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San Francisco Bay Fishing Report - Stripers, Halibut Schooling Up for Hot May Action
Good morning from the Bay, this is Artificial Lure with your San Francisco Bay fishing report for May 5, 2025.
Today is shaping up nicely with mild weather and early morning fog giving way to clear skies and highs in the low 60s. Expect a light breeze and typical bay chop, making for comfortable conditions on the water. Sunrise was at 6:09 AM and sunset will be at 8:02 PM, giving you a nice long window to wet a line.
Tide-wise, anglers can expect a solid outgoing tide through much of the morning, which has really been sparking fish activity over the past few days. Striped bass and halibut in particular have been most active during these moving waters, and recent catches confirm the action is steady to hot right now[2][3].
Over the weekend, party boats like the Lovely Martha out of San Francisco brought in impressive counts, with 32 striped bass and 3 California halibut for just 16 anglers on board[1]. Other boats around the bay have had similar success, especially from the Oakland Flats out toward Alcatraz and along the Marin shoreline[3][4]. Striped bass are schooling up in numbers and actively feeding, with many fish keeper size or better. Halibut action is heating up, especially for those drifting live bait.
Best bets for bait today are live anchovies or sardines, which have been out-fishing frozen baits. For those working artificials, white or chartreuse swimbaits, paddle tails, and hair jigs have been putting fish in the box. Trolling herring or anchovy imitators is also working well, especially for halibut along sandy bottoms.
A reminder to check your regs—the surfperch fishery is closed in the bay until August 1, but you can still target shiner perch, with a generous 20 fish limit. The salmon fishery remains closed for now but will open briefly next month, so keep your eyes peeled for updates[5].
If you are looking for a hot spot, the Berkeley Flats and the Alameda Rockwall are both producing consistent striper and halibut bites. Closer to the City, the areas off Crissy Field and Angel Island are worth a drift or two, especially on the outgoing tide.
That wraps up today’s report. The bite is on, so grab your gear and get out there—you don’t want to miss it. Tight lines from Artificial Lure and see you on the water.
Today is shaping up nicely with mild weather and early morning fog giving way to clear skies and highs in the low 60s. Expect a light breeze and typical bay chop, making for comfortable conditions on the water. Sunrise was at 6:09 AM and sunset will be at 8:02 PM, giving you a nice long window to wet a line.
Tide-wise, anglers can expect a solid outgoing tide through much of the morning, which has really been sparking fish activity over the past few days. Striped bass and halibut in particular have been most active during these moving waters, and recent catches confirm the action is steady to hot right now[2][3].
Over the weekend, party boats like the Lovely Martha out of San Francisco brought in impressive counts, with 32 striped bass and 3 California halibut for just 16 anglers on board[1]. Other boats around the bay have had similar success, especially from the Oakland Flats out toward Alcatraz and along the Marin shoreline[3][4]. Striped bass are schooling up in numbers and actively feeding, with many fish keeper size or better. Halibut action is heating up, especially for those drifting live bait.
Best bets for bait today are live anchovies or sardines, which have been out-fishing frozen baits. For those working artificials, white or chartreuse swimbaits, paddle tails, and hair jigs have been putting fish in the box. Trolling herring or anchovy imitators is also working well, especially for halibut along sandy bottoms.
A reminder to check your regs—the surfperch fishery is closed in the bay until August 1, but you can still target shiner perch, with a generous 20 fish limit. The salmon fishery remains closed for now but will open briefly next month, so keep your eyes peeled for updates[5].
If you are looking for a hot spot, the Berkeley Flats and the Alameda Rockwall are both producing consistent striper and halibut bites. Closer to the City, the areas off Crissy Field and Angel Island are worth a drift or two, especially on the outgoing tide.
That wraps up today’s report. The bite is on, so grab your gear and get out there—you don’t want to miss it. Tight lines from Artificial Lure and see you on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning from the Bay, this is Artificial Lure with your San Francisco Bay fishing report for May 5, 2025.
Today is shaping up nicely with mild weather and early morning fog giving way to clear skies and highs in the low 60s. Expect a light breeze and typical bay chop, making for comfortable conditions on the water. Sunrise was at 6:09 AM and sunset will be at 8:02 PM, giving you a nice long window to wet a line.
Tide-wise, anglers can expect a solid outgoing tide through much of the morning, which has really been sparking fish activity over the past few days. Striped bass and halibut in particular have been most active during these moving waters, and recent catches confirm the action is steady to hot right now[2][3].
Over the weekend, party boats like the Lovely Martha out of San Francisco brought in impressive counts, with 32 striped bass and 3 California halibut for just 16 anglers on board[1]. Other boats around the bay have had similar success, especially from the Oakland Flats out toward Alcatraz and along the Marin shoreline[3][4]. Striped bass are schooling up in numbers and actively feeding, with many fish keeper size or better. Halibut action is heating up, especially for those drifting live bait.
Best bets for bait today are live anchovies or sardines, which have been out-fishing frozen baits. For those working artificials, white or chartreuse swimbaits, paddle tails, and hair jigs have been putting fish in the box. Trolling herring or anchovy imitators is also working well, especially for halibut along sandy bottoms.
A reminder to check your regs—the surfperch fishery is closed in the bay until August 1, but you can still target shiner perch, with a generous 20 fish limit. The salmon fishery remains closed for now but will open briefly next month, so keep your eyes peeled for updates[5].
If you are looking for a hot spot, the Berkeley Flats and the Alameda Rockwall are both producing consistent striper and halibut bites. Closer to the City, the areas off Crissy Field and Angel Island are worth a drift or two, especially on the outgoing tide.
That wraps up today’s report. The bite is on, so grab your gear and get out there—you don’t want to miss it. Tight lines from Artificial Lure and see you on the water.
Today is shaping up nicely with mild weather and early morning fog giving way to clear skies and highs in the low 60s. Expect a light breeze and typical bay chop, making for comfortable conditions on the water. Sunrise was at 6:09 AM and sunset will be at 8:02 PM, giving you a nice long window to wet a line.
Tide-wise, anglers can expect a solid outgoing tide through much of the morning, which has really been sparking fish activity over the past few days. Striped bass and halibut in particular have been most active during these moving waters, and recent catches confirm the action is steady to hot right now[2][3].
Over the weekend, party boats like the Lovely Martha out of San Francisco brought in impressive counts, with 32 striped bass and 3 California halibut for just 16 anglers on board[1]. Other boats around the bay have had similar success, especially from the Oakland Flats out toward Alcatraz and along the Marin shoreline[3][4]. Striped bass are schooling up in numbers and actively feeding, with many fish keeper size or better. Halibut action is heating up, especially for those drifting live bait.
Best bets for bait today are live anchovies or sardines, which have been out-fishing frozen baits. For those working artificials, white or chartreuse swimbaits, paddle tails, and hair jigs have been putting fish in the box. Trolling herring or anchovy imitators is also working well, especially for halibut along sandy bottoms.
A reminder to check your regs—the surfperch fishery is closed in the bay until August 1, but you can still target shiner perch, with a generous 20 fish limit. The salmon fishery remains closed for now but will open briefly next month, so keep your eyes peeled for updates[5].
If you are looking for a hot spot, the Berkeley Flats and the Alameda Rockwall are both producing consistent striper and halibut bites. Closer to the City, the areas off Crissy Field and Angel Island are worth a drift or two, especially on the outgoing tide.
That wraps up today’s report. The bite is on, so grab your gear and get out there—you don’t want to miss it. Tight lines from Artificial Lure and see you on the water.