Half Moon Bay, CA Fishing Report & Live Conditions

Half Moon Bay, CA fishing report

Half Moon Bay holds a solid lineup of nearshore species, though anglers here should know the fishery skews heavily Pacific — so temper expectations on Atlantic species like fluke, bluefish, weakfish, tautog, and kingfish, which simply don't exist in these waters. What you will find is excellent striped bass action, especially in late spring through fall as baitfish push into the harbor mouth and along Pillar Point's rocky structure. Lingcod, rockfish, and halibut round out the offshore reef fishing, with halibut best worked in shallower sandy zones adjacent to structure.

For stripers in the harbor and along the outer reefs, focus on moving tides — the first two hours of an incoming tide concentrates fish near channel edges and rocky points. Surface water temps in the 54 to 58 degree range tend to activate feeding. Live anchovies are the local standard, though swimbaits and topwater plugs draw aggressive strikes in low-light conditions. Offshore, jigging with iron or drop-shotting soft plastics keeps baits in the strike zone over rocky bottom. Northwest wind above 15 knots pushes swells into a nasty chop off the point, so plan morning departures before the afternoon breeze builds.