About Mussel Rock

Mussel Rock is a rocky drop-off off Crescent City, California, where the seabed falls away through depths of 330 to 1,320 feet in an outer, exposed position. Chinook Salmon run here through the warmer months, peaking from April to September, alongside Coho Salmon, while Lingcod hold to the rock structure with peaks in February through March and again from August into October. The deep water and hard bottom also bring Canary and Widow Rockfish, Pacific Halibut, and Blue Shark within reach. Anglers work Chinook by trolling anchovies, herring, spoons, or hoochies across the drop, with mooching whole anchovies or cut herring as a slower alternative. Lingcod respond to jigging metal jigs, swimbaits, or leadhead jigs over the rock, and to live bait such as rockfish, sanddabs, or squid dropped into the structure.