California Fishing Reports

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

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.

May 19

NOAA buoy 46026 registered 50°F water off San Francisco in the early hours of May 19 — the cold upwelling signal NorCal Chinook anglers have been waiting for. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, told Western Outdoor News — Saltwater that salmon conditions have become "vastly improved" below Pigeon Point after water temperatures dropped from 58°F at the April 11 season opener to 54°F. Davis noted that the four-degree drop "makes a huge difference on the water" and confirmed that bonita, which had been showing in the warmer early-season water, have moved offshore — clearing near-shore zones for salmon. Buoy 46013 near Bodega Bay registered winds of 12 m/s overnight, making offshore runs choppy; morning departures ahead of the afternoon sea breeze are the recommended window. Inside the Gate, Bay halibut and striped bass enter their seasonal spring window, though no charter reports surfaced this week to confirm current bite intensity for either species.

May 19

Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, calls conditions below Pigeon Point 'vastly improved' — a meaningful turnaround since the April 11 salmon opener, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. The catalyst is a temperature drop: water near Half Moon Bay has fallen from 58°F to 54°F, which Davis says pushed bonita off the grounds while pulling salmon back into productive form. NOAA buoy 46042 confirms the Central Coast chill at 52°F, with 7.9-ft seas running at the same station. Buoy 46028 to the south reads 59°F with similar swell heights, indicating a 7-degree north-to-south gradient that typically concentrates baitfish along transition zones. Rough surf will sideline smaller private boats this week, but sportfishing operations reaching the grounds south of Pigeon Point are finding the salmon bite. Rockfish offer an accessible fallback for anglers who can work calmer inshore structure.

May 18

The USGS gauge at site 11447650 recorded 67°F water and 15,300 cfs on the Sacramento River on the afternoon of May 18 — a temperature that falls squarely in the productive band for both striped bass and largemouth. No Sacramento-Delta-specific reports appeared in this week's regional angler-intel feeds; NorCal Fish Reports was present in the source rotation but returned only site navigation rather than current conditions. With that caveat noted, the seasonal picture is encouraging: at 67°F, striped bass remain active throughout the tidal channels and tributary confluences of the Delta complex, and largemouth are making the post-spawn transition to early-summer structure along tule edges and dock pilings. Flows near 15,300 cfs represent a moderate late-spring level on the Sacramento — enough current to concentrate baitfish on downstream seams without blowing fish off structure. The waxing crescent moon provides low overnight light, which typically sharpens the pre-dawn bite window for topwater presentations.

May 18

USGS gauge 11455420 on the Sacramento River is registering 102,000 cfs as of May 18 — a robust late-spring snowmelt pulse pushing through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta system. NorCal Fish Reports, which maintains Delta coverage among its regional beats, had no specific catch dispatches available in this feed cycle. With direct angler testimony sparse, current conditions are pieced together from gauge data and seasonal patterns typical of this waterway. At that flow volume, main channels run strong and turbid; striped bass and largemouth bass characteristically retreat to slower backwater sloughs, flooded tule margins, and the downstream lee of riprap where bait concentrates and the current breaks. Channel catfish stage in soft-bottom pockets away from the heavy push. The waxing crescent moon favors low-light ambush windows at first and last light — typically prime for stripers working the slack edges. Check state regulations for current striped bass and sturgeon seasons before launching.

May 18

Water at NOAA buoy 46026 is holding at 50°F off the Farallones as of May 18, and the cooling trend is paying dividends for salmon anglers. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing is seeing 'vastly improved salmon conditions' below Pigeon Point after water temps fell from 58°F to 54°F since the April 11 season opener — and our Farallones buoy now reads colder still. Davis noted that 'the bonita took a hike' with the temperature shift, a clear signal the bite has swung away from warm-water species toward Chinook. Winds are running at 9 m/s on buoy 46013 near Bodega with air temps around 52°F, so skippers should assess conditions before committing to offshore runs. Rockfish and Bay halibut remain productive nearshore alternatives for anyone looking to stay inside during breezy afternoons.

May 18

Water temps of 63–64°F across the LA Bight — confirmed by NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 — are running markedly above historical norms for mid-May, and the bite is reflecting it. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that bluefin, yellowfin, and an albacore (the first San Diego fleet albacore in years, gaffed April 30 aboard the Tribute out of Mission Bay) have pushed into day-trip range southwest of San Diego, with yellowtail and early dorado mixed in on 2- and 3-day runs further south. The offshore warmth appears broad and persistent; WON also notes water temps running as much as 10°F above seasonal averages, with El Niño-adjacent conditions driving the anomaly. On the beach, Surf Fishing in So Cal reports that May "has delivered" after a mixed April, with corbina and leopard shark active along SoCal beachfronts and the season's best surf fishing potentially still ahead. Winds are near calm, and swell is running around 4.3 ft per buoy 46221.

May 18

Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay, reported 'vastly improved salmon conditions' below Pigeon Point this week, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater — crediting a four-degree water temperature drop from 58°F to 54°F. NOAA buoys confirm the cool-water trend across the Central Coast: buoy 46042 reads 51°F, buoy 46026 sits at 50°F, while buoy 46028 farther south logs 58°F, confirming a sharp thermal gradient along the coast. Wave heights are running significant at 8.9 feet at buoys 46042 and 46028, so smaller vessels should check bar and harbor conditions carefully before departure. Winds are moderate at 5–9 m/s across the region. Rockfish and nearshore halibut are typical Central Coast targets alongside salmon this time of year, though no direct charter or shop intel on those species came through this cycle — anglers should check local marinas for current deck counts and conditions.

May 18