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BoatGroundfish Management Area SouthernKelp Bass · Open

Santa Barbara

34.39°N · 119.72°W

BoatGroundfish Management Area SouthernKelp Bass · Open

Santa Barbara Fishing Forecast

Updated today

What's biting now at Santa Barbara: Kelp Bass

Kelp Bass fishing at Santa Barbara looks good today.
The best time to go is 7 AM to 7 PM, with the tide ebbing.

ReelCaster scores every hour at Santa Barbara from 0 to 100, reading the tide, current, wind and weather for Kelp Bass. The higher the score, the better your odds. Green means go.

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Santa Barbara, on the live map

Every spot is scored for today, out of 100. Green is worth the trip, amber is fair, red is slow.

Species

tap to switch species
Best score for the day · 4 PM
88/100
GOOD

Now 78 · 11 AM PDT

BEST WINDOW
7 AM-7 PM
Tide ebbing
CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Southern · Kelp Bass openRegulations ↗5 per day · min 14"
Recent reports
Updated 3 days ago

Kelp bass, sheephead and white seabass at Santa Barbara lately

14-Day Forecast

Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Sun
Nov 1
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Thu
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24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

Tap or drag to read any hour

Conditions
Time
11 AM
Now
Score
78
Good
Tide
4.5 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
5 kn
SE · steady
Sea state
Easy
1.5 ft @ 9 s W
Air temp
63°
Mild
Weather
Heavy rain
3.6 mm/h
Hour 11 AM. Score 78 Good. Tide 4.5ft Rising ▲. Current +0.8kn Flood. Wind 5kn SE G9. Sea 1.5 ft @ 9 s W Easy. Air 62.8°.

Why this score

Current
0.3 kn light
Prime

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

Kelp Bass
Retention open
Daily limit
5 per day
Possession
5 in possession
Size
Minimum 14"
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Paralabrax species. Open year-round. Daily bag and possession limit is 5 fish in any combination of kelp bass, barred sand bass, and spotted sand bass, except no more than 4 barred sand bass may be taken. Minimum size 14 inches total length or 10 inches alternate length.
Other species here
California Sheephead Retention openSquid Retention openLeopard Shark Retention openCalifornia Halibut Retention openCalifornia Scorpionfish Retention openBarred Sand Bass Retention openBonito Retention openWhite Seabass Retention open
Always check with CDFW ↗

Source: CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Southern · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Kelp Bass is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for Kelp Bass
~1 more week in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff season

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
20-80 ft
Rock
STRUCTURE
Kelp Reef
Outer Exposed

About Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is an outer-exposed kelp reef set over rocky bottom off the California coast, with fishing depths running from 20 to 80 feet. The reef holds a strong lineup of targets, including Kelp Bass and White Seabass peaking March through August, California Halibut from April through August, California Sheephead through the summer from June to September, and California Scorpionfish concentrating in May and June. White Seabass respond to live bait fishing with live squid, sardines, or mackerel worked through the kelp, while California Halibut come to drift fishing over the sand-and-rock edges with live anchovies, smelt, or sardines. Sheephead and Scorpionfish hold tight to the rock and take bottom-fished market squid, cut mackerel, and shrimp, and Kelp Bass move on live anchovies and sardines or plastics such as swimbaits and leadhead jigs. The mix of rock structure and standing kelp across this depth band keeps fish stacked on the reef through the warmer months.

CUSTOM ALERT
Notify me when Santa Barbara scores 75+
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Santa Barbara is one of the spots we track around Santa Barbara. More spots in Santa Barbara · All of California.

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