California · Northern California
ROCKFISH FISHING
IN SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco is an outstanding destination for rockfish fishing, with peak season in May, June, July and good catches in March, April, September. Book a charter and target rockfish with local experts.
About Rockfish Fishing in San Francisco
The Pacific rockfish complex includes over 70 species, from the prized vermilion and copper rockfish of California to the massive yelloweye of Alaska. Found around rocky reefs, pinnacles, and kelp beds at depths from 50 to 1,000 feet, rockfish are the backbone of West Coast bottom fishing and provide excellent table fare.
Pacific Rockfish encompass over 70 species in the genus Sebastes, making them the most diverse group of sportfish on the West Coast. Popular species include Vermilion Rockfish (red snapper), Copper Rockfish, Black Rockfish, Blue Rockfish, Canary Rockfish, and the massive Yelloweye Rockfish of Alaska. Colors range from bright vermilion-red to jet black to mottled copper-brown, depending on species and depth. Found from shallow kelp beds to depths exceeding 1,000 feet, rockfish are the backbone of Pacific coast bottom fishing. Many species are extremely long-lived — yelloweye rockfish can live over 120 years.
Scientific name: Sebastes spp.
Rockfish Seasonal Calendar — San Francisco
Month-by-month availability for rockfish in San Francisco, CA.
How to Catch Rockfish in San Francisco
Techniques & Bait
Dropping bait (squid strips, anchovy, shrimp) or metal jigs (Diamond Jigs, Crippled Herring, flutter jigs) to rocky structure in 60-300 feet is the standard technique. Shrimp fly rigs — multiple baited hooks on a dropper rig above a heavy sinker — allow multiple fish per drop. Soft plastic swimbaits on heavy jigheads (2-6 oz) bounced along the bottom are effective. For shallow species (Black Rockfish, Blue Rockfish), casting swimbaits and metal jigs into kelp bed edges works well. Sabiki rigs near structure can produce fast limits.
Recommended Tackle
Medium-heavy conventional rod (5'6"-7 ft), level-wind reel, 30-65 lb braided line, 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader, 4-16 oz weights depending on depth. Long dropper leaders with multiple hooks (shrimp fly rigs) are standard on party boats. Sensitive rod tips help detect bites at depth.
Best Bottom Fishing Fishing Spots in San Francisco
Top spots where local captains target rockfish and other bottom fishing species.
San Francisco Bay Flats
San Francisco Bay's expansive shallow flats along the south and central bay hold leopard shark, halibut, striped bass, and bat ray over sandy and muddy bottom. The bay's enormous tidal exchange creates productive current seams along channel edges where predators ambush baitfish swept by the flow.
Golden Gate Bridge Pilings
The massive pilings and underwater structure of the Golden Gate Bridge create current breaks in the powerful tidal flow, attracting striped bass, halibut, and rockfish to the deep channel beneath the span. Fishing the ebb tide as baitfish flush from the bay through the gate is a legendary San Francisco technique.
Crissy Field Beach
Crissy Field Beach inside the Golden Gate offers shore-casting for striped bass, surfperch, and jacksmelt from a sandy beach with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop. The beach's position near the gate means strong tidal currents push baitfish along the shore, drawing in stripers during summer and fall.
Berkeley Flats
The Berkeley Flats along the East Bay shoreline are a renowned leopard shark and bat ray fishery where anglers wade or kayak the shallow mud and sand flats during summer months. Halibut patrol the slightly deeper channels adjacent to the flats, and the area is one of the most accessible inshore fisheries in the entire bay.
Other Species in San Francisco
More fish you can target while visiting San Francisco.
Rockfish Fishing in San Francisco — FAQ
The peak months for Rockfish fishing in San Francisco are May, June, July, August. During these months, Rockfish are most active and abundant in the San Francisco area.
Rockfish fishing charters in San Francisco are typically bottom fishing trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Dropping bait (squid strips, anchovy, shrimp) or metal jigs (Diamond Jigs, Crippled Herring, flutter jigs) to rocky structure in 60-300 feet is the standard technique. Shrimp fly rigs — multiple baited hooks on a dropper rig above a heavy sinker — allow multiple fish per drop. Soft plastic swimbaits on heavy jigheads (2-6 oz) bounced along the bottom are effective. For shallow species (Black Rockfish, Blue Rockfish), casting swimbaits and metal jigs into kelp bed edges works well. Sabiki rigs near structure can produce fast limits.
No — when you book a charter in San Francisco, your captain provides all required California fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Rockfish regulations in California include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Rockfish in San Francisco, you may also catch Chinook Salmon, Dungeness Crab, Lingcod, Pacific Halibut, Albacore Tuna. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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