About Howell Rock

Howell Rock is an outer-exposed pinnacle off Morro Bay, California, where rocky bottom structure rises through water running 40 to 80 feet deep. The pinnacle holds Lingcod, which peak from September through March, alongside Copper Rockfish that concentrate from June through September, plus Canary and Widow Rockfish, English Sole, and Pacific Cod across the surrounding rock. Chinook Salmon move through from March into July, taken by trolling anchovies, herring, trolling spoons, or flashers with hoochies over the exposed water. Lingcod respond to jigging with metal jigs, swimbaits, and leadhead jigs worked close to the structure, while Copper Rockfish come off the bottom on shrimp flies, squid, swimbaits, and metal jigs. The broken rock and steep relief of the pinnacle concentrate fish through the 40-to-80-foot band that defines the spot.