Best Time to Fish San Francisco

When to fish San Francisco

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.

Chinook Salmon: January none, February none, March good, April peak, May peak, June peak, July peak, August peak, September good, October none, November none, December none. Lingcod: January fair, February good, March good, April fair, May fair, June fair, July fair, August good, September good, October good, November good, December good. California Halibut: January none, February poor, March good, April excellent, May peak, June excellent, July peak, August peak, September good, October fair, November none, December none. Striped Bass: January none, February poor, March poor, April none, May poor, June excellent, July peak, August peak, September peak, October excellent, November poor, December none. Blue Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June excellent, July excellent, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June excellent, July excellent, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Rockfish (Aggregate): January fair, February fair, March fair, April fair, May good, June good, July good, August good, September good, October good, November fair, December fair. Cabezon: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June good, July fair, August fair, September good, October fair, November fair, December good.

• Chinook Salmon. Chinook staging in the Gulf of the Farallones and off SF build through spring as ocean feeding intensifies, peaking mid-June through August when mature fish concentrate before their fall spawning migration up the Sacramento system. Abundance drops sharply September–October as fish enter the bay and rivers, leaving offshore waters largely empty through winter with only a scattered residual presence.
• Lingcod. Lingcod are resident bottomfish present year-round on SF Bay Area reefs and rocky structure, so abundance never hits zero. The strongest concentrations occur in fall (Sep–Nov) when post-spawn adults and recruits are aggressive and dense on nearshore reefs, with a secondary late-winter/early-spring bump as mature males move shallow to guard nest sites (Dec–Mar); a summer softening reflects fish holding deeper in warmer, less productive surface conditions.
• California Halibut. California halibut move into San Francisco Bay and nearshore areas as water warms, with a strong spring spawning influx (Mar–May) peaking in early summer as bait like anchovies flood the bay; a secondary late-summer/early-fall peak (Aug–Sep) reflects warm water and abundant forage before fish disperse to deeper, cooler water in winter.
• Striped Bass. Striped bass stage a spring migration up through SF Bay toward the Delta spawning grounds (roughly March-May), producing an early peak, then a strong fall peak (Sept-Nov) as fish return bayward chasing anchovy and herring before dispersing to deeper channels and the Delta over winter, keeping some year-round presence in the estuary.
• Blue Rockfish. Blue Rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers around San Francisco's nearshore rocky structure and remain present year-round, so abundance stays broadly stable with no true biological zeros. Peak local density occurs late spring through summer (roughly May–August) when upwelling drives plankton and baitfish over the reefs and adults aggregate in shallower water, tapering modestly in winter as fish disperse to slightly deeper, calmer holds during storm-driven swells.
• Black Rockfish. Black rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers off San Francisco, so they're present year-round with only modest seasonal variation. Abundance peaks in summer (July–September) when upwelling drives baitfish concentrations and fish move shallower into accessible nearshore reefs, with a gradual winter lull as fish disperse into deeper water during storm-driven swells.
• Rockfish (Aggregate). Rockfish are resident, structure-oriented groundfish present year-round on SF's nearshore reefs, so the curve stays broad and relatively flat. Abundance peaks in late summer through early fall (August–September) when warm stable water, strong upwelling-driven forage, and post-spawn juvenile recruitment concentrate fish on the reefs, with a modest winter dip as some species move deeper and are less densely aggregated inshore.
• Cabezon. Cabezon are resident, non-migratory ambush predators on SF's rocky reefs and kelp edges, so they're present year-round with only gentle seasonal variation. The strongest peak reflects the spring nest-guarding period (males aggressively defend egg masses from ~March–May) plus a secondary late-summer bump as young-of-year recruit and adults feed heavily; winter shows a mild dip during colder water and post-spawn dispersal.

Common questions about San Francisco