Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) fishing conditions · Oregon

Today, 1 pm–7 pmRedtail surfperch

The bite peaks at 80. Water is 53°, close to the 55° redtail surfperch like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 70 for redtail surfperch, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Redtail surfperch, 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. 70Mon
  2. 70
  3. 70
  4. 663 am
  5. 66
  6. 66
  7. 666 am
  8. 66
  9. 66
  10. 709 am
  11. 73
  12. 73
  13. 7312 pm
  14. 80
  15. 80
  16. 763 pm
  17. 76
  18. 76
  19. 806 pm
  20. 65
  21. 68
  22. 659 pm
  23. 65
  24. 65
  25. 65Tue
  26. 62
  27. 62
  28. 583 am
  29. 65
  30. 73
  31. 736 am
  32. 76
  33. 76
  34. 769 am
  35. 80
  36. 76
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
53°F

Redtail surfperch range 48–62°

Wind
15 mph

From the south

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:46 am

Sky
Rain Showers

76% chance of rain

Air
51°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

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 Oregon regulations for these waters.

Redtail Surfperch

Redtail surfperch

Amphistichus rhodoterus

80Worth the tripToday, 1 pm–7 pm

Water

53°
38°48–62° · ideal 55°72°

Why

Right in redtail surfperch's ideal range. Redtail surfperch prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Surfperch: 15/day in aggregate of all species, no minimum size. Open year-round.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Oregon

Season here: Mar–Aug. More on redtail surfperch

Rockfish

Rockfish

Sebastes spp.

66MarginalToday, 10 am–7 pm

Water

53°
35°45–58° · ideal 52°68°

Why

Right in rockfish's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. Holds 20–300 ft down.

Keep

4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. General marine bag 4/day (rockfish, greenling, cabezon and others), with no more than 2 canary. Quillback and yelloweye may not be kept. Cabezon 16" minimum, 1/day from Jul 1 (none Jan 1–Jun 30). Open at all depths year-round.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Oregon

Season here: Apr–Dec. More on rockfish

Lingcod

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus

66MarginalToday, 10 am–7 pm

Water

53°
35°45–58° · ideal 52°68°

Why

Right in lingcod's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Heavy seas — small boats unsafe, surf blown out. Holds 20–300 ft down.

Keep

22" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 22" minimum, 3/day, separate from the general marine bag. Open at all depths year-round.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Oregon

Season here: Apr–Dec. More on lingcod

The water

  • Water temperature53°F
  • Seas6.9 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer29.94 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:46 am
  • Sunset today6:13 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 am–2:00 am
  • Minor solunarToday 8:10 am–9:10 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:20 pm–2:20 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

Oregon ODFW report, Oct 8

Names lingcod, rockfish, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Oregon ODFW

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

About this spot

A wide sand beach under the sandstone headland of Cape Kiwanda. Redtail surfperch in the surf on the incoming tide; black rockfish and lingcod off the rocks at the cape.

Nearby

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

Nehalem Bay State Park34 mi · OregonBest today 2 pm–3 pmSmall Craft Advisory
55Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)?

Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Redtail Surfperch, Rockfish, Lingcod. 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 Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)?

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 Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) 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 Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) have?

Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)?

state agency regulations apply at Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda). 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 Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) tidal water?

Yes. Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda) sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.