California fishing reports
215 reports for California — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Calico bass and white seabass prime as SoCal enters late-May transition window
NOAA buoy 46025 logged 65°F surface water in the outer LA Bight late Sunday, with buoy 46221 returning 62°F and 3-foot seas closer to the Santa Monica Bay — a temperature spread that marks classic late-May transition in Southern California. Specific catch counts were limited in this cycle's intel feeds; SoCal Fish Reports is active with regional coverage, but no detailed dock tallies surfaced in the current pull. Drawing on buoy readings and the regional seasonal calendar: calico bass are the reliable near-shore staple, holding kelp edges and rocky structure around the Channel Islands. White seabass are in their spring peak, well-positioned within the 62–65°F spawning-run window. Yellowtail are beginning to filter into the Bight as surface temps approach the mid-60s, though consistent action typically waits for readings to push into the upper 60s. BD Outdoors Forums (West Coast) showed anglers already prepping kite-fishing rigs ahead of the coming season.
Central Coast Chinook Season Surges as Upwelling Takes Hold
NOAA buoy 46042 off Monterey is reading 55°F, right in the heart of the salmon temperature zone, and the timing lines up with a meaningful turn in the Central Coast bite. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater correspondent Allen Bushnell reports from Monterey that water temps dropped a critical four to five degrees last week, driven by northwest winds and upwelling that pulled cold, nutrient-rich water toward the surface and drew Chinook into fishable range. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, reporting to Western Outdoor News — Saltwater out of Half Moon Bay, says conditions below Pigeon Point went from sluggish to vastly improved as the water cooled from 58°F to 54°F since the season's April opener. Rockfish and halibut are listed as Active based on typical late-May patterns for the region; no direct catch reports for those species were available in current intel. Verify Chinook bag limits and season dates before launching.
Chinook Salmon Stage a Comeback as Upwelling Cools the NorCal Coast
Water temps at 53°F per NOAA buoy 46026 are sitting squarely in the Chinook sweet spot, and captain reports are confirming it. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, told Western Outdoor News — Saltwater that conditions below Pigeon Point improved dramatically as surface temps fell from 58°F at the April season opener to the mid-50s. 'The water looks different,' Davis noted. Allen Bushnell, reporting from Monterey for Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, credits a ramp-up in northwest winds with driving strong upwelling, pushing cool, nutrient-rich water toward the surface and drawing in the bait columns Chinook follow. 'Many of us almost forgot what it's like to have a real salmon season along the Central Coast,' Bushnell writes. For SF Bay anglers, late May also opens the prime seasonal window for striped bass and California halibut as bay temperatures settle into comfortable mid-50s ranges.
SoCal Surf Bite Coming Alive as May Delivers for Corbina and Leopard Sharks
Water temps of 62-64°F across the LA Bight, confirmed by NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 as of Sunday, mark a meaningful late-spring milestone for surf anglers. Surf Fishing in So Cal's May report characterizes the month as "delivering" after a "mixed April," with conditions now "coming together in a big way" and the best fishing of the season potentially still ahead. The site's core targets for SoCal surf anglers, corbina and leopard sharks, are both in play at current temperatures; the corbina guide highlights sand crab presentations in the wash, while the leopard shark coverage notes the fishery is more approachable than most anglers assume. Seas of 2.6 feet at buoy 46221 are comfortable for wading. No current charter intel has surfaced for the Channel Islands this cycle; anglers planning offshore runs should check SoCal Fish Reports for the latest boat counts before launching.
Central Coast Chinook Surge as Upwelling Flips Conditions in Anglers' Favor
Water at NOAA buoy 46042 has settled to 54°F off Monterey, and the salmon fishing has followed. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Monterey correspondent Allen "Bushy" Bushnell reports the Central Coast Chinook situation has improved meaningfully after northwest winds triggered upwelling that pulled surface temps down 4 to 5 degrees in roughly a week — cold, nutrient-rich water now concentrating baitfish and drawing salmon into range. At Half Moon Bay, Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady tells Western Outdoor News — Saltwater that conditions below Pigeon Point are "vastly improved" since water temps dropped from 58°F to 54°F — the same shift that pushed bonito out of the picture entirely. Seas are running 3.9 to 4.3 feet per buoys 46042 and 46028 with near-calm winds, workable for most sport boats. First Quarter moon this weekend adds favorable low-light windows in the early morning hours for anglers willing to launch before sunrise.
Delta reverse flow puts stripers and bass in play for Memorial Day weekend
USGS gauge 11455420 recorded a strong reverse flow of 5,270 cfs, running negative toward the Bay, in the early hours of May 24, a tidal condition that typically concentrates baitfish along channel edges and puts predators on the feed across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. NorCal Fish Reports maintains an active Delta reporting section heading into the Memorial Day stretch, though detailed catch tallies were not available in this cycle's update. On the technique side, Wired 2 Fish spotlights shallow topwater presentations during low-light windows around grass, reeds, and dock structure as a productive approach, a pattern that maps directly onto Delta slough fishing at this stage of the season. Striped bass are likely settling into their post-spawn distribution across main channels and larger sloughs, while largemouth bass are transitioning off beds and beginning to re-engage on the feed. First Quarter moon tides are building tidal push, making current-seam timing the key variable for the days ahead.
NorCal Salmon Push Strengthens as Upwelling Cools Coastal Waters
Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay reports water temperatures dropping to 54°F below Pigeon Point, a full four-degree cooling from the 58°F recorded when salmon season opened in April. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, that shift is already translating to vastly improved Chinook conditions on those grounds. The Central Coast upwelling story is broader: sustained northwest winds are pulling cold, nutrient-rich water toward the surface, feeding the baitfish base that Chinook depend on. NOAA buoys 46026 and 46013 are showing 3.6-foot seas across the SF Bay and Bodega zones this morning, with buoy 46013 logging an air temperature of about 51°F and light 3 m/s winds. First Quarter moon keeps tidal swings moderate this weekend. SF Bay striped bass and halibut are approaching their typical late-May window, though no direct local reports surfaced this cycle. Nearshore rockfish remain a consistent option as cooler upwelled water continues to refresh the water column.
SoCal Surf Bite Clicks Into Gear as May Conditions Deliver
Water temperatures of 62 to 64°F across the LA Bight, logged by NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 early Sunday, confirm what Surf Fishing in So Cal put plainly in their May 2026 report: 'May has delivered.' After a mixed April, the surf fishing scene along Southern California beaches is clicking into gear. Corbina are emerging as the marquee inshore target, with sand crabs and fresh mussel worked slowly through the wash on light tackle producing consistent results, per the same source. Leopard sharks are also a reliable option in the shallower sandy bays on incoming tides, as detailed in Surf Fishing in So Cal's dedicated species guide. Wave heights of 2.6 ft (buoy 46221) and light 5 m/s winds keep conditions manageable inshore and at the Channel Islands. The First Quarter moon today begins building tidal exchange through the coming week, a favorable signal for all species that track bait movement. Per Surf Fishing in So Cal, 'the best fishing of the season could be right around the corner.'
Eastern Sierra trout season hits late-May runoff transition
Reno Fly Shop (NV) reported mid-May conditions on the adjacent Truckee River with flows slightly above historic levels but still navigable for wading, and mid-day hatches firing reliably when winds settle. That cross-drainage snapshot is the sharpest on-water intel available for the Eastern Sierra corridor this report cycle; the USGS gauge assigned to this region returned no data. Late May typically puts higher-elevation streams in active snowmelt mode, pressing productive fishing toward tailwaters, lake margins, and lower-gradient stream reaches. Per Reno Fly Shop (NV), Split Case PMDs, soft hackle pheasant tails, and caddis patterns have been delivering in nearby drainages, with fish pushing into faster water by mid-afternoon. First Quarter moon on May 24 supports low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk. Anglers willing to time their access around runoff conditions should find trout actively working mid-column and near the surface during the warmest part of the day.
Central Coast Chinook salmon bite improving as upwelling and cool temps align
Water temperatures off Monterey have pulled down to 54°F (NOAA buoy 46042), and that cold-water shift is already paying off for Central Coast salmon anglers. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reported that temps fell from 58°F to 54°F below Pigeon Point — and per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, the bonita cleared out with that temperature drop while salmon conditions reached their best point of the season. A separate Monterey-dateline report in Western Outdoor News — Saltwater echoes this, noting that an increase in northwest winds has triggered productive upwelling along the Central Coast, drawing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface — the exact setup Chinook need to stage and feed. Buoy 46028 at Cape San Martin reads warmer at 60°F with waves near 5.6 feet, suggesting a thermal gradient worth exploring between those stations. Rockfish and halibut remain seasonally present but drew no direct field reports this cycle.
Sacramento-Delta stripers and largemouth prime up as late-May warmth builds
USGS gauge 11447650 logged the Sacramento River at 11,800 cfs and 71°F on May 23 — conditions that put the Delta squarely in its late-spring warmth window. NorCal Fish Reports covers the Delta beat regularly, but no specific on-water bite reports from guides or tackle shops surfaced in this cycle's feeds. Drawing on seasonal patterns: at 71°F, largemouth bass are typically deep into their post-spawn recovery and feeding aggressively along tule lines and transition structure — a setup that aligns with Wired 2 Fish's coverage of Justin Lucas's approach to shallow topwater near grass, reeds, and docks during low-light windows. Striped bass are generally in summer-scatter mode by late May, spread across main-channel sloughs and responding best to tidal current shifts. Channel catfish are reliably active once water climbs into the low 70s. White sturgeon have largely retreated toward cooler downstream reaches. Check current state regulations before targeting any species.
NorCal Salmon Season Surges as Upwelling Cools the Outer Coast
NOAA buoy 46026 is logging 50°F water along the SF Bay approach — squarely in the Chinook salmon comfort zone. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports a meaningful turnaround for the Central Coast salmon fishery: Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, notes that water temps dropped from 58°F to 54°F below Pigeon Point since the season opened April 11 — driven by sustained northwest winds triggering upwelling that has reshaped the water column. Allen Bushnell, reporting from Monterey for Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, puts it plainly: "Many of us almost forgot what is like to have a real salmon season along the Central Coast of California." Conditions are aligning. Striped bass continue their seasonal push through San Francisco Bay, and California halibut remain a realistic target on inshore flats as water temperatures hold in this productive range. Bottom-fishing for rockfish is viable at offshore structure while the upwelling column persists.