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Copper Rockfish · Open

Needle Rock Point

36.95°N · 122.11°W

Species
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Best score for the day · 7 AM
81/100
GOOD

Now 25 · 12 AM PDT

BEST WINDOW
7 AM-11 AM
Tide flooding
14-Day Forecast
Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Tue
Sep 15
Wed
Sep 16
Thu
Sep 17
Fri
Sep 18
Sat
Sep 19
Sun
Sep 20
Mon
Sep 21
Tue
Sep 22
Wed
Sep 23
Thu
Sep 24
Fri
Sep 25
Sat
Sep 26

24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

Tap or drag to read any hour

Conditions
Time
12 AM
Now
Score
25
Tough
Tide
4.7 ft ▼
Ebbing
Current
—
Ebb
Wind
6 kn
NW · steady
Sea state
Rough
4.3 ft
Air temp
60°
Mild
Weather
Clear
0% cloud
Hour 12 AM. Score 25 Tough. Tide 4.7ft Falling ▼. Current -0.1kn Slack. Wind 6kn NW G6. Sea 4.3ft Rough. Air 59.7°.
Why this score
Current
0.5 kn light
Prime

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

Copper Rockfish
Retention open
Daily limit
1 per day
Possession
Not published
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Sub-limit within RCG Complex: 1 fish per person. Open Apr 1–Dec 31 all depths. No minimum size limit. Fillets must have entire skin attached. Shore-based anglers and divers exempt from season/depth restrictions.
Season
Apr 1 to Dec 31
Other species here
Halibut Retention openLingcod Retention openCabezon Retention openChinook Salmon ClosedCalifornia Sheephead Retention openCoho Salmon ClosedBlack Rockfish ClosedBlue Rockfish Closed
Always check with CDFW ↗

Source: CDFW · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When Copper Rockfish is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for Copper Rockfish
~15 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff seasonRelease only
SPOT PROFILE
DEPTH
25-75 ft
Rock
LAUNCH
Not mapped
PEAK
Shoulder
STRUCTURE
Kelp Reef
Outer Exposed

Nearby Spots

View all on map →

Other productive spots within easy run

Hump 1.8 km S of Mitchell Cove
Groundfish Management Area —
82
Top: LingcodSHOULDER SEASON
Lingcod 82 · Copper 82 · California Halibut 82
0006121824
4 kt NW
H 12:25 PM · 1.6 m
L 6:12 AM · 0.4 m
Hump 0.7 km S of Seal Rock
Groundfish Management Area —
82
Top: LingcodSHOULDER SEASON
Lingcod 82 · Copper 82 · California Halibut 82
0006121824
4 kt NW
H 12:25 PM · 1.6 m
L 6:12 AM · 0.4 m
Hump 2.8 km S of Seal Rock
Groundfish Management Area —
82
Top: LingcodSHOULDER SEASON
Lingcod 82 · Copper 82 · Cabezon 82
0006121824
4 kt NW
H 12:25 PM · 1.6 m
L 6:12 AM · 0.4 m
Hump 2.6 km S of Seal Rock
Groundfish Management Area —
82
Top: LingcodSHOULDER SEASON
Lingcod 82 · Copper 82 · California Halibut 82
0006121824
4 kt NW
H 12:25 PM · 1.6 m
L 6:12 AM · 0.4 m

Needle Rock Point is an outer-exposed kelp reef off Santa Cruz, California, where rocky bottom structure holds fish across depths of 25 to 75 feet. Lingcod dominate the cooler months with a peak from September through February, while Black Rockfish run strong from May through September and Blue Rockfish hold from March through August. Copper Rockfish and Cabezon fill out the reef through spring and summer, and Chinook Salmon move through the area from March into July. Anglers work the rock and kelp edges with metal jigs, swimbaits, and lead-head jigs for lingcod and rockfish, dropping shrimp flies and squid strips to the bottom for copper rockfish and cabezon. Chinook are targeted higher in the water column by trolling anchovies, spoons, hoochies, and flashers over the reef.

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Needle Rock Point is one of the spots we track around Santa Cruz. See every scored spot in California.

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