UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN
CabezonRetention openBar · California
San Bruno Shoal
37.64°N · 122.29°W · Bar · San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 12 AM · Cabezon
- Now
- 6211 AM PDT
- Best window
- 7-10 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding6.3 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when San Bruno Shoal 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: 0.5 kn floodWind & pressure
ECMWF
97Wind: 3 kt WPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
54Water temp: 66°F, hotLight: Bright sunSolunar: Major periodSeas: 1.5 ftSeason & habitat · Cabezon
Species seasonality
68Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
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. 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.
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 (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)
- 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 today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Cabezon is best here
Peak season for Cabezon · 1 more week at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
San Bruno Shoal
- Depth
- 5-15 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Shoal · Inner · Semi-exposedShoal · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak seasonCabezon
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 San Bruno Shoal
San Bruno Shoal is a bar in San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth is 5-15 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads shoal, inner water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are California halibut, surfperch and cabezon. It is peak season now for surfperch, cabezon, rockfish and striped bass, and shoulder season for California halibut, Pacific halibut, leopard shark and kelp greenling. California halibut peak from May through August. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Cabezon peak from May through September.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Coyote Point Yacht Harbor72
Bay · 4.2 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 72
- Cabezon 69
- California halibut 69
2 kt NNEL 5:14 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:43 PM · 7.1 ft
- San Francisco Bay71
Bay · 4.4 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 71
- California halibut 69
- Cabezon 66
3 kt WL 4:58 PM · 2.1 ftH 10:43 PM · 6.4 ft
- Coyote Point68
Cape · 4.0 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 68
- Surfperch 66
- Kelp greenling 63
2 kt NNEL 5:14 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:43 PM · 7.1 ft
- San Bruno Channel63
Channel · 4.5 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 63
- California halibut 62
- Cabezon 60
3 kt WL 5:16 PM · 2.3 ftH 10:39 PM · 6.6 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.