Monterey Harbor is a Central California harbor fishery where protected marina water, breakwaters, rocky shoreline, and the nearby Monterey Bay shelf create varied nearshore habitat. Rockfish and California halibut are principal targets, with lingcod and surfperch adding additional structure and shore opportunity.
Current Coastal Rating
Fair · 56
Beta
Conditions are fair, but confidence is reduced because some coastal inputs are partial or prediction-based.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Should I Go?
Trip conditions only. Target-species activity and seasonal fishery patterns are not yet included.
Consider
Trip conditions may be workable, but important cautions or data limitations remain.
High confidence in the evaluated inputs — observational coverage is partial. — Required data sources were available and the key inputs were current.
Evaluates trip conditions using weather, tides, currents, waves, daylight, and active alerts.
This coastal rating is in public beta.
Missing waves are not calm. Forecast is not an observation. Prediction is not an observation.
Because this rating is in public beta, recommendations are capped at Consider when evidence is limited.
Service Status
Degraded
Coastal conditions are partial, stale, or predictions-only.
Recommended window
Tuesday · 10:00 AM–1:00 PM PDT
Window score
81
Max wind
8 mph
Max gust
8 mph
Daylight
100% of window
Tide state
falling
Why
Strong daylight coverage supports the evaluated window.
Current Readings
Updated Oct 20, 2026, 4:37 AM
NOAA Station selected
No sufficiently recent observations are available for this source.
Some observation sources are temporarily unavailable.
Past 7 Days
NOAA Station selected
Water level
Window Oct 13, 2026, 4:37 AM – Oct 20, 2026, 4:37 AM (rolling 168 hours)
Water level over the past 7 days. 1663 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 4:42 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 2:54 AM Range 0.9 ft MLLW to 6.4 ft MLLW.
Readings decreased over the available period.
1663 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 4:42 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 2:54 AM
California · Monterey Canyon head / shelf-edge · Offshore
Approximately 10.8 miles away
Predicted Tides
Predicted
Rising
Next high tide
Oct 20, 2026, 8:05 AM
In 3 hr 28 min
4.2 ft MLLW
Previous
Low · Oct 20, 2026, 1:01 AM · 0.6 ft MLLW
Following
Low · Oct 20, 2026, 1:23 PM · 2.7 ft MLLW
Tide station at destination
Monterey · NOAA 9413450
Predicted Tidal Current
Predicted
Tidal-current predictions are not available for this destination.
Tidal-current timing can differ from high and low tide timing.
Fishery Profile
Fishery Overview
Monterey Harbor rockfish, lingcod, and California halibut fishery
Central Coast harbor / Wharf 2 / Coast Guard breakwater plus kelp-adjacent boat water. Anglers target rockfish, lingcod, California halibut, and surfperch. Chinook is a boat landing when the Monterey-and-South ocean-salmon table is open.
Fishery type
Central coast harbor groundfish
Fishing modes
Shore
Inshore boat
Habitat and structure
Monterey Municipal Wharf 2 · Coast Guard Breakwater · Harbor and kelp-adjacent sand
Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Aug 15, 2026
Not a live bite forecast.
Fishery Targets
Rockfish, lingcod, and California halibut are the harbor fishery. Chinook is boat-only when the ocean-salmon table is open.
This reflects typical biological/fishery timing, not a legal open season. Check current regulations before fishing.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency and editorial sources. About fish illustrations
Lingcod
Primary
Ophiodon elongatus
No seasonal pulse known
California halibut
Primary
Paralichthys californicus
Also called California flounder
Typical seasonal window: MAY — AUGUST
These fish are present through the year. The peak shown is the main fishing window.
Barred surfperch
Secondary
Amphistichus argenteus
No seasonal pulse known
Chinook salmon
SeasonalRegulations vary annually
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Typical seasonal opportunity: LATE SPRING — SUMMER
Typical Seasonal Targets
California halibut — MAY — AUGUST
Chinook salmon — LATE SPRING — SUMMER
Seasonal presence is general guidance and does not indicate current fish activity.
Access, Safety and Regulations
Access
City harbor, Wharf 2, and Coast Guard breakwater. A license is not required on a qualifying public pier.
Primary hazards
Cold water, boat traffic, and nearby no-take MPAs. Confirm current MPA boundaries before fishing.
Fishery considerations
Afternoon northwest wind is common. Swell wraps onto the breakwater.
Regulations
Size limits, seasons, and possession rules change. Verify the current official regulations before fishing.
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
