Can I Fish?
Shelter Cove, CA · Mendocino Management Area
reading
Sea State
Conditions indicator only — not a launch decision. Consult current NWS warnings, harbor conditions, vessel limits, and local knowledge before you go.
Now — Buoy 46022 (Eel River)
Observed — · fetched — · NDBC 46022
Buoy Trend — Last 48h
Buoy history unavailable.
Morning Window — 6 AM to Noon
Afternoon northerlies usually decide the day here. These are the hours that matter.
Tide Timing & Daylight
Sunrise
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Sunset
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Tide predictions unavailable.
Targets & Regulations
Verified Aug 26, 2026 (20 days ago)
Mendocino Management Area — Cape Mendocino (40°10'00" N) to Point Arena (38°57'30" N). CDFW is the legal authority; this page is a convenience summary that can lag an in-season change.
Rockfish / Lingcod
verify at CDFWSeason and depth limits change in-season — verify before you run out.
- Season:
- Recreational groundfish typically opens in spring and closes at year end, with a depth constraint that shifts through the season.
- Limits:
- Rockfish: 10 fish daily aggregate (sub-limits apply). Lingcod: 2 fish daily.
- Size:
- Lingcod 22 in minimum. Cabezon 15 in. Greenling 12 in.
- Notes:
- Depth restriction (fathom line) is the number that changes most often. Descending device required to be rigged and ready when fishing groundfish.
CDFW source →
Pacific Halibut
verify at CDFWQuota-driven — the fishery closes when the CA quota is reached.
- Season:
- Open days are set annually by IPHC/CDFW and the season can close early on quota attainment.
- Limits:
- 1 fish per day, 1 in possession (no size limit).
- Size:
- None.
- Notes:
- Requires a Pacific Halibut Report Card. Check CDFW for the current open dates and any early closure notice.
CDFW source →
Salmon (Chinook)
verify at CDFWOcean salmon seasons for the KMZ/Fort Bragg areas are set each spring.
- Season:
- Set annually by the Pacific Fishery Management Council; recent years have included full closures.
- Limits:
- Set with the annual season — commonly 2 fish daily when open.
- Size:
- Minimum size varies by area and season (often 20 in or 24 in).
- Notes:
- Ocean Salmon Report Card required. No retention of coho at any time. Confirm the current-year regulation before running gear.
CDFW source →
Dungeness Crab
verify at CDFWRecreational season opens in early November, subject to delays.
- Season:
- Typically the first Saturday in November through July 30, north of Point Arena; openers are often delayed for whale entanglement risk or domoic acid.
- Limits:
- 10 crab per day.
- Size:
- 5.75 in minimum carapace width.
- Notes:
- Trap restrictions and fleet advisories apply. Check the CDFW crab page and the marine health advisory before setting gear.
CDFW source →
Shore / Rock Fishing
verify at CDFWShore fishing for many species stays open when boat depth limits do not.
- Season:
- Some species may be taken from shore, piers, and jetties outside boat-based groundfish depth constraints.
- Limits:
- Species-specific; the general groundfish bag limits still apply.
- Size:
- Species-specific.
- Notes:
- Know the MPA boundaries around Shelter Cove before casting — closed-area lines are legal boundaries and this site is not the authority on them.
CDFW source →
Latest Local Reports
Report feed unavailable right now — read them at Fishing the North Coast.
Source: Fishing the North Coast (Shelter Cove reports via Jake Mitchell, Sea Hawk Sport Fishing)
My Trip Log (private)
Stored only in this browser. Log depth ranges, never exact waypoints.
No trips logged yet.
Fish ID & Release Protocol
A descending device must be on board and ready when fishing groundfish — barotrauma kills released rockfish that aren't returned to depth. Rules change; use CDFW's live guidance, not this page.
CDFW Fish ID resources→Descending device requirements→Marine Protected Areas & closed zones→