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LingcodRetention openBay · California
Adams Cove
34.03°N · 120.44°W · Bay · Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands
Species here · tap to switch
Best score today · 7 AM · Lingcod
- Now
- 375 AM PDT
- Best window
- 6 AM-1 PMHigh slack
- Tide now
- Flooding1.3 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Adams Cove 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 · 5 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
100Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.8 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
46Wind: 18 kt NNWPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
3Water temp: 69°F, hotLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 7.8 ftSeason & habitat · Lingcod
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Lingcod
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 22 in, total length
- Season
- Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- 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.
From CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026), read Sep 13
Other species here
- Albacore tuna Retention open (10 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 (5 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))
- Leopard shark Retention open (3 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 yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Lingcod is best here
Shoulder season for Lingcod · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Adams Cove
- Depth
- 15-30 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Bay · Inner · Semi-exposed
- Season
- Shoulder seasonLingcod
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 14 on a 464 m grid. Depths are feet below mean sea level, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Adams Cove
Adams Cove is a bay in Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands, California. Depth in the nearest water is 15-30 ft. Its profile reads bay, inner water and semi-exposed.
Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are California yellowtail, surfperch and lingcod. It is peak season now for California yellowtail, California halibut and leopard shark, and shoulder season for surfperch, lingcod, rockfish and barred sand bass. California yellowtail peak from July through September. Surfperch peak from December through March. Lingcod peak in April and from November through December.
Tackle & technique
- Lingcod
- Lingcod ambush prey from rock outcrops, reef edges and kelp where current runs, most often in 30 to 300 feet, and males move shallow to guard nests in winter. Drift over the reef bouncing a lead-head swimbait or metal jig on the bottom, or fish herring or squid on a heavy leader, since their teeth cut light line. From jetties and rocky shore, work bait or jigs along the rocks on the incoming tide.
- California yellowtail
- Yellowtail school around the offshore islands, banks, high spots and kelp paddies from spring into fall, moving north from Baja as the water warms past about 64 degrees. Fly-line a sardine or mackerel, cast a surface iron to breaking fish, or drop a heavy iron and wind it fast when they hold deep. Heavy line matters because they run straight for kelp and rock.
- 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.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Wycoff Ledge56
Bar · 3.0 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 56
- Lingcod 46
- Rockfish 46
18 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 ft
- Tyler Bight50
Bay · 1.6 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 50
- Surfperch 43
- Lingcod 37
18 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 ft
- Westcott Shoal48
Bar · 2.8 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 48
- Lingcod 37
- Rockfish 37
18 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 ft
- Point Bennett30
Cape · 0.7 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
18 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 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.