California Fishing Reports

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.'

3d ago

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.

3d ago

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.

3d ago

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.

3d ago

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.

May 20

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.

May 20

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19