Today 8 am to tomorrow 12 pmCalifornia halibut
The bite peaks at 92. Water is 72°, inside their 55–72° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.
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.
Right now
California halibut range 55–72°
From the northwest
Sunrise 7:08 am
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Full
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.
California halibut prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside California halibut's active range. Holds 4–60 ft down.
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
Barred surfperch prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Above barred surfperch's active range (50–68°F) — fish move deep. Holds 1–12 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum size. 20/person/day in combination of all surfperch (shiner perch separate), with no more than 10 of any one species. Open year-round.
Verified Oct 21, 2026 · California
Season here: Year-round. More on barred surfperch
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
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
Wide sand beach on either side of the Santa Monica Pier. Barred surfperch in the surf troughs year-round and California halibut on the sand from spring into fall.
Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Santa Monica State Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
Santa Monica State Beach is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Barred Surfperch, California Halibut. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
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 Santa Monica State Beach 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.
Santa Monica State Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.
state agency regulations apply at Santa Monica State Beach. 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.
Yes. Santa Monica State Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
