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White seabassRetention openChannel · California
Carquinez Strait
38.05°N · 122.19°W · Channel · 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 · 10 PM · White seabass
- Now
- 4212 PM PDT
- Best window
- 9-11 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding5.3 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Carquinez Strait 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 · 12 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
40Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.7 kn floodWind & pressure
ECMWF
96Wind: 3 kt NNWPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
47Water temp: 68°F, warmLight: Bright sunSolunar: Near a majorSeason & habitat · White seabass
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
White seabass
Retention open- Daily limit
- 3 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 28 in, total length. Or twenty and one-half inches alternate length (Section 28.35).
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- CDFW pages disagree on the alternate length: the regulation text says 20.5 inches, the booklet summary table 21.5 inches, and the regional web pages 20 inches. Total length is 28 inches on all of them.
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 Closed (No retention)
- 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)
- 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 White seabass is best here
Shoulder season for White seabass · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- Not here
- This week
Spot profile
Carquinez Strait
- Depth
- 35-90 ftDrop-off
- Structure
- Channel · Inner · ProtectedChannel · drop-off
- Season
- Shoulder seasonWhite seabass
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 Carquinez Strait
Carquinez Strait is a channel in San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth is 35-90 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads channel, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are California halibut, leopard shark and rockfish. It is peak season now for rockfish, surfperch, cabezon and striped bass, and shoulder season for California halibut, leopard shark, Pacific halibut and lingcod. California halibut peak from May through August. Leopard shark peak from May through August. Rockfish peak from May through September.
Tackle & technique
- White seabass
- White seabass hold along kelp bed edges and over nearby sand where market squid gather, usually in 20 to 80 feet of water and shallower as the water warms. Fish a live squid on a dropper loop or fly-line a sardine near the kelp at dawn, dusk and after dark, especially around the spring full moon. Tagged fish spend most of their time in 52 to 66 degree 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.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Southhampton Bay68
Bay · 0.8 mi
Top: Leopard sharkShoulder season- Leopard shark 68
- California halibut 67
- Surfperch 67
3 kt NNWL 5:55 PM · 2.0 ftH 11:40 PM · 5.6 ft
- Point Carquinez66
Cape · 1.2 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 66
- Rockfish 66
- Striped bass 63
3 kt NNWH 12:48 PM · 4.5 ftL 6:13 PM · 1.6 ft
- Dillon Point64
Cape · 0.5 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 64
- Surfperch 62
- Rockfish 60
3 kt NNWL 5:55 PM · 2.0 ftH 11:40 PM · 5.6 ft
- Commodore Jones Point64
Cape · 0.9 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 64
- Rockfish 63
- Striped bass 63
3 kt NNWH 12:48 PM · 4.5 ftL 6:13 PM · 1.6 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.