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Groundfish Management Area CentralCopper Rockfish · Open

Seal Rock Hump

36.94°N · 122.03°W

Species
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Best score for the day · 8 AM
86/100
GOOD

Now 69 · 2 PM PDT

BEST WINDOW
7 AM-12 PM
Tide flooding
CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Central · Copper Rockfish openRegulations ↗1 per day
14-Day Forecast
Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Wed
Sep 16
Thu
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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
Sun
Sep 27

24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

Tap or drag to read any hour

Conditions
Time
2 PM
Now
Score
69
Fair
Tide
5.1 ft ▼
Ebbing
Current
—
Ebb
Wind
13 kn
W · steady
Sea state
Choppy
4 ft @ 7 s NW
Air temp
74°
Warm
Weather
Clear
0% cloud
Hour 2 PM. Score 69 Fair. Tide 5.1ft Falling ▼. Current -0.7kn Ebb. Wind 13kn W G16. Sea 4 ft @ 7 s NW Choppy. Air 74.3°.
Why this score
Current
Slack
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-bag limit of 1 fish per person within the 10-fish RCG complex. §1.91(a)(1). No minimum size limit. Fillets must have entire skin attached.
Season
Apr 1 to Dec 31
Other species here
Quillback Rockfish Retention openLingcod Retention openChinook Salmon Retention openRockfish (Aggregate) Retention openCalifornia Halibut Retention openBlack Rockfish Retention openCanary Rockfish Retention open
Always check with CDFW ↗

Source: CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Central · 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 seasonClosed
SPOT PROFILE
DEPTH
40-90 ft
Rock
LAUNCH
Kayaker's Slipway
1.1 mi away
PEAK
Shoulder
STRUCTURE
Pinnacle
Outer Exposed
BOAT LAUNCHES NEARBY
  • Kayaker's Slipway
    1.1 mi
    Directions
  • Boat launch at Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor
    1.9 mi
    Directions
  • Boat launch at Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor
    2.5 mi
    Directions

Distances are in a straight line, not by water.

The Seal Rock Hump is a rocky pinnacle rising from the outer, exposed waters off Santa Cruz, holding structure across a depth range of roughly 40 to 90 feet. The rock draws a strong groundfish population, with lingcod peaking September through February and copper rockfish running best March through September alongside black rockfish from May through September. Lingcod hold tight to the pinnacle and respond to jigging with metal jigs, swimbaits, and lead-head jigs, while copper rockfish come to bottom fishing with shrimp flies, squid strips, and swimbaits worked close to the rock. California halibut move through from April to August and are targeted by drifting live anchovies, live smelt, or shiner perch across the sand edges near the structure. Chinook salmon pass through in the open water above the hump from March to July, taken by trolling anchovies, spoons, hoochies, and flashers.

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

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