Waterlands

NWS zone PZZ673 · Southern California

Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands fishing forecast

California · Pacific coast

Score now

66Great
Striped bass · 4:00 PM PDT
Named spots
61
Species scored
9
Tide stations
1
Open in the tide mapAll California bay systems

Overview

Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands is NWS marine zone PZZ673 on the California Pacific coast, in the Southern California species region. The Waterlands engine treats it as inland water (bays, sounds, straits). It holds 61 named features from the USGS Geographic Names Information System and has 1 NOAA tide station nearby.

9 species are scored here in this forecast; California yellowtail, California halibut and Leopard shark are at peak season now.

At 4:00 PM it scores 66 (great), led by Striped bass. The best window for the rest of today is 9 PM-12 AM (ebb tide), peaking at 71. Over the next 14 days the best hour is Sat, Oct 3 at 7 PM, scoring 77.

Best times to fish

Waterlands engine forecast computed 4:07 PM PDT.

Best window today

9 PM-12 AM · Ebb tide

71Great

Best hour of each day, next 14 days

  1. Tue, Sep 22

    75

    7 AM

    California yellowtail

  2. Wed, Sep 23

    73

    6 PM

    California yellowtail

  3. Thu, Sep 24

    74

    7 AM

    California yellowtail

  4. Fri, Sep 25

    72

    7 AM

    California yellowtail

  5. Sat, Sep 26

    72

    8 AM

    California yellowtail

  6. Sun, Sep 27

    71

    7 AM

    California yellowtail

  7. Mon, Sep 28

    69

    8 AM

    Rockfish

  8. Tue, Sep 29

    74

    5 PM

  9. Wed, Sep 30

    73

    5 PM

    California yellowtail

  10. Thu, Oct 1

    68

    9 AM

    California yellowtail

  11. Fri, Oct 2

    76

    6 PM

  12. Sat, Oct 3

    77

    7 PM

    Best day

  13. Sun, Oct 4

    73

    7 PM

  14. Mon, Oct 5

    71

    8 PM

Species · 9

Listed for the Southern California region. Scores are this hour; season is where the species is in its year.

65Great
RockfishSebastes spp. · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 AM (73)

64Good
California yellowtailSeriola dorsalis · pelagic

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 8 AM (76)

60Good
LingcodOphiodon elongatus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Wed, Sep 30 at 5 PM (71)

58Good
SurfperchEmbiotocidae (mainly Amphistichus spp.) · surf

Shoulder season, about 9 more weeks · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 AM (66)

56Good
White seabassAtractoscion nobilis · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Sat, Oct 3 at 7 PM (70)

53Good
Kelp bassParalabrax clathratus · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 5 more weeks · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 7 AM (68)

48Good
Barred sand bassParalabrax nebulifer · nearshore

Shoulder season, about 1 more week · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 7 AM (62)

40Fair
California halibutParalichthys californicus · bottom

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Oct 4 at 7 AM (68)

30Fair
Leopard sharkTriakis semifasciata · inshore

Peak season, about 1 more week · Best day Sun, Oct 4 at 7 AM (69)

Named spots · 61

Ranked by score this hour. Each spot has its own hourly forecast, tide, current and regulations.

49 more spots, A to Z

Nearest tide stations

Port San LuisNOAA 941211070.2 mi

Regulations

CDFW saltwater regulations Buy a California fishing license License types

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with CDFW Sep 22, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

This bay system’s spots fall in Monterey and south salmon area (61 spots), South of Point Arena (61 spots), South of Point Conception (36 spots), Southern Management Area (36 spots), Central Management Area (25 spots) and North of Point Conception (25 spots).

Ocean waters south of Point Conception (34°27' N. lat.) · CDFW

White seabassRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 28 in, total length. Or twenty and one-half inches alternate length (Section 28.35).

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW pages disagree on the alternate length: the regulation text says 20.5 inches, the booklet summary table 21.5 inches, and the regional web pages 20 inches. Total length is 28 inches on all of them.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Southern Groundfish Management Area · CDFW

California halibutRetention open

5 per day · 5 in possession · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

LingcodRetention open

2 per day · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas (Section 27.50). Boat-based take only shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area line. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Rockfish(nearshore)Retention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026

Changes to closed on Oct 1, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas (Section 27.50). Within the 10-fish RCG limit: no more than 1 copper rockfish, 2 canary rockfish, and 2 vermilion/sunset rockfish. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. Boat-based take only shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area line. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat. Yelloweye, cowcod, bronzespotted and quillback rockfish may not be kept.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Central Groundfish Management Area · CDFW

California halibutRetention open

Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

2 fish north of a line due west magnetic from Point Sur, Monterey County. 5 fish south of that line. The Point Sur line runs due west magnetic, not along a latitude line. Check which side of it you are fishing.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

LingcodRetention open

2 per day · Minimum 22 in, total length

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

RockfishRetention open

10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined) · No minimum size limit.

Season: Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026

Shore-based anglers and spear divers are exempt from groundfish seasons and depth limits. Within the 10-fish RCG limit: no more than 1 copper rockfish, 2 canary rockfish, and 2 vermilion/sunset rockfish. RCG complex: all rockfish, cabezon, and kelp and rock greenlings combined. A descending device must be aboard when fishing from a boat. Yelloweye, cowcod, bronzespotted and quillback rockfish may not be kept.

CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Ocean waters north of Point Conception (34°27' N. lat.) · CDFW

White seabassRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 28 in, total length. Or twenty and one-half inches alternate length (Section 28.35).

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW pages disagree on the alternate length: the regulation text says 20.5 inches, the booklet summary table 21.5 inches, and the regional web pages 20 inches. Total length is 28 inches on all of them.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Statewide

Barred sand bassRetention open

4 per day (5 kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass combined) · Minimum 14 in, total length. Or 10 inches alternate length.

Season: No closed season on file

Fillets must be at least 7.5 inches long with a one-inch square patch of skin. No more than 4 of the 5 bass may be barred sand bass. This sub-limit is set to end June 1, 2028.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Kelp bassRetention open

5 per day (5 kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass combined) · Minimum 14 in, total length. Or 10 inches alternate length.

Season: No closed season on file

Fillets must be at least 7.5 inches long with a one-inch square patch of skin.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Leopard sharkRetention open

3 per day · Minimum 36 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Closed in the Groundfish Exclusion Areas off southern California.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

SurfperchRetention open

20 per day · Minimum 10.5 in, total length. Redtail surfperch only. No minimum size for other surfperch.

Season: No closed season on file

In San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, surfperch are closed April 1 through July 31 and the limit is 5 (shiner perch excepted). 20 surfperch in combination, not more than 10 of any one species. Shiner perch have a separate limit of 20.

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

YellowtailRetention open

10 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length. Five fish less than 24 inches fork length may be taken or possessed.

Season: No closed season on file

CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 2026) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Other California bay systems