Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

Leopard sharkRetention open

Cape · California

Simmons Point

38.06°N · 121.93°W · Cape · San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 11 PM · Leopard shark

85/100Epic
Now
592 PM PDT
Best window
9 PM-12 AMFlood tide
Tide now
High3.8 ft

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

Notify me when Simmons Point scores 75+

Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.

Sign in to set an alert

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 2 PM · now

Time2PNOW
Score59Good
Tide3.8 ftHigh
CurrentFlood1.5 kn · toward ESE
Wind2 kn NNEgusts 11 · steady
Air temp85°Hot
WeatherClear0% cloud
Water68°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 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))
  • 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

Simmons Point

Depth
2-30 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Inner · ProtectedPoint · slope
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 Simmons Point

Simmons 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 2-30 ft, with a slope. Its profile reads point, inner water and protected.

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

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.
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.
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.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Honker Bay

    Bay · 0.7 mi

    67
    Top: Leopard sharkShoulder season
    • Leopard shark 67
    • Surfperch 67
    • California halibut 63

    2 kt NNEL 7:26 PM · 1.4 ftH 12:59 AM · 4.1 ft

  • Spoonbill Creek

    Gut · 2.2 mi

    67
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 67
    • Leopard shark 66
    • California halibut 64

    2 kt NNEL 7:51 PM · 1.1 ftH 1:29 AM · 3.6 ft

  • East Reach

    Channel · 2.3 mi

    64
    Top: Leopard sharkShoulder season
    • Leopard shark 64
    • California halibut 63
    • Surfperch 62

    2 kt NNEL 7:26 PM · 1.4 ftH 12:59 AM · 4.1 ft

  • Point Wise

    Cape · 1.9 mi

    63
    Top: CabezonPeak season
    • Cabezon 63
    • Surfperch 62
    • Leopard shark 59

    2 kt NNEL 7:26 PM · 1.4 ftH 12:59 AM · 4.1 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.