West Coast Surf Fishing
Surf fishing conditions for 42 Pacific beaches, from Pacific Beach State Park in Washington to Silver Strand State Beach in San Diego: 6 in Washington, 14 in Oregon and 22 in California.
Open the West Coast surf fishing map →What you get at each beach
- Ocean temperature with its source and date: measured shore gauges at 2 beaches and NASA JPL MUR satellite estimates elsewhere, never an invented number.
- Tides from the nearest suitable NOAA station, with the next highs and lows and a 24-hour tide chart in Pacific time.
- Wind and gusts from the National Weather Service forecast.
- Waves from NOAA buoys, labeled as wave height off the beach rather than breaking surf height.
- Moon phase, moonrise and moonset.
- Species fishing-conditions scores: an hourly 0–100 score and a 24-hour timeline for each fish rated at that beach, with the factors behind the number.
- Season calendars for every species, month by month.
The hourly score rates today's water temperature, tide, light and tidal range for each fish on a 0–100 scale, assuming the fish is there. It is a conditions score, not a catch forecast, and the season is shown beside it without changing the number. It is a provisional model.
Live conditions, the 24-hour tide chart and the hourly species scores are part of Striper Tracker Premium, the same one-time $1.99 unlock as the rest of the site. Season calendars and this guide are free.
West Coast surf fishing species
Redtail surfperch (32 beaches)
The main surf target from Washington to Northern California.
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington coast | Apr–Oct | Nov–Mar | — |
| Oregon coast | Apr–Sep | Oct–Mar | — |
| Northern California | Oct–May | Jun–Sep | — |
| Central California | — | — | Sep–Jun |
Beaches: Pacific Beach State Park · Ocean Shores (North Jetty) · Westport (Westhaven State Park) · Grayland Beach State Park · Long Beach · Cape Disappointment State Park · Fort Stevens State Park · Seaside Beach · Cannon Beach · Manzanita Beach · Rockaway Beach · Pacific City (Cape Kiwanda) · Lincoln City Beach · South Beach State Park · Waldport Beach · Heceta Beach · Winchester Bay (Umpqua Beach) · Bastendorff Beach · Bandon Beach · Gold Beach · Crescent City (South Beach) · Samoa Beach · Centerville Beach · Ten Mile Beach (MacKerricher SP) · Doran Regional Park · Point Reyes Beach · Ocean Beach · Pacifica State Beach · Half Moon Bay State Beach · Manresa State Beach · Marina State Beach · Morro Strand State Beach
Barred surfperch (18 beaches)
The main surfperch from Bodega Bay south through Central and Southern California.
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern California | — | Mar–Apr, Nov–Dec | Jan–Feb, May–Oct |
| Central California | Oct–May | Jun–Sep | — |
| Southern California | Oct–Apr | May–Jun, Sep | Jul–Aug |
Beaches: Doran Regional Park · Point Reyes Beach · Ocean Beach · Pacifica State Beach · Half Moon Bay State Beach · Manresa State Beach · Marina State Beach · Morro Strand State Beach · Pismo State Beach · Jalama Beach · Oxnard Beach (Silver Strand) · Zuma Beach · Dockweiler State Beach · Huntington State Beach · Newport Beach · Oceanside City Beach · Torrey Pines State Beach · Silver Strand State Beach
California corbina (8 beaches)
A Southern California surf fish (south of Point Conception).
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California | Jun–Sep | May, Oct | Apr, Nov |
Beaches: Oxnard Beach (Silver Strand) · Zuma Beach · Dockweiler State Beach · Huntington State Beach · Newport Beach · Oceanside City Beach · Torrey Pines State Beach · Silver Strand State Beach
Yellowfin croaker (8 beaches)
A Southern California surf croaker (south of Point Conception).
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California | Jun–Sep | May, Oct | Mar–Apr, Nov–Dec |
Beaches: Oxnard Beach (Silver Strand) · Zuma Beach · Dockweiler State Beach · Huntington State Beach · Newport Beach · Oceanside City Beach · Torrey Pines State Beach · Silver Strand State Beach
Spotfin croaker (5 beaches)
A Southern California surf croaker, rated at the Orange County and San Diego beaches.
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California | Jul–Sep | Jun, Oct | Apr–May, Nov |
Beaches: Huntington State Beach · Newport Beach · Oceanside City Beach · Torrey Pines State Beach · Silver Strand State Beach
Striped bass (4 beaches)
Rated only at the four ocean beaches of Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern California | Jun–Aug | May, Sep | Apr, Oct |
Beaches: Point Reyes Beach · Ocean Beach · Pacifica State Beach · Half Moon Bay State Beach
California halibut (13 beaches)
Shown as a seasonal target only: the research is not strong enough for a numerical conditions score.
| Region | Peak season | Common | Occasional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central California | May–Aug | Apr, Sep | Mar, Oct–Nov |
| Southern California | Jun–Oct | May | Nov–Apr |
Beaches: Manresa State Beach · Marina State Beach · Morro Strand State Beach · Pismo State Beach · Jalama Beach · Oxnard Beach (Silver Strand) · Zuma Beach · Dockweiler State Beach · Huntington State Beach · Newport Beach · Oceanside City Beach · Torrey Pines State Beach · Silver Strand State Beach
Season levels come from Striper Tracker's regional West Coast species tables, not from catch reports or sightings at a particular beach. Months not listed are uncommon for that species in that region. A season level is not a rating of today's fishing.
Washington surf fishing
Washington coverage runs from Pacific Beach and Ocean Shores on the Grays Harbor coast to Westport, Grayland, the Long Beach Peninsula and Cape Disappointment at the mouth of the Columbia River. Redtail surfperch is the rated species on every Washington beach.
Pacific Beach State Park
Grays Harbor County · near Pacific Beach, Moclips
Species: Redtail surfperch · Tides: NOAA 9441627 Point Grenville
Ocean Shores (North Jetty)
Grays Harbor County · near Ocean Shores
Species: Redtail surfperch · Tides: NOAA 9441156 Point Brown
Westport (Westhaven State Park)
Grays Harbor County · near Westport
Species: Redtail surfperch · Tides: NOAA 9441102 Westport, Point Chehalis
Grayland Beach State Park
Pacific County · near Grayland, Tokeland
Species: Redtail surfperch · Tides: NOAA 9441102 Westport, Point Chehalis
Long Beach
Pacific County · near Long Beach, Seaview, Ilwaco
Species: Redtail surfperch · Tides: NOAA 9440581 Cape Disappointment
Cape Disappointment State Park
Pacific County · near Ilwaco
Species: Redtail surfperch · Tides: NOAA 9440581 Cape Disappointment
Licenses and limits: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Oregon surf fishing
14 Oregon beaches from Fort Stevens to Gold Beach, all rated for redtail surfperch. Oregon surf fishing guide →
California surf fishing
22 California beaches from Crescent City to Silver Strand, covering redtail and barred surfperch, California corbina, yellowfin and spotfin croaker, striped bass at four Bay Area ocean beaches, and California halibut by season. California surf fishing guide →
Where the data comes from
Tides from NOAA CO-OPS stations; ocean temperature from NOAA shore gauges or NASA JPL MUR satellite analysis; waves from NOAA NDBC buoys; wind from the National Weather Service; moon phases calculated for each beach and checked against the U.S. Naval Observatory. Each beach page names its own stations and known limits.
More surf fishing
Surf Fishing HQ: East Coast and Gulf Coast map · Surf fishing guides by state · Striped bass fall migration tracker