About Sears Rock

Sears Rock is an outer-exposed sand flat off San Francisco, sitting in water that runs 10 to 30 feet deep. The site draws Chinook Salmon through its April to September peak, alongside Coho Salmon, California Halibut from April into August, and a steady mix of English Sole, Starry Flounder, Leopard Shark, Bat Ray, White Croaker, and Pacific Herring. Anglers work the Chinook by trolling whole anchovy, spoons, hoochies, and flashers across the flat, or by mooching anchovy and sardine over the shallower edges. The open sand bottom suits drift fishing for halibut with live anchovies, shiner perch, or midshipman, while jigging swimbaits and bucktail jigs covers the same ground on a moving tide. The lack of hard structure means the fish spread across the flat, so covering water is the way to find them.