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Lingcod · Open

Helmet Rock

37.80°N · 122.48°W

Species
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Best score for the day · 9 AM
64/100
FAIR

Now 18 · 12 AM PDT

BEST WINDOW
7 AM-3 PM
Tide flooding
14-Day Forecast
Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Tue
Sep 15
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24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

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Conditions
Time
12 AM
Now
Score
18
Tough
Tide
4.7 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
13 kn
WNW · gusty
Sea state
Rough
3.3 ft
Air temp
59°
Mild
Weather
Clear
1% cloud
Hour 12 AM. Score 18 Tough. Tide 4.7ft Rising ▲. Current +0.3kn Flood. Wind 13kn WNW G22. Sea 3.3ft Rough. Air 59.4°.
Why this score
Current
0.7 kn
Prime

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

Lingcod
Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 22"
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Open all depths Apr 1–Dec 31. 2 fish per person. Minimum size 22 inches total length (55.9 cm). Filleting: minimum 14 inches with entire skin attached. §28.27. Shore-based anglers and divers exempt from season restrictions.
Season
Apr 1 to Dec 31
Other species here
Halibut Retention openCabezon Retention openChinook Salmon ClosedBlue Shark Retention openCoho Salmon Retention openRockfish (Aggregate) Closed
Always check with CDFW ↗

Source: CDFW · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Lingcod is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for Lingcod
~15 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff seasonRelease only
SPOT PROFILE
DEPTH
60-400 ft
Rock
LAUNCH
Not mapped
PEAK
Shoulder
STRUCTURE
Drop Off
Mid

Helmet Rock is a rocky drop-off off San Francisco's outer coast, where the bottom falls away across a depth range of 60 to 400 feet. This structure holds lingcod, which peak in February and March, again from August through October, and once more in December, alongside cabezon that run strongest from April to June, in August and September, and again from November into December. Anglers work the deeper rock with metal jigs, swimbaits, and leadhead jigs for lingcod, or drop squid, shrimp, and live sanddabs to the bottom for cabezon holding tight to the structure. From April through September, Chinook salmon move through the area and respond to trolling with whole anchovy, spoons, hoochies, and flashers over the drop-off. Rockfish, Pacific halibut, and blue shark round out the mix across the same rocky, mid-exposure terrain.

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Helmet Rock is one of the spots we track around San Francisco. See every scored spot in California.

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