Monterey Bay fishing conditions · California

Tomorrow, 1 am–11 amWhite seabass

The bite peaks at 83. Water is 66°, close to the 65° white seabass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 20 mph out of the northwest by tonight at 7:00 pm.

Small Craft Advisory until Monday 9 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 78 for white seabass, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

White seabass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 78Mon
  2. 78
  3. 74
  4. 743 am
  5. 79
  6. 79
  7. 796 am
  8. 79
  9. 83
  10. 799 am
  11. 71
  12. 69
  13. 7112 pm
  14. 83
  15. 83
  16. 793 pm
  17. 79
  18. 71
  19. 606 pm
  20. 56
  21. 56
  22. 569 pm
  23. 56
  24. 71
  25. 71Tue
  26. 83
  27. 83
  28. 793 am
  29. 79
  30. 79
  31. 796 am
  32. 79
  33. 79
  34. 839 am
  35. 79
  36. 71
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
66°F

White seabass range 58–72°

Wind
7 mph

From the west-northwest

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:25 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are California regulations for these waters.

White Seabass

White seabass

Atractoscion nobilis

83Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 am–11 am

Water

66°
48°58–72° · ideal 65°82°

Why

Right in white seabass's ideal range. White seabass prefers incoming tide. White seabass feeds aggressively under full moon. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

28" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 28" total length (20" alternate length) minimum, 3/person/day, but only 1/day south of Point Conception from Mar 15 to Jun 15.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · California

Season here: Mar–Sep. More on white seabass

California Halibut

California halibut

Paralichthys californicus

75Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 am–11 am

Water

66°
45°55–72° · ideal 64°82°

Why

Right in California halibut's ideal range. California halibut prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–60 ft down.

Keep

22" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 22" total length minimum. 5/person/day south of Point Sur (Monterey County); 2/day north of it. Open year-round.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · California

Season here: Mar–Oct. More on California halibut

Rockfish

Rockfish

Sebastes spp.

13Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

66°
35°45–58° · ideal 52°68°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Above rockfish's active range (45–58°F) — fish move deep. Holds 20–300 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 10/person/day in combination (rockfish, cabezon, greenlings): no more than 1 copper, 2 canary, 2 vermilion/sunset (4 in the Northern area). No quillback, yelloweye, cowcod or bronzespotted at any time. Boats: closed Jan 1–Mar 31; south of Point Conception, all depths Apr–Jun, inside 50 fathoms Jul–Sep, then closures and depth limits through Dec. Shore anglers and spear divers are exempt from the season and depth rules.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · California

Season here: Apr–Dec. More on rockfish

The water

  • Water temperature66°F
  • Barometer30.10 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:25 am
  • Sunset today6:17 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. California CDFW has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A deep, productive bay on the central California coast — rockfish and lingcod on the reefs, California halibut on the sandy flats, and white seabass in the kelp, with salmon offshore in season. Fished from boats and the Monterey and Santa Cruz wharves. Live tide and water temperature from the Monterey station.

California halibut: 22" minimum, 2 a day north of Point Sur. Rockfish and lingcod: boats closed Jan 1–Mar 31, open all depths Apr–Dec; shore anglers exempt.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Santa Cruz Main Beach13 mi · CaliforniaBest today 12 pm to tomorrow 5 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Monterey Bay?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Monterey Bay you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Monterey Bay?

Monterey Bay is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Rockfish, California Halibut, White Seabass. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Monterey Bay?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Monterey Bay against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Monterey Bay have?

Monterey Bay has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. California halibut: 22" minimum, 2 a day north of Point Sur. Rockfish and lingcod: boats closed Jan 1–Mar 31, open all depths Apr–Dec; shore anglers exempt.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Monterey Bay?

state agency regulations apply at Monterey Bay. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Monterey Bay tidal water?

Yes. Monterey Bay sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.