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66,024-acre Central Monterey Bay fishing map with official USGS/CSUMB 2 m sonar survey contours in MLLW (95.44% measured, 95.63% assessed), MPA-filtered measured fishing spots, fish and forage evidence, public access and current Central Region rules. The water tops out around 2757 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Central Monterey Bay runs 66,004 acres with 44.5 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 2% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 13.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 13.4 mi at the beam. For a second option, Southern Monterey Bay lies 8 mi south.
In spring, california halibut run shallow here, mostly 5 to 30 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 40 ft before dropping to 15 to 60 ft for winter. Spring california halibut concentrate at Moss Landing channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 12 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a paddletail dragged on sand or a bucktail + strip most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Swimbait on 1/2-1 oz head (drifted), Hair raiser jig |
| Summer | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Paddletail dragged on sand, Bucktail + strip |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Heavier jig + swimbait (channels), Drifted bucktail |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | midday | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Slow-dragged swimbait in deep channels |
In spring, surfperch run shallow here, mostly 2 to 18 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 35 ft. Moss Landing channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for winter surfperch. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a 1–2 inch grub or a small paddletail most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dawn | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Small grub on a light jig, Sand-crab imitation |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | 1-2 inch grub, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Small jig and grub, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 6 to 35 ft | midday | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Slow small grub, Light bottom jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lingcod in 25 to 140 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 180 ft before dropping to 60 to 240 ft for winter. The spot to know is NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy swimbait or a metal jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 30 to 200 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 60 to 240 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (105 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
When the water first warms, copper rockfish slide up into 20 to 110 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 140 ft, and by winter most fish are in 45 to 200 ft. If you only fish one area, make it NOAA charted underwater rock: a rock pile around 32 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and midday. Keep a vertical metal jig or a baitfish swimbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 110 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Compact metal jig, Small swimbait |
| Summer | 15 to 140 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 25 to 170 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (105 ft) | Slow-pitch jig, Compact swimbait |
| Winter | 45 to 200 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (105 ft) | Slow-pitch jig |
In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 5 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 30 to 90 ft for winter. Spring chinook salmon concentrate at Moss Landing channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 12 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Moss Landing channel edge (12 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | open water | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Structure-wise the chart holds 30 features, led in depth by USGS mapped Monterey Canyon landslide blocks at roughly 2228 ft.
Access data: Moss Landing Harbor District — Launch Ramp. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California DFW (Central Region ocean fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Central Monterey Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
Central Monterey Bay is about 2757 ft (840 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target california halibut, surfperch, lingcod, copper rockfish, chinook salmon on Central Monterey Bay.
Moss Landing channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for surfperch in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For california halibut, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Central Monterey Bay is regulated by the California DFW (Central Region ocean fishing). Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Southern Monterey Bay 8 mi · Northern Monterey Bay 10 mi · San Luis Reservoir 46 mi · Half Moon Bay 59 mi · Lake Del Valle 59 mi · Bethany Reservoir 72 mi · Clifton Court Forebay 77 mi · Richardson Bay 84 mi · Big Break 87 mi · Bolinas Bay 89 mi · Franks Tract 90 mi · Suisun Bay 91 mi
See how Central Monterey Bay stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in California · best california halibut lakes in California · best surfperch lakes in California · best lingcod lakes in California
Browse all California fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: U.S. Geological Survey, CSUMB Seafloor Mapping Lab and NOAA USGS Monterey Canyon and Vicinity bathymetry with NOAA ENC (MLLW; 95% measured, 0% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.