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LingcodRetention openCape · California
Point Sal
34.90°N · 120.67°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 · Lingcod
- Now
- 5512 PM PDT
- Best window
- 5-8 PMFlood tide
- Tide now
- Ebbing3.2 ft ▼
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Point Sal 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 · 12 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
97Tide: EbbingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
99Wind: 5 kt WSWPressure: FallingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
15Water temp: 64°F, hotLight: Bright sunSolunar: Near a majorSeas: 6.6 ftSeason & habitat · Lingcod
Species seasonality
70Season: ShoulderHabitat: Usable structureDepth: In rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Central Groundfish Management Area
Lingcod
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 22 in, total length
- Season
- Apr 1 to Dec 31, 2026
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- 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.
From CDFW Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations (updated June 23, 2026), read Sep 13
Other species here
- Albacore tuna Retention open (25 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
- 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 today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Lingcod is best here
Shoulder season for Lingcod · 1 more week at shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Point Sal
- Depth
- 25-40 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Point · Outer · 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 Point Sal
Point Sal 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 25-40 ft. Its profile reads point, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 11 species here; the best right now are rockfish, lingcod and Chinook salmon. It is peak season now for rockfish, surfperch, cabezon and striped bass, and shoulder season for lingcod, Chinook salmon, Pacific halibut and California halibut. Rockfish peak from May through September. Lingcod peak from April through May and from October through November. Chinook salmon peak from June through August.
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.
- Rockfish
- 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.
- Chinook salmon
- Chinook hold near bait off points, kelp edges and tide rips, usually suspended 20 to 120 feet down and deeper as the sun gets higher. Troll slowly, under 2 mph, with a flasher and herring, hoochie or spoon on a downrigger, or mooch a plug-cut herring at the depth where the sounder shows bait. Winter blackmouth and feeder kings sit within 10 feet of the bottom in 60 to 200 feet.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Howell Rock65
Bar · 18 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 65
- Lingcod 60
- Striped bass 55
5 kt NWL 2:39 PM · 2.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft
- Westdahi Rock65
Bar · 18 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 65
- Lingcod 59
- White seabass 55
5 kt NWL 2:39 PM · 2.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft
- Lansing Rock65
Bar · 18 mi
Top: RockfishPeak season- Rockfish 65
- Lingcod 60
- Striped bass 55
5 kt NWL 2:39 PM · 2.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 ft
- San Luis Obispo Bay59
Bay · 19 mi
Top: Striped bassPeak season- Striped bass 59
- Rockfish 57
- Lingcod 51
5 kt NWL 2:39 PM · 2.1 ftH 8:35 PM · 5.2 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.