Species
Rockfish
Sebastes spp. · family Sebastidae
Live · updated
The Pacific “RCG complex” — dozens of Sebastes species worked over rocky reefs, kelp, and structure from jetties to offshore banks. The backbone of West Coast bottom fishing; dropped baits and shrimp flies take them.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 45–58°F (ideal 52°F)
- Tide
- either
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 20–300 ft
- Active months
- Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Best rockfish conditions today
Sitka
Homer / Kachemak Bay
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Yachats State Recreation Area
Gold Beach (South Beach Park)
First Beach (La Push)
Puget Sound (Seattle)
Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)
Oceanside Beach
Doheny State Beach
Huntington Beach (Surf City USA)
Santa Monica State Beach
Zuma Beach
Redondo Beach
Morro Bay (Morro Strand State Beach)
Ocean Shores
Pacific Beach State Park
Half Moon Bay State Beach
San Francisco Bay
Imperial Beach
Santa Cruz Main Beach
Westport Light State Park
Twin Harbors State Park
Pismo Beach
Monterey Bay
Pacific Beach
San Clemente State Beach
Newport Beach
Ocean Beach (San Diego)
San Onofre State Beach
Seal Beach
Mission Bay (San Diego)
Avila Beach
Cayucos State Beach
Nehalem Bay State Park
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
CA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
pacific
- Creel
- 10
10 fish/day in combination (rockfish, cabezon, greenlings), with species sub-limits (e.g. 1 copper, 2 canary). Boat-based season is typically Apr 1–Dec 31; shore fishing is open year-round.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
OR
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
pacific
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 4
General marine fish: 4/day (2-fish canary sub-limit), 16" minimum. An Ocean Endorsement is required.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
WA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
pacific
- Creel
- 7
7 rockfish within a 9-fish bottomfish aggregate. Copper, quillback, and vermilion rockfish are closed May–July. Coastal season mid-Mar–mid-Oct.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AK
Stale: last verified 39 days ago.
pacific
- Creel
- 5
Southeast: pelagic rockfish commonly 5/day for residents, 3/day for nonresidents, within a combined rockfish limit; non-pelagic (yelloweye) are tightly capped. Confirm the area.
Source · verified 2026-06-03