WNWL 2:29 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ft

  • Alamos Anchorage

    Bay · 2.9 mi

    54
    Top: California yellowtailPeak season
    • California yellowtail 54
    • Barred sand bass 52
    • Kelp bass 51

    5 kt WNWL 2:29 AM · 0.2 ftH 8:54 AM · 4.3 ft

Open in the tide map

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.