Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

Leopard sharkRetention open

Bay · California

Winslow Cove

37.87°N · 122.43°W · Bay · San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 7 PM · Leopard shark

79/100Great
Now
6610 AM PDT
Best window
7-9 PMFlood tide
Tide now
Flooding4.8 ft ▲

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

Notify me when Winslow Cove 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 · 10 AM · now

Time10ANOW
Score66Great
Tide4.8 ft ▲Flooding
CurrentFlood1.1 kn · toward N
Wind2 kn WSWgusts 5 · building
Sea stateLight chop1.6 ft · 8 s
Air temp61°Mild
WeatherPartly cloudy33% cloud
Water63°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 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)

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

Winslow Cove

Depth
10-110 ftDrop-off
Structure
Bay · Inner · Semi-exposedBay · 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 Winslow Cove

Winslow Cove 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 10-110 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads bay, inner water and semi-exposed.

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

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Ayala Cove

    Bay · 0.6 mi

    73
    Top: SurfperchPeak season
    • Surfperch 73
    • California halibut 67
    • Rockfish 67

    2 kt WSWH 11:02 AM · 4.7 ftL 4:27 PM · 2.2 ft

  • Point Campbell

    Cape · 0.2 mi

    71
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 71
    • Cabezon 67
    • Rockfish 67

    2 kt WSWH 11:05 AM · 5.0 ftL 4:26 PM · 2.3 ft

  • Point Lone

    Cape · 0.7 mi

    71
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 71
    • Cabezon 67
    • Rockfish 67

    2 kt WSWH 11:02 AM · 4.7 ftL 4:27 PM · 2.2 ft

  • Point Simpton

    Cape · 0.2 mi

    69
    Top: Striped bassPeak season
    • Striped bass 69
    • Cabezon 68
    • Rockfish 67

    2 kt WSWH 11:05 AM · 5.0 ftL 4:26 PM · 2.3 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.