Months come from each species' own season curve around Santa Cruz. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.
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.
| Species | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | ||||||||||||
| Lingcod | ||||||||||||
| California Halibut | ||||||||||||
| Copper Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Black Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Blue Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Cabezon |
Chinook Salmon: January none, February none, March excellent, April peak, May peak, June peak, July peak, August fair, September none, October none, November none, December none. Lingcod: January good, February good, March fair, April fair, May fair, June fair, July fair, August fair, September good, October good, November good, December good. California Halibut: January none, February poor, March good, April excellent, May peak, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September good, October poor, November poor, December none. Copper Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June good, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March fair, April fair, May good, June good, July good, August good, September good, October good, November fair, December fair. Blue Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June good, July good, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Cabezon: January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June good, July fair, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair.
These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.
Peaks in April, May, June and July.
Monterey Bay Chinook off Santa Cruz build as ocean-feeding adults stage over spring, with abundance peaking in May–June when bait (anchovy/krill) concentrates and mature fish hold before their fall river run. Numbers taper through summer as fish move north/toward the Sacramento system, and drop to near-absence in fall/winter when the stock has entered freshwater or dispersed offshore.
Good in January, February, September, October, November and December.
Lingcod are resident groundfish present year-round on Santa Cruz reefs and rocky structure, so abundance stays near baseline with no true absence. The strongest peak falls in fall (Sept–Oct) as post-spawn adults fatten and move onto shallower reefs, with a secondary rise in spring; the modest late-winter dip reflects mature males guarding nests in deeper rocky lairs and being spread thinner across the fishery.
Peaks in May, June and July.
California halibut move into shallow Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay flats as water warms, with a strong spring build (April–June) tied to spawning aggregations and a second late-summer peak (August–September) when warm water and anchovy/smelt bait concentrate fish inshore. Winter sees fish disperse to deeper, cooler water, lowering shallow-water abundance but never to zero since halibut remain a year-round resident of the bay.
Good in March, April, May, June, July, August and September.
Copper rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers in Monterey Bay, so abundance stays relatively flat year-round with no true biological absence. Slight peaks in late spring and late summer reflect adult aggregation over nearshore rocky reefs during calm, productive upwelling-fed months, with modest winter lows as some fish shift deeper during storm-driven turbulence.
Good in May, June, July, August, September and October.
Black rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef fish present in Santa Cruz waters year-round, so the curve stays broad and flat near baseline. A modest summer peak (July–August) reflects nearshore concentration and upwelling-driven productivity that keeps fish shallow and aggregated, with slightly lower winter presence as some fish move to deeper structure during heavy swell.
Good in March, April, May, June, July and August.
Blue Rockfish are resident, non-migratory nearshore reef fish present year-round in Santa Cruz waters, so the curve stays broad and never hits zero. Abundance peaks late spring through summer (weeks 13-24) when upwelling drives kelp/plankton productivity, schools tighten over reefs, and juvenile recruitment boosts numbers; winter storms disperse fish and lower observable density slightly.
Good in March, April, May, June and August.
Cabezon are resident, non-migratory reef fish present year-round in Santa Cruz rocky nearshore waters, so abundance stays fairly flat with no true zeros. The clear spring peak (Apr–May) reflects nest-guarding males aggregating in shallow structure to protect egg masses, with a secondary late-summer/early-fall bump as young recruit and adults feed heavily; deep winter shows the mildest dip as some fish move slightly deeper in colder, stormier water.
It depends on the species. Chinook Salmon peaks in April, May, June and July. Lingcod is good in January, February, September, October, November and December. California Halibut peaks in May, June and July. Copper Rockfish is good in March, April, May, June, July, August and September. Black Rockfish is good in May, June, July, August, September and October. Blue Rockfish is good in March, April, May, June, July and August.
On October 31, 2026, the forecast windows are Lingcod 8 AM to 2 PM, California Halibut 8 AM to 2 PM, Copper Rockfish 8 AM to 1 PM, Black Rockfish 8 AM to 2 PM, Blue Rockfish 8 AM to 2 PM and Cabezon 8 AM to 2 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.