Bay Fishing Report: Rockfish, Lingcod, and Crab Action Heating Up in San Francisco

Artificial Lure here with your fresh San Francisco Bay fishing report for Sunday, November 9th, 2025. The sun rose at 6:44 AM this morning, and anglers hit the water under partly cloudy skies and crisp, fall air. It looks like another classic autumn day out here on the Bay, with a sunset coming early at 5:02 PM. Plan accordingly for those after-work bites.

Tides are running strong today. According to Tide-Forecast.com, we had a predawn high tide at 3:18 AM at 4.8 feet, dropping to a low at 7:32 AM around 3.26 feet. Look for the next big push—a high of 6.27 feet right around 1:31 PM. Currents will be moving with a significant tidal coefficient hovering around 79, so expect ample water movement and active fish, especially near structure and drop-offs. The evening brings a negative low at -0.97 feet by 8:39 PM, setting those crab traps up for a haul on the outgoing.

Now for the fish counts—folks, the Bay’s been absolutely popping, especially on the party boats and charters. Reports from Nor Cal Fish Reports and 976-TUNA.com show boats like the Bass Tub out of San Francisco pulling full limits yesterday and again this morning: 220 Dungeness crab and 210 rockfish for 22 anglers. Emeryville and Berkeley fleets mirrored those numbers, pushing 100% limits of both crab and rockfish, with several boats hauling in bonus lingcod and even the occasional striped bass from inside the Gate. New Rayann out of Sausalito checked in with 36 lingcod up to 24 pounds, with every angler scoring hefty rockfish alongside crabs.

Rockfish action remains on fire. The best baits are still the tried-and-true: drop shot rigs with shrimp flies, swimbaits, and small jigs in chartreuse or white. Lingcod are biting on large plastic swimbaits, trap rigs with whole herring, and big iron jigs jigged near bottom structure. For Dungeness crab, nothing beats chicken or fish scraps stuffed in traps, ideally placed just before or during the outgoing tide.

From shore, pier anglers at Fort Point and the Berkeley Pier are reporting steady bites on pile worms, cut anchovies, and squid strips, drawing in surfperch, school-sized stripers, and the odd halibut—though keepers are rare this time of the year. For the kayak crowd, the Marin shoreline from Horseshoe Cove to Paradise Park is still producing mixed bags if you play the tides and keep your bait near the bottom.

For lures, go with darker patterns on overcast mornings, then switch to flashier metals or white paddletails as the sun climbs. The best action has been on incoming tides, especially along rocky shelves and channel edges.

Hot spots today?
- The Marin Coast from Tennessee Valley out to Muir Beach is seeing epic lingcod and brown rockfish action.
- Alcatraz and the North Bar are fantastic for those after quality rockfish and lingcod—a few lucky anglers even managed some bonus stripers midweek!
- For Dungeness crab, drop your pots off Baker Beach and just outside the Gate; most boats are limiting before noon.

Weather is cooperative—with mild mid-60s highs and light westerly winds, so boaters and kayakers can expect a fairly smooth ride. Just remember, light winds can mean fast-moving tides, so keep an eye on your drift.

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