California fishing reports
215 reports for California — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
SoCal surf fishing heats up as corbina and leopard shark season arrives
Water temps at 63–64°F across the LA Bight — logged at NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 — are signaling the seasonal transition surf anglers have been waiting for. According to Surf Fishing in So Cal, May 2026 "has delivered" after a mixed April, with conditions now "starting to come together in a big way" and potentially the best fishing of the season still ahead. Corbina and leopard sharks are the primary targets pulling surf casters to Southern California beaches this month, with sand crabs the go-to bait for corbina in the wash. Light winds around 3 m/s and a manageable 3-foot swell are keeping beach access comfortable. The waxing crescent moon is building tidal range through the coming week, which should sharpen morning and evening bite windows on the flats. Offshore on the Channel Islands, yellowtail and calico bass are seasonally on the table, though no specific fleet reports have come through this cycle — confirm with local landings before making the run.
Central Coast Chinook Rally as Upwelling Opens a Real Salmon Season
Water temps at NOAA buoy 46042 read 54°F off the Central Coast — a cooldown that is translating directly to improved salmon action. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports from Monterey that Central Coast Chinook conditions have upgraded meaningfully as northwest winds drive upwelling, pulling nutrient-rich water to the surface and activating the bait schools salmon follow. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing confirms the shift: temps fell from 58°F to 54°F near Pigeon Point since the April 11 season opener, and salmon responded while warm-water species like bonita headed out. Buoy 46026 shows an even cooler 51°F in active upwelling zones, and buoy 46028 reads 60°F in calmer nearshore pockets — a thermal mosaic anglers can work edge-to-edge. The waxing crescent moon and sustained northwest breeze are keeping the upwelling engine running heading into this week.
Sacramento-Delta stripers and largemouth on the move in post-spawn transition
USGS gauge 11447650 on the Sacramento River clocked 67°F and 15,600 cfs on the afternoon of May 19 — water temperature that sits squarely in the striper sweet spot and signals the Delta's post-spawn largemouth window is open. NorCal Fish Reports covers the Sacramento-Delta beat in its regional roundup but returned only navigation content in this pull, with no specific bite reports available. Working from the gauge data and seasonal patterns: striped bass have likely wrapped their upstream spawning push and are now scattering to current seams, rip-rap banks, and bridge pilings across the tidal system. Early-morning topwater and swimbaits are the standard play for this phase. Largemouth are transitioning off beds and pushing toward tule edges and dock pilings. Channel catfish become progressively more active as water climbs through the mid-60s — nighttime sessions with cut bait near deep channel edges are worth targeting. The waxing crescent moon keeps overnight skies dark, a mild edge for evening striper and catfish anglers.
Delta stripers and bass in post-spawn transition as spring flows surge
Flow at USGS gauge 11455420 on the Sacramento River registered 112,000 cfs on the morning of May 19 — a robust snowmelt-driven surge well above typical late-spring baselines. No water temperature was available at the gauge. Angler-intel feeds this cycle returned no Delta-specific reports; NorCal Fish Reports covers the Delta regularly but its current-conditions data was not included in this update's pull. With high, off-color water pushing through the main channels, striped bass — the Delta's signature sport fish — typically concentrate near hard structure: riprap levees, bridge pilings, and the mouths of back-channel sloughs where current breaks create holding lies. Mid-May is historically post-spawn territory for Delta stripers as fish exit the Sacramento and San Joaquin tributaries and work back into tidal reaches. Largemouth bass are in a post-spawn transition this week, scattering from shallow spawning flats toward mid-depth structure as water temperatures climb into early summer ranges.
Chinook salmon surge as NorCal coastal waters cool into prime range
Water temperatures at NOAA buoy 46026 registered 51°F on May 19, and that chill is working in salmon anglers' favor. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that Half Moon Bay boats have found vastly improved Chinook conditions below Pigeon Point since water temps dropped from 58°F at the April 11 opener down to 54°F — Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady noted the water 'looks different' in the cooler band and called the shift significant. Our buoy readings, running a few degrees colder still, suggest the upwelling push has continued to press north into the SF Bay approaches and the Bodega corridor. Bonito that appeared briefly during the warmer early-season window have since moved off with the temperature drop, per the same Western Outdoor News report. In the Bay proper, striped bass and California halibut are typical late-May targets, though no specific Bay-side field reports were available this cycle — local tackle shops remain your best source for current Bay conditions.
Bluefin push within range as SoCal surf bite hits its stride
Water temps checked in at 64°F at both NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 on May 19, setting the stage for what Western Outdoor News — Saltwater describes as an 'extensive' spread of tuna southwest of San Diego—bluefin, yellowfin, and even a rare albacore already in the mix. The offshore action is running ahead of schedule: WON reporter Merit McCrea notes warm water is pushing fish unusually close, with two- and three-day trips already finding yellowtail and dorado farther south. Inshore, Surf Fishing in So Cal reports May has 'delivered' after a mixed April, with the surf bite coming together across Southern California beaches. Corbina and leopard sharks are the surf headliners as the season finds its rhythm. Conditions look cooperative—light winds of around 4 mph and 2.6-foot swell keep both offshore runs and the surf zone fishable. A waxing crescent moon keeps nights dark, favoring daytime bite windows.
Salmon Fishing Improves Off Pigeon Point as Central Coast Waters Cool
Water temps dipped to 53°F at NOAA buoy 46042 off Monterey — a four-degree drop from the 58°F recorded at the start of salmon season in mid-April. According to Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing reported "vastly improved salmon conditions below Pigeon Point" and credited exactly this temperature break for the turnaround. The cooler water sent the bonito packing ("the bonita took a hike," Davis said), but it also signals that the bait-and-troll salmon bite should tighten along the mid-coast shelf. NOAA buoy 46028, positioned further south off Cape San Martin, showed a slightly warmer 59°F — suggesting a temperature gradient that may be concentrating fish along the thermal break. Seas are running 6–8.5 feet across the monitoring network, rough enough to keep smaller vessels in harbor, but the underlying fishing picture is trending positive for boats that can get out.
NorCal Salmon Bite Strengthening as Coastal Temperatures Drop
Cooler coastal water is improving salmon prospects along the NorCal coast this week. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing reports water temps have dropped to 54°F — down four degrees from the 58°F reading at the April 11 season opener — a change he says 'makes a huge difference on the water,' with salmon conditions now 'vastly improved' south of Pigeon Point. The bonita that favored warmer water have cleared out, making way for the target species. Offshore, NOAA buoys 46026 and 46013 are registering significant wave heights of 7.5 and 8.2 feet respectively, with winds reaching 7 m/s at buoy 46013 — a reminder that coastal bar crossings at Bodega and the Golden Gate require careful timing. No buoy water temperature data was available today. Anglers planning an offshore run should consult current bar reports and local charter updates before heading out.
Delta stripers and largemouth enter prime post-spawn feeding window
USGS gauge 11447650 logged 5,370 cfs and 66°F before dawn on May 19 — water temps that mark the typical late-season close of the striper spawn run and the start of an aggressive post-spawn bass window across the Delta's tidal sloughs. No Delta-specific angler reports surfaced in this cycle's intel feeds, so conditions below draw on gauge data and well-established seasonal patterns for this fishery. At 66°F, striped bass finishing their upstream migration are expected to be staging back toward the main channels; topwater at first light and swimbaits on deeper structure mid-morning historically produce during this transition. Largemouth are likely shifting from spawn to recovery in tule-edged backwaters, where the concurrent bluegill spawn — noted as "in full swing" for late-May largemouth fisheries by Tactical Bassin — creates a reliable topwater trigger near the banks. Channel catfish grow more aggressive as temps hold through the mid-60s.
SoCal May Surge: Surf Bite Builds as Early Tuna Push Into Range
Water temps holding at 64°F across LA Bight buoy stations are energizing a surf bite that Surf Fishing in So Cal describes as 'starting to come together in a big way' after a patchy April, with the best fishing of the season potentially still ahead. Corbina and leopard shark headline the inshore action along Southern California beaches, with corbina responding well to sand crab presentations during calm mid-tide windows. Offshore, the headline story is an unusually early pelagic push: Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reported bluefin and yellowfin tuna already within one-day range southwest of San Diego by late April, with the first San Diego fleet albacore in several years gaffed April 30 aboard the Tribute out of Mission Bay. The same source flagged California water temps running 10-plus degrees above normal — anomalous even by El Niño standards — raising genuine optimism for early yellowtail and pelagic action extending into Channel Islands range. Waxing crescent moon provides favorable low-light windows through the end of the week.
Central Coast salmon bite improves below Pigeon Point as spring upwelling kicks in
Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports vastly improved salmon conditions below Pigeon Point — water temperatures have settled at 54°F, down from the 58°F recorded when the season opened April 11, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. The cooler shift pushed bonita out of the area but is drawing salmon back into productive range. NOAA buoys confirm the trend: buoy 46026 recorded 50°F surface water with 6.9-foot wave heights Tuesday morning, buoy 46042 read 51°F with 7 m/s winds, and buoy 46028 showed warmer 59°F water farther south — a temperature gradient worth tracking as the season builds. Rough offshore seas are a real factor this week, giving larger charter vessels a clear advantage when swell is elevated. A waxing crescent moon brings modest tidal movement, which typically concentrates bait along kelp edges and rocky structure through the weekend.
Delta striper and bass season hits stride amid strong tidal-reversal flows
USGS gauge 11455420 recorded a reverse flow of -54,800 cfs in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta on May 18 — a strong tidal-push signature that shifts fish out of main channels and into protected secondary sloughs, tule banks, and dock structures. Water temperature data was unavailable this cycle. Delta-specific angler intel did not come through in this feed window, so conditions here blend gauge readings with established mid-May seasonal patterns for this system. Striped bass are typically at or near their annual peak in the Delta by the third week of May, staging along current breaks and rip lines. Post-spawn largemouth are beginning their early-summer transition to shaded cover, and channel catfish are responding to warming shallows. The waxing crescent moon favors early morning and evening bite windows. Verify current conditions at your launch ramp before heading out, as reverse flows can shift fish locations from day to day.