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BoatGroundfish Management Area SouthernCalifornia Sheephead · Open

Anacapa Island

34.00°N · 119.40°W

BoatGroundfish Management Area SouthernCalifornia Sheephead · Open

Anacapa Island Fishing Forecast

Updated today

What's biting now around Ventura: California Sheephead

California Sheephead fishing at Anacapa Island looks good today.
The best time to go is 7 AM to 7 PM, with the tide flooding.

ReelCaster scores every hour at Anacapa Island from 0 to 100, reading the tide, current, wind and weather for California Sheephead. The higher the score, the better your odds. Green means go.

California Sheephead
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Anacapa Island, 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

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Recent reports
Updated 3 days ago

Scorpionfish, bonito and sheephead at Anacapa Island lately

14-Day Forecast

Data from: ECMWF + GFS + BlueCaster
Sun
Nov 1
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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
9 kn
WSW · steady
Sea state
Flat
1.5 ft @ 10 s S
Air temp
68°
Warm
Weather
Overcast
100% cloud
Hour 11 AM. Score 78 Good. Tide 4.5ft Rising ▲. Current +0.8kn Flood. Wind 9kn WSW G9. Sea 1.5 ft @ 10 s S Flat. Air 67.6°.

Why this score

Current
0.7 kn
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 permitted Mar 1–Dec 31; divers and shore-based anglers open year-round.
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Boat-based anglers: open Mar 1, 2026 through Dec 31, 2026. Divers and shore-based anglers: open year-round. Minimum size 12 inches total length.
Season
Mar 1 to Dec 31
Other species here
Kelp Bass Retention openVermilion Rockfish ClosedBarred Sand Bass Retention openBocaccio ClosedCalifornia Scorpionfish Retention openCabezon ClosedBonito Retention openWhite Seabass Retention open
Always check with CDFW ↗

Source: CDFW · Groundfish Management Area Southern · synced today

Seasonality

52-week view · today highlighted

When California Sheephead is best at this spot

Shoulder seasonShoulder season for California Sheephead
~4 more weeks in shoulder
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Peak seasonShoulder seasonOff seasonClosed

SPOT PROFILE

DEPTH
329-1311 ft
Rock
STRUCTURE
Drop Off
Outer Exposed

About Anacapa Island

Anacapa Island sits off Ventura, California, where a rock bottom drops off along an outer, exposed edge into depths running from 330 to 1,310 feet. The structure holds California Sheephead, which peak from July through September, alongside Kelp Bass that turn on in April and May and again from June through August, and Barred Sand Bass through the long March-to-August window. Deeper water over the rock produces Bocaccio Rockfish from August through October, while White Seabass move through from February to July. Anglers work Sheephead with bait fishing using live shrimp, squid, or mussels, and drop for Bocaccio with a dropper loop baited with squid strips or cut mackerel over the deeper structure. Kelp Bass respond to live bait fishing with anchovies or sardines along the shallower rock, and White Seabass take live squid on the same live-bait approach.

CUSTOM ALERT
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Anacapa Island is one of the spots we track around Ventura. More spots in Ventura · All of California.

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