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Leopard sharkRetention openCape · California
Vista Point
37.83°N · 122.48°W · Cape · 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 · 7 PM · Leopard shark
- Now
- 3012 PM PDT
- Best window
- 6-9 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing4.6 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Vista Point 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
73Tide: EbbingCurrent: SlackWind & pressure
ECMWF
100Wind: 5 kt WPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
52Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 63°F, primeLight: Bright sunSolunar: Near a majorSeas: 4.6 ftSeason & habitat · Leopard shark
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
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)
Source: CDFW · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Leopard shark is best here
Shoulder season for Leopard shark · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Vista Point
- Depth
- 5-100 ftDrop-off
- 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 Vista Point
Vista 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 is 5-100 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, Pacific halibut and rockfish. It is peak season now for cabezon, rockfish, surfperch and striped bass, and shoulder season for Pacific halibut, lingcod, kelp greenling and Chinook salmon. Cabezon peak from May through September. Pacific halibut peak from May through July. Rockfish peak from May through September.
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.
- Pacific halibut
- Halibut sit on sand and gravel bottoms near drop-offs, bars and pinnacles, most often in 90 to 500 feet in Alaska and on the shelf off Washington, Oregon and far northern California. Anchor up-current of a likely edge and fish herring, squid, octopus or a salmon head on a circle hook with 24 to 32 ounces of weight, or bounce a large jig on the bottom. The best bite usually comes in the hour around slack tide.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Kirby Cove65
Bay · 0.8 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 65
- Rockfish 61
- Pacific halibut 60
5 kt WL 4:20 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:11 PM · 5.3 ft
- Horseshoe Bay64
Bay · 0.1 mi
Top: SurfperchPeak season- Surfperch 64
- Pacific halibut 60
- Rockfish 59
5 kt WL 4:20 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:11 PM · 5.3 ft
- Golden Gate62
Channel · 1.1 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 62
- Pacific halibut 59
- Lingcod 57
5 kt WL 4:06 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:01 PM · 5.5 ft
- Point Cavallo60
Cape · 0.2 mi
Top: CabezonPeak season- Cabezon 60
- Pacific halibut 60
- Rockfish 59
5 kt WL 4:20 PM · 2.2 ftH 10:11 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.