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CabezonRetention openBay · California
Honker Bay
38.07°N · 121.93°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 · Cabezon
- Now
- 501 PM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding3.6 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Honker Bay 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 · 1 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
69Tide: FloodingCurrent: 1.8 kn floodWind & pressure
ECMWF
94Wind: 2 kt NNEPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC
17Water temp: 68°F, hotLight: Bright sunSolunar: Between periodsSeason & habitat · Cabezon
Species seasonality
68Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: 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 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)
- 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
Honker Bay
- Depth
- About 4 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · ProtectedBay · 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 Honker Bay
Honker Bay 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 about 4 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads bay, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are leopard shark, surfperch and California halibut. It is peak season now for surfperch, striped bass, cabezon and rockfish, and shoulder season for leopard shark, California halibut, Chinook salmon and kelp greenling. Leopard shark peak from May through August. Surfperch peak in May and from July 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.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Point Wall68
Cape · 2.3 mi
Top: Striped bassPeak season- Striped bass 68
- Surfperch 62
- Rockfish 61
2 kt NNEH 2:11 PM · 3.4 ftL 7:51 PM · 1.1 ft
- Spoonbill Creek67
Gut · 2.2 mi
Top: Striped bassPeak season- Striped bass 67
- Surfperch 67
- Leopard shark 66
2 kt NNEH 2:11 PM · 3.4 ftL 7:51 PM · 1.1 ft
- Simmons Point64
Cape · 0.7 mi
Top: Striped bassPeak season- Striped bass 64
- Surfperch 62
- Leopard shark 59
2 kt NNEH 1:52 PM · 3.8 ftL 7:26 PM · 1.4 ft
- Point Wise64
Cape · 2.0 mi
Top: Striped bassPeak season- Striped bass 64
- Surfperch 62
- Cabezon 59
2 kt NNEH 1:52 PM · 3.8 ftL 7:26 PM · 1.4 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.