UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN
CabezonRetention openBar · California
Berkely Reef
37.88°N · 122.33°W · Bar · San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 7 AM · Cabezon
- Now
- 6810 AM PDT
- Best window
- 6-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding5.0 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Berkely Reef 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 · 10 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
100Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.2 kn floodWind & pressure
ECMWF
88Wind: 2 kt NWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
52Water temp: 64°F, hotLight: Partly cloudySolunar: Near a majorSeas: 1.6 ftSeason & habitat · Cabezon
Species seasonality
90Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: 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
Berkely Reef
- Depth
- About 7 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Reef · Inner · Semi-exposedReef · 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 Berkely Reef
Berkely Reef is a bar in San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth is about 7 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads reef, inner water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are rockfish, cabezon and California halibut. It is peak season now for rockfish, cabezon, surfperch and striped bass, and shoulder season for California halibut, lingcod, kelp greenling and white seabass. Rockfish peak from May through September. Cabezon peak from May through September. California halibut peak from May through August.
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.
- Rockfish
- Rockfish live on rocky reefs, pinnacles and kelp from the shoreline out past 300 feet, with black and blue rockfish schooling mid-water over shallow reefs and copper, quillback, yelloweye and vermilion sitting tight to deeper bottom. Drift over the structure with a shrimp fly above a lead-head grub or metal jig, or a squid strip, and reel up a few cranks after touching bottom to cut snags. Use a descending device to release any fish brought up from deep water.
- 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
- Richmond Inner Harbor69
Bay · 1.9 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 69
- California halibut 68
- Cabezon 67
2 kt NWH 11:05 AM · 5.1 ftL 4:36 PM · 2.1 ft
- Fleming Point67
Cape · 1.2 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 67
- Striped bass 67
- Cabezon 66
2 kt NWH 11:12 AM · 5.0 ftL 4:39 PM · 2.2 ft
- Point Isabel67
Cape · 1.6 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 67
- Striped bass 67
- Cabezon 66
2 kt NWH 11:12 AM · 5.0 ftL 4:39 PM · 2.2 ft
- Berkeley Point66
Cape · 1.2 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 66
- Striped bass 66
- Rockfish 65
2 kt WSWH 11:03 AM · 5.3 ftL 4:29 PM · 2.3 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.