UTERRockfish fishing in Northern California Coast
In Northern California Coast, rockfish peak June–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Peak with calm summer seas.
Last calm days.
Rockfish in Northern California Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayArrivingOpener on the north coast — blacks and blues on the shallow reefs off Fort Bragg and Trinidad.
- JunePeakKings, halibut and rockfish — pick your calm day. Troll bait on the 20–40 fathom line for kings; drift herring for halibut; rock-hop for cabezon.
- JulyPeakPeak kings off Fort Bragg and Shelter Cove. The Klamath zone closes fast on quota — check CDFW. Rockfish limits on calm summer days.
- AugustPeakPeak with calm summer seas.
- SeptemberPeakKlamath and Smith fall kings; albacore peak. Kings stacked off the Smith and in the Klamath estuary; tuna on calm days.
- OctoberPeakLast calm days.
- NovemberAroundFirst winter steelhead; pre-spawn lings. Steelhead enter after the first big rain; lingcod before the closure.
- DecemberAround
Where to fish rockfish near Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Shelter Cove
An exposed, wild coast of rocky headlands, pinnacles and a few harbors — Bodega, Noyo, Shelter Cove, Humboldt Bay, Crescent City — with the Eel, Klamath and Smith rivers coming out through sand bars.
Fish Scouter charts 36 wreck spots in the The North Coast map area — the kinds rockfish hold on.
What to use for rockfish
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 44–62°F water, best at 48–56°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch rockfish in Northern California Coast?
Peak season is June–October. Rockfish are here year-round. August: Peak with calm summer seas.
Where do rockfish hold in Northern California Coast?
Look on artificial reef, ledge / hard bottom, fishing pier — around Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Shelter Cove, Eureka, Trinidad, Crescent City.
What is the best bait for rockfish in Northern California Coast?
Live bait: squid, anchovies (pacific), herring. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for rockfish in Northern California Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and change — read the current rule at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing.
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All about rockfish · The North Coast, the whole year