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Santa Cruz Fishing

Santa Cruz Fishing

Beautiful beaches and weather make Santa Cruz a popular tourist destination. Fermín de Lasuén from Spain established Mission Santa Cruz in 1791. Some time after the Conquest of California, Santa Cruz was incorporated as a city. In 1907, the city constructed the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and Santa Cruz soon became recognized as a seaside resort community. Monterey Bay and the San Lorenzo River are two major bodies of water, where you can go fishing.

Popular inshore species you may catch while Santa Cruz fishing include Bluefin Tuna, Cabezon, Flounder, Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish and Sea Bass. King Salmon is a highly sought after fish that you could target nearshore. Other species that you have a good chance of catching while nearshore Santa Cruz fishing are Cabezon, Halibut, and Lingcod. Albacore Tuna and Bluefin Tuna are plentiful much of the season offshore. If you are in Santa Cruz during fall, you may want to head to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River to target Silver Salmon. In 2011, a record White Sea Bass was caught off of the Santa Cruz shore that weighed 79 pounds. It was also one of the largest Sea Bass to be caught on rod and reel.



Santa Cruz Fishing Forecast

Target Species of Fish

Based on historical data for fishing Santa Cruz, you should target one of the following species for this time of year:
  1. Shortbelly Rockfish

  2. Shortbelly Rockfish

    There is a 40.46% catch rate for Shortbelly Rockfish, based on 2538 Shortbelly Rockfish counted.

    Santa Cruz Shortbelly Rockfish Counts Chart
    Shortbelly

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ SHORTBELLY ROCKFISH COUNTS CHART


  3. Cabezon

  4. Cabezon

    There is a 5.83% catch rate for Cabezon, based on 366 Cabezon counted.

    Santa Cruz Cabezon Counts Chart
    Cabezon

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ CABEZON COUNTS CHART


  5. Rex Sole

  6. Rex Sole

    There is a 4.53% catch rate for Rex Sole, based on 284 Rex Sole counted.

    Santa Cruz Rex Sole Counts Chart
    Rex

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ REX SOLE COUNTS CHART


  7. Lingcod

  8. Lingcod

    There is a 4.51% catch rate for Lingcod, based on 283 Lingcod counted.

    Santa Cruz Lingcod Counts Chart
    Lingcod

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ LINGCOD COUNTS CHART


  9. Coho Salmon

  10. Coho Salmon

    There is a 3.91% catch rate for Coho Salmon, based on 245 Coho Salmon counted.

    Santa Cruz Coho Salmon Counts Chart
    Coho

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ COHO SALMON COUNTS CHART


  11. Sharpchin Rockfish

  12. Sharpchin Rockfish

    There is a 3.79% catch rate for Sharpchin Rockfish, based on 238 Sharpchin Rockfish counted.

    Santa Cruz Sharpchin Rockfish Counts Chart
    Sharpchin

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ SHARPCHIN ROCKFISH COUNTS CHART


  13. Starry Flounder

  14. Starry Flounder

    There is a 3.78% catch rate for Starry Flounder, based on 237 Starry Flounder counted.

    Santa Cruz Starry Flounder Counts Chart
    Starry

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ STARRY FLOUNDER COUNTS CHART


  15. Chub Mackerel

  16. Chub Mackerel

    There is a 3.76% catch rate for Chub Mackerel, based on 236 Chub Mackerel counted.

    Santa Cruz Chub Mackerel Counts Chart
    Chub

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ CHUB MACKEREL COUNTS CHART


  17. Chinook Salmon

  18. Chinook Salmon

    There is a 3.75% catch rate for Chinook Salmon, based on 235 Chinook Salmon counted.

    Santa Cruz Chinook Salmon Counts Chart
    Chinook

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ CHINOOK SALMON COUNTS CHART


  19. Arrowtooth Flounder

  20. Arrowtooth Flounder

    There is a 3.73% catch rate for Arrowtooth Flounder, based on 234 Arrowtooth Flounder counted.

    Santa Cruz Arrowtooth Flounder Counts Chart
    Arrowtooth

    ENLARGE SANTA CRUZ ARROWTOOTH FLOUNDER COUNTS CHART


Recommendations above based on 42 species of fish and 6273 fish counted for June around Santa Cruz.

To date, there are 69 species of fish and a total of 88488 fish counted for Santa Cruz and within a 30 mile (48 km) radius since 1/1/1860 (163 years).

Last Update: 6/8/2023 9:07:29 AM

*** PLEASE NOTE ***
Please check local, state/province, and federal laws before fishing for any species found on this site. All data is based on historical data found for this area, and in some cases as far back as the year 1600.

View full Santa Cruz Fishing Forecast to see all species.

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Top Santa Cruz Fishing Spots

The Top 10 Fishing Spots for Santa Cruz are the following:

  1. Soquel Hole
    Soquel Hole 36.52.00 / 121.57.00 Popular King Salmon and Silver Salmon hole for trolling and drifting. 


  2. Mulligan Hill
    Mulligan Hill 36.44.98 / 121.52.


  3. Soldier’s Club
    Soldier’s Club 36.41.14 / 121.52.28


  4. 601 South Rock
    601 South Rock 36.55.00 / 122.01.00


  5. Adams Reef


  6. Three Trees


  7. Manresa State Beach


  8. Three Trees


  9. Moonglow Point


  10. Park Reef Kelp


View more Top Santa Cruz Fishing Spots


Latest Santa Cruz Fishing Reports

  • June 4
    Another WOW day at Jurassic Park. Incredible bite and Incredible weather. 60 chili peppers and vermillions totaling over 170 pounds. Biggest vermillion yet on our boat at ove


  • May 31
    Beautiful weather for the rest of the week. We still have openings if you want to get out on the water and have some fun!!! The post May 31 appeared first on Monterey Bay and


  • May 29
    Local potluck today and flat calm seas. Headed out to one of our honey holes and it was game on! Caught a lot of fish but only kep the best 60 blue rockfish (pacific snapper)


  • May 28
    What an awesome Jurassic Park trip today. Weather held good for us and we knew we had to fish hard and fast before the winds showed up. These pictures are just some of the fi


  • May 27
    Local potluck today and we got lucky! Caught over 100 fish but only kept the best 60 rockcod two lings that we let go to grow and a very nice 15# halibut. Weather was perfect


  • May 23
    Our first halibut trip of the season and it was a great one! Hooked six halibut and kept three. Let the other three go back to grow. Also boated a nice lingcod. Wonderful gro


  • May 22
    Out to the deep again with our family of first responders. Water was a bit bumpy and made fishing more challenging than usual. We caught fish on the ledge but opted to go up


  • May 21
    Out to the deep for another Jurassic Park venture. As soon as we dropped in our lines it was game on! We picked up fish throughout the morning but not the bite we’ve seen for


  • May 19
    What a day at Jurassic Park! Out to the deep again and put in 170+ pounds of chili peppers and reds and petrale sole. Got a nice whale and dolphin show too! Water was challen


  • May 16
    Out to the deep again and we whacked ’em good! Filled the boat with 150 pounds of chili peppers green spots canaries and other rockfish (pacific snapper) and petrale sole. Th


View Santa Cruz Fishing Reports

Top Santa Cruz Bait & Tackle Stores

  1. Coyote Discount Bait & Tackle
    A local tackle shop with deep roots in the fishing community for over 40 years. Swing by and test our knowledge!

  2. Fisherman's Warehouse
    In 1982 we started as one small store, Delta Bait & Tackle, in Manteca, California. Since then, we’ve changed our name and grown into the largest tackle outfitter in Northern California. At Fisherman’s Warehouse you’ll find our staff are experien

  3. Sportsmen's Supply


View more Santa Cruz Bait & Tackle Stores

Top Santa Cruz Fishing Charters & Guides

  1. Monterey Bay Charters
    MEGA-BITE is the premier 6-pack charter boat located in the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor and we fish the Monterey Bay. We provide all types of charters aboard our spacious 32x12 foot 630 horsepower Sport Sedan. We can take up to six people fishing for sa

  2. Capitola and Santa Cruz Boat Rentals
    Santa Cruz Boat Rentals and Capitola Boat and Bait have the only motorized ocean skiffs for rent on Monterey Bay, so if you want to get out there, you want to come here! Our shops are located on the Santa Cruz and Capitola wharves, making them the pe

  3. Fish On Sportfishing


View more Santa Cruz Charters & Guides

Top Santa Cruz Marinas

View more Santa Cruz Marinas

View Full Fishing Map


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Download Santa Cruz Fishing Spots

Latest Fishing Spots

Brook Trout

Brook Trout

Brook Trout

Brook Trout

Brook Trout

Brook Trout

Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon

View more Santa Cruz Fishing Spots

Bouy Conditions

Station 46269 - Point Santa Cruz, CA (254)
June 9, 2023 7:30 pm PDT
Location: 36.934N 122.034W
Significant Wave Height: 2.6 ft
Dominant Wave Period: 15 sec
Average Period: 5.8 sec
Mean Wave Direction: SSW (201°)
Water Temperature: 56.8°F (13.8°C)


Current Moon Phase

Last Quarter Moon

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