San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge Fishing Forecast & Spots | California

Overview

San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge is NWS marine zone PZZ531 on the California Pacific coast, in the Northern California species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as inland water (bays, sounds, straits). It holds 30 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System and has 6 NOAA tide stations nearby.

9 species are scored here in this forecast; Lingcod and Kelp greenling are at peak season now.

At 7:00 PM it scores 72 (great), led by Lingcod. The best window for the rest of today is 7 PM-12 AM (flood tide), peaking at 72 for Lingcod. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Tue, Nov 10 at 3 PM, scoring 79.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 7:04 PM PST.

Best window today

7 PM-12 AM · Flood tide

Top species: Lingcod

72Great

Best hour of each day, next 14 days

Wed, Nov 4
76
7 AM
Lingcod
Thu, Nov 5
75
8 AM
Lingcod
Fri, Nov 6
77
9 PM
Striped bass
Sat, Nov 7
75
3 PM
Lingcod
Sun, Nov 8
76
3 PM
Striped bass
Mon, Nov 9
75
1 PM
Lingcod
Tue, Nov 10
79
3 PM
Striped bass
Best day
Wed, Nov 11
79
3 PM
Striped bass
Thu, Nov 12
78
3 PM
Striped bass
Fri, Nov 13
75
3 PM
Lingcod
Sat, Nov 14
72
7 AM
Striped bass
Sun, Nov 15
74
5 PM
Lingcod
Mon, Nov 16
74
6 PM
Lingcod
Tue, Nov 17
72
3 PM
Lingcod

Species · 9

Listed for the Northern California region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.

71Great

LingcodOphiodon elongatus · nearshore

Peak season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Thu, Nov 12 at 3 PM (77)

peak

71Great

Striped bassMorone saxatilis · sea-run

Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Tue, Nov 10 at 3 PM (79)

shoulder

68Great

Kelp greenlingHexagrammos decagrammus · nearshore

Peak season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 7 AM (74)

peak

64Good

SurfperchEmbiotocidae (mainly Amphistichus spp.) · surf

Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 7 AM (69)

shoulder

62Good

RockfishSebastes spp. · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 8 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 7 AM (66)

shoulder

61Good

CabezonScorpaenichthys marmoratus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 7 AM (65)

shoulder

35Fair

California halibutParalichthys californicus · bottom

Off season, about 20 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35)

off

35Fair

Leopard sharkTriakis semifasciata · inshore

Off season, about 16 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35)

off

35Fair

White seabassAtractoscion nobilis · nearshore

Off season, about 3 more weeks · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35)

off

Named spots · 30

Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.

18 more spots, A to Z

Nearest tide stations

Redwood CityNOAA 94145239.5 mi AlamedaNOAA 94147509.5 mi San FranciscoNOAA 941429016.1 mi RichmondNOAA 941486321.4 mi Martinez-Amorco PierNOAA 941510228.5 mi Port ChicagoNOAA 941514431.4 mi

Regulations

CDFW saltwater regulations Buy a California fishing license License types

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with CDFW Nov 4, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

This bay system’s spots fall in 38°02' to Pigeon Point salmon subarea (30 spots), North of Point Conception (30 spots), San Francisco Management Area (30 spots), San Francisco salmon area (30 spots) and South of Point Arena (30 spots).

Ocean waters north of Point Conception (34°27' N. lat.) · CDFW

Striped bassRetention open

2 per day · Minimum 18 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Angling, spearfishing or bow and arrow only. No sinker over 4 pounds, no power-driven gurdy or winch, no snagging. The CDFW San Francisco Bay District page states the same limits for the bay: two fish, 18 inches total length.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

White seabassRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 28 in, total length. Or twenty and one-half inches alternate length (Section 28.35).

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW pages disagree on the alternate length: the regulation text says 20.5 inches, the booklet summary table 21.5 inches, and the regional web pages 20 inches. Total length is 28 inches on all of them.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

San Francisco Groundfish Management Area · CDFW

CabezonRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

California halibutRetention open

2 per day · 2 in possession · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Kelp greenlingRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. 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.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

LingcodRetention open

2 per day · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

RockfishRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. All groundfish fishing is prohibited at Cordell Bank. Within the 10-fish RCG limit: no more than 1 copper rockfish, 2 canary rockfish, and 2 vermilion/sunset rockfish. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat. Yelloweye, cowcod, bronzespotted and quillback rockfish may not be kept.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Statewide

Leopard sharkRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 36 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

SurfperchRetention open

20 per day · Minimum 10.5 in, total length. Redtail surfperch only. No minimum size for other surfperch.

Season: No closed season on file

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.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge fishing forecast

Overview

Best times to fish

Species · 9

Named spots · 30

Nearest tide stations

Regulations

Other California bay systems