California fishing reports
215 reports for California — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Cool Water Brings Improved Salmon Action to Half Moon Bay Coast
Water temps along the NorCal coast have dropped to 53°F — a four-degree cooling from the 58°F readings that opened salmon season below Pigeon Point on April 11. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, that shift has delivered "vastly improved salmon conditions" south of Half Moon Bay: Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady reports the warmer early-season water had drawn bonito into the grounds, but those fish "took a hike" as temps fell, leaving the stage set for chinook. NOAA buoy 46026 confirmed the 53°F reading on May 11, aligning with Davis's on-water reports. Buoy 46013 shows light northwest winds at 5 m/s and air temps near 50°F — standard NorCal coastal spring conditions. The waning crescent moon and calm near-shore winds make early-morning offshore runs the prime window this week. Rockfish and halibut remain on seasonal patterns throughout the Bay Area grounds, though no fresh charter intel is available for those species at this time.
Bluefin, yellows, and rare albacore as warm SoCal waters ignite the May bite
Water temps across the LA Bight are running 62–64°F — well above historical norms for mid-May — and the fishing is responding accordingly. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that unseasonably warm conditions have pushed tuna well within one-day-trip range southwest of San Diego, with bluefin, yellowfin, and what's described as the first San Diego fleet albacore in years landed April 30 aboard the Tribute out of Mission Bay. Yellowtail and early dorado are already showing on two- and three-day grounds farther south. In the surf zone, Surf Fishing in So Cal's April report notes a "strange start" to the season but confirms corbina and leopard sharks are beginning to appear along SoCal beaches as nearshore temps climb. BD Outdoors Forums (West Coast) chatter from OC anglers notes mackerel stacking in the mid-column with occasional sand bass around reef structure. With a waning crescent moon and light winds, this shapes up as one of the more promising early-season windows SoCal has seen in years.
Eastern Sierra stillwaters fishing well as May snowmelt window opens
Area stillwaters are fishing well heading into the second week of May, with Reno Fly Shop (NV)'s late-April on-the-water update noting that 'most of our area stillwaters are full and fishing well' as snowmelt fills reservoirs and high-desert lakes — a pattern that typically extends across the broader Eastern Sierra corridor. USGS gauge 10265200 returned no live flow data for this report cycle, making it impossible to confirm precise river conditions on Eastern Sierra drainages. Freestone streams are entering the volatile pre-peak runoff window, when flows can color up and rise sharply with warm overnight temperatures. Stillwaters remain the more reliable option. Reno Fly Shop (NV) points to Tungsten Balanced Leech, Micro Holo Midge, and Yankee Buzzer rigs for nearby area lakes — patterns well-suited to the Eastern Sierra stillwater fishery as well. Flylords Mag flags the Mother's Day Caddis Hatch as 'the unofficial kickoff of the best of pre-runoff fishing' — a window opening right now on lower-elevation streams.
Salmon Conditions Improving Below Pigeon Point as Central Coast Waters Cool
Water temperatures off the Central Coast have settled into the upper 50s — NOAA buoy 46042 recorded 57°F on Monday — and that cooling trend is paying dividends for salmon anglers. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports "vastly improved salmon conditions below Pigeon Point" since water temps fell to around 54°F from the 58°F readings logged at the April 11 season opener. The bonita that appeared briefly early this spring have "taken a hike" with the cooler water, according to Davis. All three NOAA buoys — 46042 near Monterey, 46028 off Point Conception, and 46026 near the Farallons — recorded 6.6-foot seas Monday, so offshore access will hinge on swell breaks. Rockfish remain a solid nearshore fallback on rough days, and California halibut fishing typically builds through May as shallow flats warm. The waning crescent moon this week favors first-light bite windows.
Sacramento-Delta largemouth heat up as bluegill spawn drives topwater bite
USGS gauge 11447650 clocked 68°F and 15,500 cfs in the Sacramento system at 9:15 a.m. Monday — water temps sitting squarely in the prime largemouth and striper window. The timing aligns with the bluegill spawn, which Tactical Bassin confirms is now in full swing across comparable freshwater fisheries; that bream activity pulls big largemouth into shallow, heavy cover and ignites aggressive feeding. Frog presentations and topwater poppers along Delta tule mats and submerged vegetation are the highest-percentage play right now. Wired 2 Fish highlights water temperature as the single most predictive variable for fish positioning this time of year — at 68°F, feeding windows extend into mid-morning before midday heat slows the bite. Striped bass are seasonally likely to be working channel mouths on tidal swings, though no Delta-specific striper report appears in this week's feeds. Consult NorCal Fish Reports for the freshest region-specific dispatch before you launch.
Delta Bass Locked Into Post-Spawn Transition as May Bite Diversifies
USGS gauge 11455420 logged 17,700 cfs through the Sacramento-San Joaquin system on May 11 — a moderate spring flow that pushes turbidity into main channels while allowing sloughs and backwater pockets to clear, creating a patchwork of conditions across the Delta. No Delta-specific charter or tackle-shop intel surfaced from citable sources this cycle, so current-conditions checks via NorCal Fish Reports' dedicated Delta section are strongly recommended before launching. That said, the seasonal picture is well-defined: striped bass have largely concluded their upstream spawning migration and are now scattering across main-channel structure, while largemouth are deep in a classic post-spawn transition. Tactical Bassin's early-May coverage confirms that bass at this stage split between shallow recovery zones and open-water transitions — with the bluegill spawn flagged as an active trigger for big fish right now. A frog or topwater worked through heavy tule cover at first light fits the moment.
NorCal salmon bite surges as cool coastal water pushes out the bonita
Water temps have dipped to 52°F per NOAA buoy 46026 — and that cooling is exactly what NorCal salmon anglers needed. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports via Western Outdoor News — Saltwater that a four-degree drop from 58°F near Pigeon Point back to 54°F has produced "vastly improved salmon conditions." Davis noted the warmer water in early April had bonita in the mix — an unusual early showing for a warm-water species — but the cooldown has pushed them off and brought chinook onto better holding structure. NOAA buoy 46013 is logging winds around 8 m/s with air temps near 52°F, so expect a brisk offshore ride this week. In SF Bay and along the Bodega corridor, May is classically the shoulder of the striped bass season with fish staging on rip lines and channel structure; no breaking captain intel this week, but seasonal conditions align. Halibut and nearshore rockfish round out typical spring targets along this stretch with no breaking intel at press time.
Bluefin in 1-Day Range as Warm Water Jumpstarts the SoCal Season
Water temps of 61–63°F registered across NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 are running significantly above the seasonal norm, and pelagics are responding. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that bluefin and yellowfin tuna have already pushed into grounds southwest of San Diego, with the first San Diego fleet albacore in years gaff'd April 30 aboard the Tribute out of Mission Bay — well ahead of any recent schedule. Two- and three-day trips running south are also turning up yellowtail and early dorado. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater notes these waters have been running more than 10 degrees above normal for early May, raising speculation about El Niño-like conditions driving the early push. Inshore, Surf Fishing in So Cal flags corbina and leopard shark as prime surf targets as the season builds across sandy beaches from the South Bay to Orange County. With a waning crescent moon, calm winds, and a manageable 3-foot swell at buoy 46221, conditions favor both offshore runs and surf sessions this week.
Cooler upwelling fires up Chinook salmon below Pigeon Point
Water temps off Pigeon Point have cooled to 54°F, and per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, that drop is delivering vastly improved salmon conditions for Half Moon Bay boats. Captain Jared Davis aboard the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing reports the temperature slide — from 58°F at the April 11 season opener to 54°F now — has pushed bonito offshore ('the bonita took a hike,' he noted) while drawing Chinook into productive range. Offshore buoys 46042 and 46028 are registering northwest winds of 8–10 m/s with air temps near 55°F, consistent with an active upwelling pattern that typically brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the Central Coast shelf. Today's waning crescent moon keeps light low around dawn and dusk — historically the most productive windows for Chinook along this coast. Check current state regulations for daily bag limits before heading out.
Delta largemouth and stripers hunker down as high spring flows reshape the bite
USGS gauge 11455420 clocked the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta corridor at 73,900 cfs on May 10 — well above typical late-spring readings — signaling that snowmelt-driven currents are still running strong through the system. No water temperature data was available from the gauge. While direct Delta-specific tackle shop or charter reports were absent from this cycle's intel feeds, national bass tracking from Tactical Bassin points to the bluegill spawn moving into full swing in early May, with big largemouth actively targeting beds in heavy shallow cover. That pattern translates naturally to tule banks and dock lines throughout the Delta. For striper anglers, elevated flows typically push fish to the downstream sides of bridge pilings and protected slough mouths where baitfish concentrate. The Last Quarter moon phase this week supports pre-dawn and dusk feeding windows. Check NorCal Fish Reports — which maintains a dedicated Delta section — for guide and tackle-shop intel before heading out.
Salmon bite sharpens as cool upwelling grips the NorCal coast
Water temperatures along the Northern California coast have slipped into the low-to-mid 50s, and salmon are responding. NOAA buoy 46026 logged 53°F off San Francisco this week, consistent with what Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports from the Half Moon Bay fleet: Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady noted the water cooled from 58°F at the April season opener to 54°F below Pigeon Point, calling conditions 'vastly improved.' The colder, greener upwelling water pushed bonito out of range — but it is precisely the thermal break where Chinook concentrate. Winds are running 7–10 m/s across both coastal buoys, so exposed grounds will carry chop, especially by afternoon. With the Last Quarter moon generating moderate tidal pull, early-morning outgoing tides near headlands and bait schools are the prime windows. Striped bass remain seasonally active in the Bay as spring movement concentrates baitfish on tidal flats and current seams.
Bluefin tuna charge into range early as SoCal waters run hot
Water temperatures of 62–65°F across the LA Bight — NOAA buoy 46025 clocking 62°F offshore and inshore buoy 46221 at 65°F — are running well above normal for mid-May, and SoCal anglers are cashing in early. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports bluefin tuna and yellowfin already within 1-day range southwest of San Diego, with a rare albacore gaff'd April 30 aboard the Tribute marking the first San Diego fleet albacore in years. Yellowtail and early dorado are also showing on longer offshore runs. The warm-water surge is accelerating the inshore calendar too: Surf Fishing in So Cal's April season preview notes corbina beginning to push onto sandy beaches as water temps climb, with leopard sharks a reliable shore target in this temperature window. Seas of 2.3–2.6 ft and light winds keep both offshore and surf access in good shape heading into the weekend.