Springtime Bluefin Showing Near Half Moon Bay as NorCal Pelagic Season Opens
Bluefin tuna are on the board near Half Moon Bay, with the Codfather, a six-pack running out of Alameda, reporting their first fish of the season after trolling south of the Half Moon Bay weather buoy, per Western Outdoor News - Saltwater. Deckhand Joseph Green noted the crew spotted life before connecting, suggesting fish are present but require some searching. Surface water is running 55°F at NOAA buoy 46026, cool but consistent with early-June upwelling conditions along this stretch of coast. Winds are light across both buoys 46026 and 46013, and the waning gibbous moon offers decent pre-dawn light for Bay anglers targeting striped bass on the tide changes. No Bay-specific reports surfaced this cycle for halibut or stripers, though both are typically active in SF Bay by early June as water temperatures gradually tick upward.
Current Conditions
- Water temp
- 55°F
- Moon
- Waning Gibbous
- Tide / flow
- No wave height data from offshore buoys this cycle; plan Bay runs around Golden Gate current peaks and incoming tide windows for best results.
- Weather
- Light winds and cool marine air with typical early-June coastal fog expected.
New to these readings? What do water temp, cfs, tide, and moon phase actually mean for fishing?
What's Biting
Bluefin Tuna
trolling offshore south of Half Moon Bay
Striped Bass
early-morning tide rips and channel edges
Halibut
slow drift over sandy Bay bottom with live bait
Rockfish
drop on nearshore reef structure offshore
What's Next
With light winds logged across NOAA buoys 46026 and 46013, the next few days look favorable for offshore runs toward the bluefin grounds south of Half Moon Bay. The Codfather's recent contact, per Western Outdoor News - Saltwater, confirms fish are in the area, but the crew needed to troll and search before connecting. Plan for a patient day and bring enough fuel to cover ground.
Surface water at 55°F (buoy 46026) sits on the cooler side for tuna, but these early-season fish are tolerating current temps as they push in from offshore. Watch for surface temperature breaks and color lines on the run out. Bait life near those transition zones is often the best indicator of where fish are holding. Trolling was the productive approach for the Codfather crew and remains the go-to search method at this stage of the season.
Inside SF Bay, incoming tide windows are worth prioritizing for striped bass. The waning gibbous moon provides sufficient light for early-morning presentations around rip lines, rocky structure, and channel edges. No charter reports confirmed active Bay striper fishing this week, but the calendar and water temperatures put June squarely in the traditional prime window for this species in the Bay. As temperatures inside the Bay push above the current coastal baseline, feeding activity should build.
Halibut should be distributed across sandy-bottom zones in the shallower Bay flats and channel drop-offs. Slow drifts with live bait remain the conventional approach. Foggy mornings, typical for this coast in June, can compress feeding windows, so time your drifts to align with the tide push rather than strictly with sunrise.
Offshore rockfish action typically holds steady through early summer along nearshore reef structure. With no significant weather event apparent from current buoy data, weekend conditions look workable for multi-species runs. Anglers targeting a mixed day can pick up rockfish on the way out and watch for signs of pelagic life en route to the offshore tuna grounds.
Context
For Northern California's outer coast and SF Bay, early June marks the traditional start of the pelagic season. Bluefin tuna have historically appeared around the Half Moon Bay and Farallon Islands corridor from late May onward, with timing closely tied to offshore water temperatures and how strongly seasonal upwelling suppresses nearshore surface temps. A 55°F reading at buoy 46026 falls within the typical range for this stretch in early June, when persistent upwelling keeps the coast cold even as offshore water warms.
Western Outdoor News - Saltwater flagged expected El Nino conditions for 2026, primarily in the context of a Southern California charter targeting tuna, yellowtail, and dorado in late June. If warmer offshore water extends northward as the season progresses, the NorCal coast could see more consistent pelagic windows than in a neutral year. Early bluefin contact near Half Moon Bay, as the Codfather reported this week, fits that optimistic pattern.
Bay striper fishing in early June is typically entering its productive early-summer phase. Late-May schoolie bites generally give way to larger fish following baitfish schools by mid-June, with the Bay channels and rip lines near the Golden Gate both contributing. Halibut are reliably present through this period across the Bay shallows and channel edges.
No direct comparative signal from this week's feeds allows a precise benchmark of current Bay conditions against prior seasons. Based on available data, conditions appear on or slightly ahead of a typical early-June schedule for this region. Absent a sustained cold upwelling event, the pelagic picture should improve as the month progresses and offshore surface temps gradually rise.
This report is synthesized by Hooked Fisherman from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Source names are cited inline where they appear. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.