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Kelp greenlingRetention openBay · California
Estero De Limantour
38.03°N · 122.91°W · Bay · 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 · 11 PM · Kelp greenling
- Now
- 305 AM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding1.0 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Estero De Limantour 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 · 5 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
98Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.4 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
99Wind: 3 kt ENEPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
32Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 56°F, warmLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 6.8 ftSeason & habitat · Kelp greenling
Species seasonality
69Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
Kelp greenling
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. CDFW limits and seasons cover kelp and rock greenlings together.
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))
- 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))
- 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 yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Kelp greenling is best here
Shoulder season for Kelp greenling · 1 more week at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Estero De Limantour
- Depth
- 1-3 ft
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · Semi-exposed
- Season
- Shoulder seasonKelp greenling
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 14 on a 464 m grid. Depths are feet below mean sea level, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Estero De Limantour
Estero De Limantour is a bay in San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge, California. Depth is 1-3 ft. Its profile reads bay, inner water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are surfperch, rockfish and lingcod. It is peak season now for surfperch, rockfish, cabezon and striped bass, and shoulder season for lingcod, Chinook salmon, Pacific halibut and California halibut. Surfperch peak in May and from July through September. Rockfish peak from May through September. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November.
Tackle & technique
- Kelp greenling
- Kelp greenling are solitary bottom fish of rocky shores, jetties and kelp beds, usually in water shallower than 60 feet. Use a small number 4 to 6 hook with sand shrimp or marine worms, or a small lead-head grub, dropped to the bottom and reeled up slightly. Larger fish show in October and November when they spawn close to shore, and mornings tend to fish best.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Drakes Estero58
Bay · 1.9 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 58
- Rockfish 55
- Lingcod 49
3 kt ENEH 10:05 AM · 4.8 ftL 3:28 PM · 2.4 ft
- Drakes Bay55
Bay · 1.6 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 55
- Lingcod 50
- Surfperch 50
3 kt ENEH 10:05 AM · 4.8 ftL 3:28 PM · 2.4 ft
- Bull Point49
Cape · 2.2 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 49
- Lingcod 43
- Pacific halibut 42
3 kt ENEH 11:18 AM · 4.6 ftL 5:14 PM · 2.0 ft
- Home Bay46
Bay · 2.2 mi
Top: Pacific halibutShoulder season- Pacific halibut 46
- Surfperch 45
- Rockfish 43
3 kt ENEH 11:18 AM · 4.6 ftL 5:14 PM · 2.0 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.