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California Sheephead · Open

Huntington Beach Artificial Reef

33.70°N · 118.08°W

Best score for the day · 7 AM
85/100
GOOD

Now 26 · 10 PM PDT

BEST WINDOW
7 AM-8 PM
Tide flooding
14-Day Forecast
Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Mon
Sep 14
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

24-Hour Conditions

All times PDT

Tap or drag to read any hour

Conditions
Time
10 PM
Now
Score
26
Tough
Tide
4.9 ft ▲
Flooding
Current
—
Flood
Wind
4 kn
WNW · steady
Sea state
Choppy
2.5 ft
Air temp
73°
Warm
Weather
Overcast
100% cloud
Hour 10 PM. Score 26 Tough. Tide 4.9ft Rising ▲. Current +0.6kn Flood. Wind 4kn WNW G4. Sea 2.5ft Chop. Air 72.5°.
Why this score
Current
Slack
Prime

Current regulations

In effect now

What you can keep at this spot today

California Sheephead
Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
2 in possession
Size
Minimum 12"
Gear
Boat-based anglers only (this seasonal window).
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Boat-based anglers may fish March 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Minimum size 12 inches total length.
Season
Mar 1 to Dec 31
Other species here
Halibut ClosedLingcod Catch & releaseCabezon ClosedCalico Bass ClosedRockfish (Aggregate) ClosedKelp Bass Retention openBlue Rockfish ClosedCalifornia Scorpionfish Retention open
Always check with CDFW ↗

Source: CDFW · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When California Sheephead is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for California Sheephead
~9 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff seasonRelease only
SPOT PROFILE
DEPTH
40-80 ft
LAUNCH
Not mapped
PEAK
Shoulder
STRUCTURE
—

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Barred Sand Bass 85 · Yellowtail 83 · California Sheephead 82
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Long Beach - Alamitos Bay Entrance / Outer Flats
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Huntington Flats
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California Halibut 85 · Barred Sand Bass 85
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Izor's Reef
Groundfish Management Area —
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Top: California SheepheadSHOULDER SEASON
California Sheephead 84 · Barred Sand Bass 84 · California Halibut 84
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L 4:45 AM · 0.3 m

The Huntington Beach Artificial Reef sits in 40 to 80 feet of water off Santa Monica, California, where deployed structure concentrates fish across a sandy-bottom shelf. Pacific halibut move through the reef edges from February to May and respond to drifting live bait such as live anchovies, sardines, or smelt, while calico bass hold tight to the structure from April to August and take swimbaits, soft plastic grubs, and leadhead jigs worked through the rocks. Rockfish stay catchable year-round on a dropper loop baited with squid, cut mackerel, or shrimp flies, with California sheephead adding to the mix from April to September on live shrimp, squid, or crab fished along the bottom. As water cools, lingcod arrive from September to February and take metal jigs and leadhead jigs with swimbaits worked vertically over the structure, alongside cabezon from September to April. Drifting live bait across the reef margins and jigging directly over the structure both produce well at these depths.

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Huntington Beach Artificial Reef is one of the spots we track around Santa Monica. See every scored spot in California.

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