California Fishing Reports

Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reported 'vastly improved salmon conditions' below Pigeon Point this week, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. The catalyst: water temps have cooled to 54°F after sitting at 58°F when salmon season opened April 11, and Davis noted the bonita 'took a hike' with the drop — a shift that typically favors Chinook, which thrive in cooler water. NOAA buoy 46042 backs the trend at 52°F, with buoy 46028 reading 56°F to the north. The immediate concern is sea state: wave heights of 15–16 feet across the offshore buoy network, combined with sustained winds of 11–16 m/s, will sideline most private-boat anglers this weekend. When conditions ease, the new moon's strong tidal swings should concentrate baitfish along upwelling edges and structure below Pigeon Point — the same productive zone Davis flagged for this fleet.

May 17

USGS gauge 11447650 logged the Sacramento at 69°F and 2,840 cfs early Sunday morning — water temperatures that put Delta largemouth squarely in post-spawn recovery mode with the bluegill spawn right on the doorstep. With no dedicated Delta captain or shop report arriving in this cycle, the clearest technique signal comes from Tactical Bassin, whose current coverage on bluegill-spawn bass fishing emphasizes shallow heavy cover and topwater frogs as the primary big-fish play right now. Striped bass remain an active presence across the Sacramento-Delta system at these temperatures, historically holding along channel edges and tidal rip points through late May. Catfish are coming alive with the warming trend. NorCal Fish Reports maintains a dedicated Delta regional section — pull their latest update before launching for the most current spot-specific intel. The new moon this weekend compresses the bite toward first and last light.

May 17

USGS gauge 11455420 recorded a strong tidal backflow of roughly −80,300 cfs late on May 16, indicating pronounced tidal cycling across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — consistent with the new moon's amplified tidal swings. Water temperature was unavailable from the gauge. None of this week's citable regional feeds carried Delta-specific angler reports, so conditions here reflect seasonal patterns typical for mid-May in this system. Striped bass are typically winding down their spring spawning push by the third week of May and scattering from spawning reaches back into main channels and tule edges. Largemouth bass are similarly at or just past the spawn, staging near submerged structure in calmer sloughs. New moon transitions — particularly the first strong ebb-to-flood and flood-to-ebb windows each tidal cycle — traditionally concentrate feeding activity along current seams in the Delta, making timing your drift or anchor critical this weekend.

May 17

Water at NOAA buoy 46026 reads 50°F as of early Sunday morning, and Chinook salmon conditions are described as 'vastly improved' below Pigeon Point, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, operating out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports surface temperature dropped to 54°F from 58°F at the April 11 season opener — a shift that pushed bonita off the grounds and brought kings back into favorable range. Heavy offshore swell is the near-term obstacle: NOAA buoy 46013 logged 16.4-foot seas and 16 m/s winds early this morning, conditions that will keep most small-craft operators dockside out of Bodega Bay and the Farallon corridor. New Moon tonight brings darker predawn skies and stronger tidal exchanges — typically concentrating the bite window for those willing to wait for a calmer launch.

May 17

Water temps of 63–65°F—recorded at NOAA buoys 46221 and 46025 on the morning of May 17—are running significantly above seasonal expectations, reshaping the Southern California bite calendar. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that these unseasonably warm conditions off the California coast have drawn bluefin, yellowfin, and even an albacore into reachable range, with the first San Diego-fleet albacore in years landing on April 30 aboard the Tribute. That warm-water pattern appears to extend toward the Channel Islands and LA Bight, where pelagic action normally builds later in summer. On the surf side, Surf Fishing in So Cal's spring season preview notes a "strange start" to the year but points to corbina and leopard shark as reliable targets from sandy beaches as conditions firm up. Moderate swell of 4.9–5.9 ft (per both buoys) and the new-moon tidal pull add timing variables—work the incoming tide on calmer windows for the best surf action.

May 17

The Reno Fly Shop's late-April field report from the adjacent eastern Sierra Nevada corridor noted that 'area stillwaters are full and fishing well' as spring flows stabilized — a promising indicator heading into the mid-May window. USGS gauge 10265200 returned no live readings at time of publication, so exact stream flow and water temperature remain unconfirmed; verify conditions locally before committing to a river wade. For stillwater fishing, Reno Fly Shop guides pointed to tungsten balanced leeches, micro holo midges, the Yankee Buzzer, and mini jigged leeches as top producers in late April. Stream fishing across Eastern Sierra drainages is likely challenged by snowmelt runoff this time of year, pushing fish toward slower margins and backeddies. Today's new moon (May 17) sets up low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk on both lakes and accessible streams. Check local conditions before heading out.

May 17

Water temps on the Central Coast buoy network are ranging from 50–52°F near the Monterey corridor (NOAA buoy 46042) to 59°F farther south at Cape San Martin (NOAA buoy 46028) — a meaningful spread reflecting the region's patchy upwelling signature this May. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater has the headline local intel: Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing reports "vastly improved salmon conditions" developing below Pigeon Point, even after water temperatures eased from 58°F down to roughly 54°F since the April 11 season opener. Davis notes the cooler, visually distinct water is characteristic of productive salmon habitat. Winds are running stiff at 13–15 m/s across the buoy network — small-boat anglers should pull a marine forecast before departure. Tonight's new moon sets up stronger tidal exchanges over the coming week, typically a positive window for bait movement and feeding activity along the coast.

May 17

Water temperatures at NOAA buoy 46026 read 53°F before dawn on May 13 — matching the surface conditions Captain Jared Davis is working through below Pigeon Point. Per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, Davis, running the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports "vastly improved salmon conditions" since the April 11 season opener, when surface temps ran at 58°F. That four-degree cooldown pushed bonito out of range but put Chinook firmly in their preferred temperature window. Winds across both buoys 46026 and 46013 measured 10–11 m/s at observation time — anticipate short-period chop and plan accordingly on offshore runs. No Bodega Bay captain intel was in circulation this cycle, though rockfish and halibut remain seasonally active on offshore reefs and bay structure. With the moon in waning crescent phase, tidal exchanges are modest — bay striper timing should key off peak current rather than lunar pull.

May 13

Water readings of 62–64°F across the LA Bight — logged this morning at NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 — are matching the broader warm-water anomaly that Western Outdoor News — Saltwater has been tracking for weeks. That outlet reports bluefin, yellowfin, and the first fleet albacore in years (gaffed aboard the Tribute out of Mission Bay on April 30) pushing into 1-day range southwest of San Diego, with yellowtail and scattered dorado also showing on 2–3 day trips. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater has documented April temperatures running 10°F or more above historical norms, drawing explicit comparisons to the 1983 El Niño. Closer to shore, Surf Fishing in So Cal's April season preview flags corbina and leopard sharks as the primary nearshore targets as the surf warms through spring. Light winds of just 2 m/s at buoy 46025 and modest 2.6 ft swells at buoy 46221 make for comfortable conditions on both the surf and offshore runs heading into the weekend.

May 13

Water temps along the Central Coast are running 53–60°F across our buoy network — and according to Western Outdoor News — Saltwater, that cool-down is exactly what the Chinook salmon bite needed. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady, working out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, reports "vastly improved salmon conditions" below Pigeon Point after water temps slid from 58°F back to 54°F. Davis credits the four-degree drop with transforming conditions: "It makes a huge difference on the water." The warmer early-season pulse that briefly drew bonita into the area has since passed. NOAA buoys 46042, 46028, and 46026 are reading 57°F, 60°F, and 53°F respectively — a spread consistent with the patchy coastal upwelling typical of this coast in May. Swells are building to 5–6 feet with moderate northwest winds, limiting small-boat access on exposed stretches, but the improving salmon report makes those calmer windows well worth pursuing.

May 13

Water at NOAA buoy 46026 is running 52°F off the SF Bay approach — a meaningful cooldown from the early-season warm anomaly. The headline intel comes from 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, with temperatures settling near 54°F after opening-day readings of 58°F on April 11. Davis notes the bonita that had been crashing the early bite have "taken a hike" with the cooling trend, leaving cleaner conditions for Chinook. Upwelling continues to push cooler, productive water along the NorCal shelf — a favorable setup for salmon and rockfish alike. Striped bass are in their typical mid-May Bay push, though no captain reports directly addressed that bite this cycle. Rockfish anglers should verify current 2026 bag limits and area closures before heading offshore, as regulations have seen updates heading into this season.

May 12

Water temps of 62–63°F at NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 — already well above seasonal norms — are fueling one of the most unusual early-season setups Southern California anglers have seen in years. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports bluefin and yellowfin tuna have already surged into 1-day range southwest of San Diego, with 2- and 3-day trips also picking up yellowtail and early dorado. Most striking: the first albacore in years hit the deck on April 30 aboard the Tribute out of Mission Bay, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater — a species not reliably expected until midsummer. Surf anglers aren't being left out: Surf Fishing in So Cal highlights leopard sharks as a prime inshore target from the beach right now, with corbina beginning their annual push into the surf zone. Swell is modest at 2.6 ft per buoy 46221 and winds are nearly flat at 1 m/s, giving boaters favorable offshore conditions heading into the week.

May 12