California Fishing Reports

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.

May 11

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.

May 11

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.

May 11

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.

May 11

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.

May 11

Water temperatures have dropped to 54°F below Pigeon Point — four degrees cooler than the 58°F recorded when salmon season opened in mid-April — and Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing is reporting vastly improved chinook salmon conditions with the shift, per Western Outdoor News — Saltwater. Davis notes the water "looks different" at the cooler mark, a positive read on where the fish want to be. NOAA buoy 46042 near Monterey Bay is currently at 55°F; buoy 46026 at the northern edge of the region reads 53°F, while buoy 46028 to the south sits at 59°F. The critical caveat this week is sea state: offshore swell is running 6.9–8.9 feet with sustained winds of 10–12 m/s across the region, limiting access for most of the fleet. Rockfish and halibut remain seasonal targets in play, though no captains or shops filed specific reports on those species in this week's feeds.

May 10

The USGS gauge at site 11447650 clocked the Sacramento-Delta system at 15,300 cfs and 69°F on May 10 — warm enough to push the bluegill spawn into full swing and trigger aggressive largemouth bass behavior across the Delta's tule margins. Per Tactical Bassin, the bluegill spawn is driving big bass into shallow, heavy cover right now, with topwater frogs producing strikes at the edges of grass mats. Post-spawn fish are in active transition: some stay locked onto shallow structure while others begin pushing toward open water, making a versatile bait rotation essential. Striped bass, a mid-May staple in the Delta's main channels as post-spawn fish scatter, should be on the prowl given current temperatures and flows — though no Delta-specific charter or shop reports surfaced this cycle to confirm. Channel catfish are becoming more active in the warming water. The Last Quarter moon typically favors early-morning topwater activity before the sun fully climbs.

May 10

USGS gauge 11455420 recorded a reversed flow of −26,100 cfs Sunday morning, signaling a forceful tidal push from San Francisco Bay into the Delta system — a pattern that typically compresses baitfish against channel edges and lights up feeding lanes for striped bass. No Delta-specific angler dispatches appeared in this feed cycle; NorCal Fish Reports covers the region but no fresh Delta write-ups were retrieved this cycle. With that caveat noted, the gauge reading and the calendar align with the classic early-May post-spawn transition. Tactical Bassin reports the bluegill spawn is now fully underway — a trigger that drives largemouth into heavy shallow cover and makes topwater and frog presentations productive, a pattern that translates directly to the Delta's tule banks and dock pilings. Channel catfish typically accelerate through mid-May as daytime temperatures climb. Anglers should verify current slot limits and any emergency regulations with California state resources before heading out, as Delta rules can shift with water-year conditions.

May 10

Water at 53°F on NOAA buoy 46026 is working in salmon's favor this week along the NorCal coast. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady—out of Half Moon Bay and reported in Western Outdoor News — Saltwater—says conditions below Pigeon Point have 'vastly improved' since the April 11 salmon season opener, when surface temps were near 58°F. The four-degree cool-down pushed bonita offshore ('the bonita took a hike,' Davis noted) but concentrated baitfish along classic salmon-holding thermal structure. NOAA buoy 46013 is logging sustained northwest winds near 12 m/s, so expect chop on exposed coastal runs; plan departures in the early-morning lull before the afternoon sea breeze builds. No charter or shop reports on Bay stripers or halibut surfaced this week, though both species are seasonally in play as May progresses and SF Bay waters warm from winter lows.

May 10

Water temps of 61–63°F at NOAA buoys 46025 and 46221 are running ahead of the typical early-May baseline, and the offshore action is already reflecting it. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that unseasonably warm conditions have moved bluefin, yellowfin, and even an albacore into waters reachable on 1-day trips southwest of San Diego — the first San Diego fleet albacore in years gaffed aboard the Tribute on April 30. Two- and three-day trips are finding fish spread farther south, with yellowtail and early dorado also making appearances. Closer to the beach, Surf Fishing in So Cal's April season preview flags corbina as a prime surf-zone target as the season deepens, and their dedicated leopard shark guide signals that shore anglers are actively working sandy-bottom areas. Light 1 m/s winds at buoy 46025 and a moderate 3-foot swell at buoy 46221 are producing manageable offshore conditions heading into mid-May.

May 10

Reno Fly Shop (NV)'s end-of-April on-water report finds area stillwaters "full and fishing well" and Truckee River flows "stabilized" — the most geographically adjacent intel available for the Eastern Sierra corridor this cycle, where USGS gauge 10265200 returned no readings. For the east slope, mid-May is traditionally the transition zone between the technical low-water window of early spring and the rising flows that snowmelt triggers in earnest. Rainbow trout are the primary target across stream and stillwater venues; balanced leech patterns and midge offerings are the top stillwater producers per Reno Fly Shop (NV), who specifically called out Tungsten Balanced Leech and Micro Holo Midge. Brown trout grow increasingly active as temperatures push through the low 50s°F. With no gauge data confirmed this week, contacting local outfitters for drainage-specific updates is essential, and early morning stream windows — before daily melt pulses reach lower elevations — typically offer the clearest water and most cooperative fish.

May 10

Water temperatures at 54°F (NOAA buoy 46042) are producing a marked improvement in Central Coast salmon fishing. Western Outdoor News — Saltwater reports that Half Moon Bay boats are finding 'vastly improved salmon conditions below Pigeon Point,' with Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady citing the four-degree cooldown from the 58°F readings seen at the April 11 season opener as the turning point. Davis noted the colder, greener water has pushed bonita out of the picture — but that same upwelling is concentrating baitfish and drawing Chinook salmon closer to productive zones. Swells are running 6.6 feet at buoy 46026 and winds are 9–12 m/s across the monitoring network, making sea state the primary planning variable this week. Rockfish remain a reliable secondary target along nearshore reefs — a typical seasonal expectation for this stretch, even absent specific captain reports this week. The Last Quarter moon moderates tidal swings, favoring consistent bites on calmer weather windows.

May 10