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SurfperchRetention 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 · 7 AM · Surfperch
- Now
- 2111 PM PDT
- Best window
- 11 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing3.0 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 · 11 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
34Tide: EbbingCurrent: 0.5 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
8Wind: 23 kt NWPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
18Seas over the limit · capped at 30Water temp: 67°F, warmLight: NightSolunar: Near a majorSeas: 8.5 ftSeason & habitat · Surfperch
Species seasonality
48Season: ShoulderHabitat: Poor fitDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Southern Groundfish Management Area
Surfperch
Retention open- Daily limit
- 20 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 10.5 in, total length. Redtail surfperch only. No minimum size for other surfperch.
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- 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.
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 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)
- 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)
- White seabass Retention open (3 per day)
- Yellowfin tuna Retention open (10 per day)
- Yellowtail Retention open (10 per day)
Source: CDFW · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Surfperch is best here
Shoulder season for Surfperch · 9 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 seasonSurfperch
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
- 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.
- 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
- Adams Cove30
Bay · 0.7 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
23 kt NWL 2:45 AM · 0.2 ftH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ft
- Tyler Bight30
Bay · 2.3 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
23 kt NWL 2:45 AM · 0.2 ftH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ft
- Westcott Shoal30
Bar · 3.0 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
23 kt NWL 2:45 AM · 0.2 ftH 9:08 AM · 4.3 ft
- Oil Springs30
Bar · 3.6 mi
Top: Barred sand bassShoulder season- Barred sand bass 30
- California halibut 30
- Kelp bass 30
23 kt NWL 2:45 AM · 0.2 ftH 9:08 AM · 4.3 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.