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"San Francisco Bay Halibut and Stripers on the Rise: April 21st Fishing Report"
Good morning anglers this is Artificial Lure with your narrative fishing report for April 21st 2025 from San Francisco Bay. Today’s sunrise was around 6:25 AM with the sun setting close to 7:50 PM giving us plenty of daylight hours to fish the changing tides.
Early spring tides are backing down now which has been good news for those targeting halibut as the bite has steadily improved. The bay has seen mild, fish-friendly conditions—mostly clear skies, light morning winds, and highs in the upper 60s. With the tide easing off, expect solid action especially in the mid-morning through early afternoon as the water movement picks up and triggers feeding activity.
The past few days have seen impressive counts coming from the local fleet especially out of Berkeley and San Francisco. Boats like the California Dawn and California Dawn II checked in with 17 to 23 halibut and several striped bass per trip. Halibut have ranged up to 22 pounds and bass up to 8 pounds. Smaller charters such as the Reel Addiction and Right Hook are also putting anglers on halibut and striped bass with consistent counts. Out at Bodega Bay, rockfish and lingcod are keeping rods bent, but inside the bay the real story is the steady improvement on halibut numbers with striped bass mixing in nicely.
Best baits right now are live anchovies and herring if you can get them, though frozen works in a pinch. Trolling or drifting with a trap rig and a live baitfish is the go-to for halibut. If you’re working lures, try white or chartreuse swimbaits, or a classic hair jig tipped with squid. Striped bass are also responding well to topwater plugs and jerkbaits near the surface, especially where baitfish are schooling.
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the flats outside of Alcatraz and the Pier 39 area for halibut, where the incoming tide brings in hungry fish. Crissy Field and the Berkeley Flats are producing both halibut and bass for those drifting bait or casting lures at active birds. For those looking to stay inshore, Mission Rock and the mouth of the Oakland Estuary have seen stripers cruising for bait on the outgoing tide.
In short, the bay is waking up for spring. The bite is only going to get better this next week as the tides transition, so now’s the time to get out and target those big halibut and spring-run stripers while the weather holds steady.
Tight lines and see you on the water.
Early spring tides are backing down now which has been good news for those targeting halibut as the bite has steadily improved. The bay has seen mild, fish-friendly conditions—mostly clear skies, light morning winds, and highs in the upper 60s. With the tide easing off, expect solid action especially in the mid-morning through early afternoon as the water movement picks up and triggers feeding activity.
The past few days have seen impressive counts coming from the local fleet especially out of Berkeley and San Francisco. Boats like the California Dawn and California Dawn II checked in with 17 to 23 halibut and several striped bass per trip. Halibut have ranged up to 22 pounds and bass up to 8 pounds. Smaller charters such as the Reel Addiction and Right Hook are also putting anglers on halibut and striped bass with consistent counts. Out at Bodega Bay, rockfish and lingcod are keeping rods bent, but inside the bay the real story is the steady improvement on halibut numbers with striped bass mixing in nicely.
Best baits right now are live anchovies and herring if you can get them, though frozen works in a pinch. Trolling or drifting with a trap rig and a live baitfish is the go-to for halibut. If you’re working lures, try white or chartreuse swimbaits, or a classic hair jig tipped with squid. Striped bass are also responding well to topwater plugs and jerkbaits near the surface, especially where baitfish are schooling.
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the flats outside of Alcatraz and the Pier 39 area for halibut, where the incoming tide brings in hungry fish. Crissy Field and the Berkeley Flats are producing both halibut and bass for those drifting bait or casting lures at active birds. For those looking to stay inshore, Mission Rock and the mouth of the Oakland Estuary have seen stripers cruising for bait on the outgoing tide.
In short, the bay is waking up for spring. The bite is only going to get better this next week as the tides transition, so now’s the time to get out and target those big halibut and spring-run stripers while the weather holds steady.
Tight lines and see you on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers this is Artificial Lure with your narrative fishing report for April 21st 2025 from San Francisco Bay. Today’s sunrise was around 6:25 AM with the sun setting close to 7:50 PM giving us plenty of daylight hours to fish the changing tides.
Early spring tides are backing down now which has been good news for those targeting halibut as the bite has steadily improved. The bay has seen mild, fish-friendly conditions—mostly clear skies, light morning winds, and highs in the upper 60s. With the tide easing off, expect solid action especially in the mid-morning through early afternoon as the water movement picks up and triggers feeding activity.
The past few days have seen impressive counts coming from the local fleet especially out of Berkeley and San Francisco. Boats like the California Dawn and California Dawn II checked in with 17 to 23 halibut and several striped bass per trip. Halibut have ranged up to 22 pounds and bass up to 8 pounds. Smaller charters such as the Reel Addiction and Right Hook are also putting anglers on halibut and striped bass with consistent counts. Out at Bodega Bay, rockfish and lingcod are keeping rods bent, but inside the bay the real story is the steady improvement on halibut numbers with striped bass mixing in nicely.
Best baits right now are live anchovies and herring if you can get them, though frozen works in a pinch. Trolling or drifting with a trap rig and a live baitfish is the go-to for halibut. If you’re working lures, try white or chartreuse swimbaits, or a classic hair jig tipped with squid. Striped bass are also responding well to topwater plugs and jerkbaits near the surface, especially where baitfish are schooling.
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the flats outside of Alcatraz and the Pier 39 area for halibut, where the incoming tide brings in hungry fish. Crissy Field and the Berkeley Flats are producing both halibut and bass for those drifting bait or casting lures at active birds. For those looking to stay inshore, Mission Rock and the mouth of the Oakland Estuary have seen stripers cruising for bait on the outgoing tide.
In short, the bay is waking up for spring. The bite is only going to get better this next week as the tides transition, so now’s the time to get out and target those big halibut and spring-run stripers while the weather holds steady.
Tight lines and see you on the water.
Early spring tides are backing down now which has been good news for those targeting halibut as the bite has steadily improved. The bay has seen mild, fish-friendly conditions—mostly clear skies, light morning winds, and highs in the upper 60s. With the tide easing off, expect solid action especially in the mid-morning through early afternoon as the water movement picks up and triggers feeding activity.
The past few days have seen impressive counts coming from the local fleet especially out of Berkeley and San Francisco. Boats like the California Dawn and California Dawn II checked in with 17 to 23 halibut and several striped bass per trip. Halibut have ranged up to 22 pounds and bass up to 8 pounds. Smaller charters such as the Reel Addiction and Right Hook are also putting anglers on halibut and striped bass with consistent counts. Out at Bodega Bay, rockfish and lingcod are keeping rods bent, but inside the bay the real story is the steady improvement on halibut numbers with striped bass mixing in nicely.
Best baits right now are live anchovies and herring if you can get them, though frozen works in a pinch. Trolling or drifting with a trap rig and a live baitfish is the go-to for halibut. If you’re working lures, try white or chartreuse swimbaits, or a classic hair jig tipped with squid. Striped bass are also responding well to topwater plugs and jerkbaits near the surface, especially where baitfish are schooling.
Hot spots to focus your efforts include the flats outside of Alcatraz and the Pier 39 area for halibut, where the incoming tide brings in hungry fish. Crissy Field and the Berkeley Flats are producing both halibut and bass for those drifting bait or casting lures at active birds. For those looking to stay inshore, Mission Rock and the mouth of the Oakland Estuary have seen stripers cruising for bait on the outgoing tide.
In short, the bay is waking up for spring. The bite is only going to get better this next week as the tides transition, so now’s the time to get out and target those big halibut and spring-run stripers while the weather holds steady.
Tight lines and see you on the water.