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Kelp bassRetention openCape · California
Point Bennett
34.03°N · 120.45°W · Cape · 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 · 5 PM · Kelp bass
- Now
- 304 AM PDT
- Best window
- 4-8 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Flooding0.6 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Point Bennett 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 · 4 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
92Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.8 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
20Wind: 19 kt NNWPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
33Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 67°F, primeLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 8.7 ftSeason & habitat · Kelp bass
Species seasonality
65Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Kelp bass
Retention open- Daily limit
- 5 per day (5 kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass combined)
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 14 in, total length. Or 10 inches alternate length.
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Fillets must be at least 7.5 inches long with a one-inch square patch of skin.
From CDFW 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (last updated July 17, 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 greenling Retention open (10 per day (10 rockfish, cabezon and greenlings combined))
- Leopard shark Retention open (3 per day)
- 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 yesterday
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Kelp bass is best here
Shoulder season for Kelp bass · 5 more weeks at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Point Bennett
- Depth
- 20-80 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Point · Outer · ExposedPoint · drop-off
- Season
- Shoulder seasonKelp bass
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 Point Bennett
Point Bennett is a cape 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 20-80 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 9 species here; the best right now are barred sand bass, California halibut and California yellowtail. It is peak season now for California halibut, California yellowtail and leopard shark, and shoulder season for barred sand bass, kelp bass, lingcod and rockfish. Barred sand bass peak from June through August. California halibut peak from May through September. California yellowtail peak from July through September.
Tackle & technique
- Kelp bass
- Kelp bass live in kelp beds, rocky reefs and breakwaters, most often in 9 to 70 feet of water, and seldom move far from home. In summer cast swimbaits or fish live anchovies along the up-current edge of the kelp and let them swim into the canopy. In winter the bigger fish move to reefs in 90 feet or more, where a squid-tipped jig works better.
- Barred sand bass
- Barred sand bass hold on the sand and rock edge of reefs, artificial reefs, breakwaters and bays, mostly in less than 90 feet of water. In summer they stack up over sand flats in 60 to 120 feet to spawn, and a plastic or live anchovy bounced on the bottom under the boat will catch them. A sudden drop in water temperature from upwelling can shut the bite off for a day or two.
- 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
- Westcott Shoal46
Bar · 3.0 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 46
- Lingcod 34
- Rockfish 34
19 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 ft
- Oil Springs46
Bar · 3.6 mi
Top: California yellowtailPeak season- California yellowtail 46
- Lingcod 41
- Rockfish 40
19 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 ft
- Adams Cove30
Bay · 0.7 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
19 kt NNWH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ftL 2:34 PM · 1.8 ft
- Tyler Bight30
Bay · 2.3 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
19 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.