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Leopard sharkRetention openGut · California
Steinberger Slough
37.53°N · 122.24°W · Gut · San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 7 PM · Leopard shark
- Now
- 6411 AM PDT
- Best window
- 7-10 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding6.1 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Steinberger Slough 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
81Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.3 kn floodWind & pressure
ECMWF
95Wind: 2 kt NNEPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
79Water temp: 66°F, primeLight: Bright sunSolunar: Major periodSeason & habitat · Leopard shark
Species seasonality
66Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
Leopard shark
Retention open- Daily limit
- 3 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 36 in, total length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.
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))
- 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 Leopard shark is best here
Shoulder season for Leopard shark · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Steinberger Slough
- Depth
- Under 1 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Channel · Inner · Protected
- Season
- Shoulder seasonLeopard shark
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 Steinberger Slough
Steinberger Slough is a gut in San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth in the nearest water is under 1 ft. Its profile reads channel, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are surfperch, California halibut and leopard shark. It is peak season now for surfperch, cabezon, striped bass and rockfish, and shoulder season for California halibut, leopard shark, kelp greenling and lingcod. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. California halibut peak from May through August. Leopard shark peak from May through August.
Tackle & technique
- Leopard shark
- Leopard sharks cruise shallow mudflats, sloughs and channel edges in bays, most often in less than 15 feet of water, and follow the flooding tide onto the flats to feed on crabs, worms, clams and small fish. Anchor or fish from shore or a pier with a sliding sinker rig and a chunk of squid, mackerel or ghost shrimp on the bottom. The bite is often better into the evening and at night.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Seal Slough73
Gut · 4.1 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 73
- California halibut 68
- Leopard shark 66
2 kt NNEL 5:14 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:43 PM · 7.1 ft
- Little Coyote Point70
Cape · 3.3 mi
Top: California halibutShoulder season- California halibut 70
- Cabezon 68
- Leopard shark 68
2 kt NNEL 5:14 PM · 2.3 ftH 10:59 PM · 7.3 ft
- Westpoint Slough68
Gut · 3.0 mi
Top: California halibutShoulder season- California halibut 68
- Leopard shark 67
- Surfperch 67
2 kt NNEL 5:36 PM · 2.3 ftH 10:57 PM · 7.9 ft
- Redwood Point66
Cape · 2.4 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 66
- Rockfish 63
- Surfperch 62
2 kt NNEL 5:34 PM · 2.3 ftH 10:54 PM · 7.8 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.