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Rating depth structure for california halibut.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
3,644-acre Half Moon Bay fishing map with official USGS/CSUMB 2 m multibeam survey contours in MLLW (78.29% measured, 96.12% assessed), measured fishing spots, fish and forage evidence, public launch and shore access, and current San Francisco Region rules. The water tops out around 64 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 3,646 acres of water rimmed by 16.2 miles of bank, with 21 islands in the mix. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.9) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 21% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 5.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.6 mi at the beam. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Richardson Bay, 28 mi north of here.
In spring, california halibut run shallow here, mostly 5 to 30 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. USGS mapped shallow rippled sand shelf is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for spring california halibut. Time it for early morning. 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 | USGS mapped shallow rippled sand shelf (9 ft) | Swimbait on 1/2-1 oz head (drifted), Hair raiser jig |
| Summer | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | USGS mapped shallow rippled sand shelf (9 ft) | Paddletail dragged on sand, Bucktail + strip |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | USGS mapped shallow rippled sand shelf (9 ft) | Heavier jig + swimbait (channels), Drifted bucktail |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (48 ft) | Slow-dragged swimbait in deep channels |
In spring, surfperch run shallow here, mostly 2 to 18 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 25 ft before dropping to 6 to 35 ft for winter. Fall surfperch concentrate at NOAA charted underwater rock, a prime-rated rock pile around 23 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. 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 | USGS mapped shallow rippled sand shelf (9 ft) | Small grub on a light jig, Sand-crab imitation |
| Summer | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (23 ft) | 1-2 inch grub, Small paddletail |
| Fall | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (23 ft) | Small jig and grub, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 6 to 35 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Slow small grub, Light bottom jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lingcod in 11 to 64 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 64 ft through summer, 16 to 64 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: NOAA charted underwater rock, a rock pile in the 32 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for midday and early morning. Summer baits: a heavy swimbait or a metal jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 64 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Summer | 7 to 64 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Heavy swimbait, Metal jig |
| Fall | 10 to 64 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large swimbait |
| Winter | 16 to 64 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (55 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
Spring puts cabezon in skinny water — 6 to 64 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 64 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 64 ft. NOAA charted underwater rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 32 ft, rated prime for spring cabezon. Plan around early morning and midday in the warm months. A crab-pattern jig or a heavy tube covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 64 ft | dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Crab-pattern jig, Compact swimbait |
| Summer | 4 to 64 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Crab-pattern jig, Heavy tube |
| Fall | 5 to 64 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Compact metal jig, Crab-pattern jig |
| Winter | 9 to 64 ft | midday | NOAA charted rock (55 ft) | Slow compact jig |
Spring black rockfish on Half Moon Bay hold shallow, usually 8 to 64 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 5 to 64 ft in summer, 11 to 64 ft once it turns cold. Put NOAA charted underwater rock first on the milk run — a rock pile near 32 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and midday. The summer box starts with a dart jig or a small metal jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 64 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Small metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 5 to 64 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Dart jig, Small metal jig |
| Fall | 8 to 64 ft | midday & dawn | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Compact swimbait |
| Winter | 11 to 64 ft | midday | NOAA charted underwater rock (32 ft) | Slow vertical jig, Dart jig |
Count 53 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, USGS mapped flat and deformed bedrock, sits near 63 ft.
Access data: California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways — Pillar Point Boat Launching Facility. 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 Half Moon Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
Half Moon Bay is about 64 ft (20 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, cabezon, black rockfish on Half Moon Bay.
NOAA charted underwater rock is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for lingcod in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Half Moon 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.
Richardson Bay 28 mi · Bolinas Bay 31 mi · San Pablo Bay 40 mi · Lake Del Valle 42 mi · Drakes Bay 43 mi · Petaluma River 48 mi · Suisun Bay 49 mi · Northern Monterey Bay 49 mi · Bethany Reservoir 52 mi · Napa River 53 mi · Tomales Bay 53 mi · Clifton Court Forebay 55 mi
See how Half Moon Bay stacks up: best california halibut lakes in California · best surfperch lakes in California · best lingcod lakes in California · best black rockfish 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/CSUMB Half Moon Bay multibeam survey with NOAA ENC (MLLW; 78% measured, 18% 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.