Waterlands

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Leopard sharkRetention open

Cape · California

Bluff Point

37.88°N · 122.44°W · Cape · San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge

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Best score today · 8 PM · Leopard shark

83/100Great
Now
5511 AM PDT
Best window
7-10 PMFlood tide
Tide now
High4.8 ft

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 11 AM · now

Time11ANOW
Score55Good
Tide4.8 ftHigh
CurrentFlood0.4 kn · toward N
Wind2 kn NEgusts 7 · steady
Sea stateLight chop1.6 ft · 8 s
Air temp65°Mild
WeatherPartly cloudy44% cloud
Water63°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

San Francisco Groundfish Management Area

IN EFFECT NOW

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)

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Leopard shark is best here

Shoulder season for Leopard shark · 5 more weeks at shoulder

Leopard shark season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Leopard shark · 5 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

Leopard shark in California

Spot profile

Bluff Point

Depth
20-100 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · drop-off
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 Bluff Point

Bluff Point is a cape in San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth in the nearest water is 20-100 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are cabezon, surfperch and kelp greenling. It is peak season now for cabezon, surfperch, rockfish and striped bass, and shoulder season for kelp greenling, Pacific halibut, California halibut and Chinook salmon. Cabezon peak from May through September. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Kelp greenling peak from October through November.

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.
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.
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

  • Ayala Cove

    Bay · 0.9 mi

    72
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 72
    • California halibut 69
    • Leopard shark 65

    3 kt WL 4:27 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:14 PM · 5.3 ft

  • Keil Cove

    Bay · 0.2 mi

    70
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 70
    • California halibut 67
    • Leopard shark 63

    2 kt NEL 4:38 PM · 2.1 ftH 10:29 PM · 5.4 ft

  • Point Campbell

    Cape · 0.7 mi

    70
    Top: CabezonPeak season
    • Cabezon 70
    • Surfperch 64
    • Kelp greenling 63

    3 kt WL 4:26 PM · 2.3 ftH 10:17 PM · 5.6 ft

  • Point Lone

    Cape · 0.9 mi

    70
    Top: CabezonPeak season
    • Cabezon 70
    • Kelp greenling 63
    • Surfperch 62

    3 kt WL 4:27 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:14 PM · 5.3 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.