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19,911-acre Drakes Bay fishing map with NOAA H11738/H11739 and historic hydrographic survey contours in MLLW (70.78% measured, 98.35% assessed), closure-filtered fishing spots, official fish and forage evidence, public access and San Francisco Region rules. The water tops out around 150 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drakes Bay maps at 19,914 acres behind 27.7 miles of shoreline — 4 islands included. Nearly circular (index 1.4), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 8% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 11.6 mi with a 3.6-mi widest point. Its nearest charted neighbour, Tomales Bay, is 12 mi to the north.
Early season surfperch use the shallows, holding in 2 to 18 ft. Summer is a 3 to 25 ft game here, winter a 6 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is NOAA charted underwater rock 16 — rock pile, 20 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a 1–2 inch grub or a small paddletail and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 5 (17 ft) | Small grub on a light jig, Sand-crab imitation |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | 1-2 inch grub, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Small jig and grub, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 6 to 35 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Slow small grub, Light bottom jig |
Spring puts black rockfish in skinny water — 10 to 80 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 100 ft; cold water stacks them in 25 to 140 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock 16 is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for spring black rockfish. Plan around early morning and midday in the warm months. A dart jig or a small metal jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 80 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Small metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Dart jig, Small metal jig |
| Fall | 15 to 120 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Compact swimbait |
| Winter | 25 to 140 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 19 (24 ft) | Slow vertical jig, Dart jig |
Spring puts copper rockfish in skinny water — 20 to 110 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 140 ft, wintering in 34 to 150 ft. Spring copper rockfish concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock 16, a prime-rated rock pile around 20 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and midday. A vertical metal jig or a baitfish swimbait covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 110 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Compact metal jig, Small swimbait |
| Summer | 15 to 140 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 22 to 150 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 170 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 19 (24 ft) | Slow-pitch jig, Compact swimbait |
| Winter | 34 to 150 ft chart-limited; documented 45 to 200 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 19 (24 ft) | Slow-pitch jig |
Come spring, look for lingcod tight to the bank in 25 to 140 ft. Expect a summer slide to 17 to 150 ft, then a winter hold in 38 to 150 ft. Start at NOAA charted underwater rock 16. It's a rock pile holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in midday and early morning. A heavy swimbait or a metal jig is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 140 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 19 (24 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 17 to 150 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 23 to 150 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 200 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 19 (24 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 38 to 150 ft chart-limited; documented 60 to 240 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 19 (24 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Spring cabezon on Drakes Bay hold shallow, usually 8 to 80 ft. They move out to 6 to 100 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 140 ft. Put NOAA charted underwater rock 16 first on the milk run — a rock pile near 20 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and midday. The summer box starts with a crab-pattern jig or a heavy tube.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 80 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Crab-pattern jig, Compact swimbait |
| Summer | 6 to 100 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Crab-pattern jig, Heavy tube |
| Fall | 10 to 120 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Compact metal jig, Crab-pattern jig |
| Winter | 20 to 140 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock 16 (20 ft) | Slow compact jig |
Count 32 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deepest basin, sits near 150 ft.
Access data: National Park Service — Limantour Beach parking and Point Reyes kayaking guidance. 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 (San Francisco Region ocean fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Drakes Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
Drakes Bay is about 150 ft (46 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 surfperch, black rockfish, copper rockfish, lingcod, cabezon on Drakes Bay.
NOAA charted underwater rock 16 is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for black rockfish in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For surfperch, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Drakes Bay is regulated by the California DFW (San Francisco 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.
Tomales Bay 12 mi · Bolinas Bay 14 mi · Bodega Bay 21 mi · Petaluma River 22 mi · Richardson Bay 23 mi · San Pablo Bay 27 mi · Napa River 36 mi · Half Moon Bay 43 mi · Suisun Bay 49 mi · Lake Berryessa 54 mi · Big Break 64 mi · Lake Del Valle 69 mi
See how Drakes Bay stacks up: best surfperch lakes in California · best lingcod lakes in California · best black rockfish lakes in California · best cabezon lakes in California
Browse all California fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA NCEI H11738/H11739 and historic hydrographic surveys with Northern California CoNED (MLLW; 71% measured, 28% 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.