Species guide · California
Rockfish fishing in California
Sebastes spp., a nearshore species also called rock cod, rockcod and black bass. Listed for the Northern California and Southern California regions. Peak season, about 2 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm at 76, one of 11 California bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Peak seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Northern California
Peak season, about 2 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Peak season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: May to Sep. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Dec.
Research notes, Northern California region
2026 boat season in the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco and Central areas: closed Jan 1 to Mar 31, open Apr 1 to Dec 31 at all depths. Cordell Bank is closed to groundfish. Shore anglers and divers are exempt from RCG season and depth limits. Quillback retention restrictions drove earlier depth closures.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Southern California
Shoulder season, about 10 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Nov.
Research notes, Southern California region
Most boat rockfish here come from deeper shelf reefs. 2026 Southern Management Area: closed Jan 1 to Mar 31, all depths Apr 1 to Jun 30, inside 50 fathoms only Jul 1 to Sep 30, closed Oct 1 to Dec 31. Copper and vermilion/sunset limits constrain the fishery. Seasonal biology here is low confidence.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 11
California bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's rockfish score this hour.
Best window today 5-9 PM (77) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (80) · 28 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (77) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 PM (77) · 61 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (77) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (80) · 27 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (74) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (76) · 50 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (77) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 PM (78) · 159 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (74) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 PM (77) · 28 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (76) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 PM (76) · 30 named spots
Best window today 5-7 PM (68) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (68) · 117 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (67) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (67) · 17 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (66) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (66) · 9 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 44°F to 64°F, best between 48°F and 58°F.
- Water depth
- 10 to 400 ft of water.
- Structure
- Reef, pinnacle, kelp, ledge, jetty, point, bank and wreck, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and moving water, with light current.Schooling black and blue rockfish rise off the up-current side of reefs when water is moving. ODFW notes incoming tides fish best for black rockfish from shore. On the outer coast, drift speed from wind and current matters more than tide stage.
- Light
- Some lift around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
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.
- Methods
- vertical jigging, drift fishing, dropper-loop shrimp fly rigs, casting swimbaits over kelp, shore fishing from jetties, fly fishing for black rockfish
- Lures
- lead-head jigs with plastic grubs or worm tails, shrimp flies, metal jigs, swimbaits, casting jigs
- Bait
- squid strips, herring, anchovy, sand shrimp, marine worms, octopus
Regulations
California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with CDFW Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed rockfish rule for California is on file yet. Check with CDFW before you keep one.