As I’m sure you’ve seen on the news, massive king tides flooded the Bay Area over the past couple of days. Some parts of Marin County were even completely underwater, closing the 101 in some parts.
King Tide: A phenomenon where the earth, sun, and moon align to produce extremely high and low tides.
So is this good for fishing? What do the extreme tides mean for the Bay Area?
King tides can definitely make it harder to fish, but the water movement and displacement creates awesome fishing windows in the Bay. Let’s take a deep dive into this, what fish to target, and what you can expect this week.
Also, the storm is breaking! Finally. Let’s check out the reports first.
(Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
Fishing Reports this Week 🎣
*If you didn’t read the Thursday email, fishing charter season is closed. No more rockfish and crab combos. Come spring things will get active again.
White Sturgeon: Still getting good reports up North towards Suisun and Carquinez Strait. Seeing action off of Eckley Pier on socials.
Striper: As usual there is also good action over at the Carquinez Strait and the piers/shoreline around there. Some catches over by Benicia and Napa River reported as well.
Herring: Reports of herring massing in Richardson Bay still. King tides will have a big impact on where they move next. Bait balls spotted over by Oakland Airport too. Nothing at the rock wall confirmed yet but they are on the move.
Bay Area Trout Stocking Report 🐟
NOTHING NEW - Here are the most recent stocks for your reference
Lakeshore | Temescal | Sandy Wool Lake | Lake Merced | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
12/14- 12/20 | Trout | Trout | ||
12/21 - 12/27 | Trout | Trout |
What the King Tides Mean for Bay Area Fishing
King tides have a negative connotation for some anglers. It’s true, they create stronger current and can change the behavior of fish, making it harder to catch them.
That’s why as anglers we need to adapt to the condition and understand what the king tides mean for the environment. This advice applies not just to king tides, but any significant tidal movements.
Extreme high and low tides are significant for the coasts and the Bay Area. The high volume of water churns up bait in the water, providing a food source for predatory fish. The high tides also bring nutrients into the water and allow fish to access areas they historically haven’t been able to.
Each fish is impacted differently, so let’s break it down:
Striped Bass
Where: Channel edges, creek mouths, down-current, structures, drop-offs
When: Slack tide into the first part of any movement. Avoid the highest tide unless fishing structure
How: Lures from shore or bait from piers (live if possible)
White Sturgeon
Where: Channel edges, around deep holes, mud flats and soft bottoms
When: Outgoing tide into low, early incoming
How: Research legal sturgeon fishing techniques. Look into fish finder rigs with shrimp.
Herring
Where: Bays, shallow protected shoreline, eelgrass and structure, seawalls. Look for the birds!
When: Incoming tide into high tide, whenever social media tells you they are around ;)
How: Cast nets and sabiki rigs (cut off hooks to make them compliant within the Bay)
Leopard Sharks & Rays
Where: Near mud flats, troughs and deep channels
When: Moving water, but not peak flow with the strongest current
How: Natural baits with heavy gear that will sit on the bottom
Aftermath
After king tides the Bay calms down. We’ll see fish spreading out throughout the Bay again, not just hugging current breaks and holes. Sediment will settle and water clarity will improve.
Regular fishing may even be better after king tides as fish return to their usual patterns. Remember to scale back if you were using heavier gear to stay on bottom.
Again, this advice stands for not just king tides, but any major water movement. The currents can be challenging and you may need to up your weight depending on where you are fishing!
Weekend Fishing Forecasts - Curated Spots
The rain is letting up and the fishing looks A LOT better this week! This will be a good time to get some reps in if you have the time.
A bit too soon to tell but this weekend will hopefully be fishable as well, will update you on Thursday.
Carquinez Strait Area - (Sturgeon & Striped Bass) 🎣
Monday | Tuesday | Wed | Thurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Cloudy | Cloudy | Sunny | Sunny |
Wind Speed (mph) | Heavy | Light | Medium Heavy | Medium |
Swell Height (ft) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
Wave Interval (sec) | 8.7 | 8.3 | 14.1 | 17.0 |
Pressure (in) | 29.94 | 30.15 | 30.06 | 30.21 |
High Tides (ft) | 4.6 @ 3:27 AM 5.8 @ 2:16 PM | 4.7 @ 4:11 AM 5.3 @ 3:07 PM | 4.9 @ 4:55 AM 4.8 @ 4:01 PM | 5.0 @ 5:37 AM 4.2 @ 5:00 PM |
Low Tides (ft) | 2.3 @ 8:36 AM -0.8 @ 9:28 PM | 2.2 @ 9:35 AM -0.4 @ 10:10 PM | 2.1 @ 10:36 AM 0.2 @ 10:52 PM | 2.0 @ 11:39 AM 0.7 @ 11:33 PM |
Our Rating | Okay | Great | Not Bad | Not Bad |
Carquinez Strait will be nice and protected compared to the deeper parts of the Bay, giving you a good shot at some striped bass and sturgeon. Expect some wind.
Not sure where to go? Try a public pier like Eckley or Benicia, or find your own spot of shoreline away from the crowds.
Ocean Beach - Crab Snaring 🦀
Monday | Tuesday | Wed | Thurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Cloudy | Cloudy | Sunny | Sunny |
Wind Speed (mph) | Heavy | Medium | Heavy | Medium |
Swell Height (ft) | 4.6 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 5.1 |
Wave Power (kJ) | 287 | 173 | 455 | 1380 |
Wave Interval (sec) | 8.7 | 8.3 | 14.1 | 17.0 |
Pressure (in) | 29.94 | 30.15 | 30.09 | 30.24 |
High Tides (ft) | 5.3 @ 12:41 AM 6.6 @ 11:19 AM | 5.4 @ 1:22 AM 6.1 @ 12:10 PM | 5.5 @ 2:02 AM 5.4 @ 1:03 PM | 5.5 @ 2:42 AM 4.7 @ 2:02 PM |
Low Tides (ft) | 2.7 @ 5:35 AM -1.2 @ 6:23 PM | 2.5 @ 6:33 AM -0.7 @ 7:04 PM | 2.3 @ 7:34 AM 0 @ 7:45 PM | 2.1 @ 8:40 AM 0.7 @ 8:27 PM |
Our Rating | Not Great | Great | Okay | Rough |
Ocean Beach starts off okay but will be best middle of the week. Tuesday morning going into high tide is my window of the week for crab snaring. Good opportunity that day for surf perch fishing as well.
Richardson Bay - Herring 🐟
Monday | Tuesday | Wed | Thurs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather | Cloudy | Cloudy | Sunny | Sunny |
Wind Speed (mph) | Very Heavy | Medium Light | Medium | Medium |
Swell Height (ft) | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 4.1 |
Wave Power (kJ) | 183 | 107 | 289 | 872 |
Wave Interval (sec) | 8.7 | 8.3 | 14.1 | 17.0 |
Pressure (in) | 29.94 | 30.15 | 30.06 | 30.24 |
High Tides (ft) | 5.2 @ 1:40 AM 6.4 @ 12:18 PM | 5.2 @ 2:21 AM 5.8 @ 1:09 PM | 5.3 @ 3:01 AM 5.2 @ 2:02 PM | 5.3 @ 3:41 AM 4.5 @ 3:01 PM |
Low Tides (ft) | 2.7 @ 6:31 AM -1.2 @ 7:19 PM | 2.5 @ 7:29 AM -0.7 @ 8:00 PM | 2.3 @ 8:30 AM 0 @ 8:41 PM | 2.1 @ 9:36 AM 0.7 @ 9:23 PM |
Our Rating | Not Great | Great | Good | Not Great |
With few confirmed reports in other areas, Richardson Bay is going to be your best chance at getting on herring. Check out my last email for some best practices on that:
*Always check conditions before going out there, this data may no longer be up to date so please be safe
Good luck out there 😎