Months come from each species' own season curve around Morro Bay. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.
Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.
| Species | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lingcod | ||||||||||||
| Chinook Salmon | ||||||||||||
| California Halibut | ||||||||||||
| Blue Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| California Sheephead | ||||||||||||
| Black Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Copper Rockfish |
Lingcod: January good, February good, March good, April fair, May fair, June fair, July fair, August fair, September good, October good, November good, December good. Chinook Salmon: January none, February none, March excellent, April peak, May peak, June peak, July peak, August fair, September none, October none, November none, December none. California Halibut: January poor, February poor, March good, April excellent, May excellent, June excellent, July peak, August peak, September good, October fair, November poor, December none. Blue Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May excellent, June good, July good, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. California Sheephead: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June fair, July good, August excellent, September excellent, October good, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June good, July excellent, August excellent, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Copper Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May fair, June good, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair.
These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.
Good in January, February, March, September, October, November and December.
Lingcod are resident reef fish present year-round on Morro Bay's rocky structure, so the curve never hits zero. Abundance peaks in fall (Sept–Nov) when adults move shallower to nest and guard eggs on nearshore reefs, with a secondary late-winter/early-spring bump (Feb–Apr) as spawning females aggregate; a mild summer dip reflects some post-spawn dispersal to deeper water.
Peaks in April, May, June and July.
Central California Chinook (Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo coast) are ocean-present as feeding adults staging before migrating to the Sacramento/San Joaquin systems, peaking late May through July when upwelling concentrates baitfish and pre-spawn fish stack along the coast. Abundance tapers through late summer as fish move north to the Golden Gate/river mouths, and winter weeks are near-absent since these stocks have entered freshwater to spawn.
Peaks in July and August.
California Halibut move into Morro Bay's shallow flats and estuary to spawn as water warms from spring through early fall, producing a broad late-spring peak (May-June) and a stronger late-summer/early-fall peak (Aug-Sep) driven by warm inshore temps and baitfish concentrations. Winter cooling pushes fish to deeper offshore water, lowering nearshore abundance but never to zero since they remain a year-round resident of the region.
Excellent in May.
Blue rockfish are non-migratory nearshore residents around Morro Bay's reefs and kelp beds, so abundance stays broad and flat year-round with no true biological absence. A gentle spring peak (April–May) tracks post-spawn aggregation and productive upwelling drawing baitfish inshore, with a secondary late-summer bump; winter storms and cooler water slightly disperse fish deeper, producing the modest cold-season dip.
Excellent in August and September.
California Sheephead are resident reef fish near Morro Bay and present year-round, so the curve stays broad rather than showing migratory gaps. Slight peaks occur in late spring (spawning aggregations May–June) and late summer/early fall (warmest water, peak activity and reef density Aug–Sep), with winter lows reflecting reduced movement in colder water.
Excellent in July and August.
Black Rockfish are resident, structure-oriented reef fish present year-round off Morro Bay with no true migration, so abundance stays fairly flat. Modest peaks in late spring through early fall reflect upwelling-driven productivity, warmer nearshore water, and post-spawn fish moving to shallower reefs; slight winter dips reflect fish holding deeper during storms and cold water.
Good in April, June, July, August and September.
Copper rockfish are resident, non-migratory nearshore reef dwellers around Morro Bay, so abundance stays broadly stable year-round rather than showing sharp runs. A late-summer through early-fall peak (Aug–Oct) reflects warmer, settled water that concentrates fish on shallow reefs plus recruitment of young-of-year, while winter storms and cooler upwelling-disrupted conditions slightly reduce catchable density in Jan–Feb.
It depends on the species. Lingcod is good in January, February, March, September, October, November and December. Chinook Salmon peaks in April, May, June and July. California Halibut peaks in July and August. Blue Rockfish is excellent in May. California Sheephead is excellent in August and September. Black Rockfish is excellent in July and August.
On October 31, 2026, the forecast windows are Lingcod 7 AM to 11 AM, California Halibut 12 PM to 5 PM, Blue Rockfish 12 PM to 5 PM, California Sheephead 7 AM to 7 PM, Black Rockfish 12 PM to 5 PM and Copper Rockfish 7 AM to 11 AM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.