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SurfperchRetention openCape · California
Little Coyote Point
37.57°N · 122.26°W · Cape · San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 7 PM · Surfperch
- Now
- 6811 AM PDT
- Best window
- 7-10 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding6.7 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Little Coyote Point scores 75+
Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.
14-day forecast
Best days to fish
24-hour conditions · rolling from now
Conditions · 11 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
100Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.9 kn floodWind & pressure
ECMWF
92Wind: 2 kt NNEPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
79Water temp: 65°F, warmLight: Bright sunSolunar: Major periodSeas: 1.5 ftSeason & habitat · Surfperch
Species seasonality
68Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
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 (2 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)
- 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 today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Surfperch is best here
Peak season for Surfperch · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Little Coyote Point
- Depth
- 1-3 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak 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 Little Coyote Point
Little Coyote Point is a cape in San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth in the nearest water is 1-3 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are California halibut, cabezon and leopard shark. It is peak season now for cabezon, surfperch, striped bass and rockfish, and shoulder season for California halibut, leopard shark, kelp greenling and Chinook salmon. California halibut peak from May through August. Cabezon peak from May through September. Leopard shark peak from May through August.
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.
- California halibut
- California halibut are ambush feeders that lie on sand or mud bottom, mostly in water shallower than 100 feet and often inside bays, harbors and estuaries. Drift or slow-troll a live anchovy or sardine on a sliding sinker rig, or bounce a swimbait along the bottom over flats, channel edges and sandy areas near structure. Keep the bait within a foot or two of the bottom and give a fish time to turn the bait before setting the hook.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Seal Slough73
Gut · 1.7 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 73
- California halibut 68
- Leopard shark 66
2 kt NNEH 11:31 AM · 6.4 ftL 5:14 PM · 2.2 ft
- Coyote Point Yacht Harbor72
Bay · 3.1 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 72
- Cabezon 69
- California halibut 69
2 kt NNEH 11:31 AM · 6.4 ftL 5:14 PM · 2.2 ft
- Coyote Point68
Cape · 3.4 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 68
- Surfperch 66
- Kelp greenling 63
2 kt NNEH 11:31 AM · 6.4 ftL 5:14 PM · 2.2 ft
- Steinberger Slough67
Gut · 3.3 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 67
- California halibut 66
- Leopard shark 64
2 kt NNEH 11:38 AM · 6.3 ftL 5:58 PM · 1.7 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.