San Francisco Bay Fishing Report: Strong Tides, Schoolie Bass, Sharks & Rays - Quiet Please

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your San Francisco Bay fishing report.

We’re on a **strong tide cycle** this morning. Tides4Fishing for North Point/Pier 41 shows an early **high around 2:12 a.m. near 5 ft**, rolling into a **mid‑morning high near 12:30 p.m. around 7 ft**, with a solid outgoing push late afternoon. That kind of swing usually fires up the bite on the edges and around structure.

According to Tides4Fishing, **sunrise is about 7:12 a.m. and sunset about 4:50 p.m.** Plan to be set up for the first light push and the afternoon drop; those are your prime windows.

Weather-wise, local marine forecasts have us in a **cool, partly cloudy pattern**, light morning winds building to a typical **afternoon westerly breeze**. Think jackets and beanies early, then a bit of chop later. Drifting stays manageable if you’re inside the Bay; outside the Gate will get lumpier as the breeze fills.

On the **fish front**, the bite’s still respectable for December. Flash Fishing’s Dec 5 report notes **limits of striped bass and a mix of sharks** on their last bay trip, so there are still quality schoolie bass pushing bait in the central and South Bay. Party boats and six‑packs are also reporting a steady pick of **leopard sharks and bat rays** on the flats.

Up the road in San Pablo Bay, the Marin Rod and Gun Club pier report from October logged **over 200 fish in a month**—striped bass, halibut, perch, sharks, rays, and a pile of smelt—showing the system’s still healthy and diverse even late season. That action typically tapers but doesn’t disappear; winter bass, rays, and the odd halibut still sniff around those channels and mudflats.

For **lures**, keep it simple and local:
- **Striped bass:** 4–5" white or chartreuse swimbaits on ½–¾ oz heads, Hair Raisers, and slim metal spoons jigged near the bottom. Small paddletails in “shad” or “anchovy” patterns are money around current seams.
- **Halibut (if you’re hunting a late one):** slow‑rolled swimbaits or trap‑rigged herring imitations along the bottom on the drift.

For **bait**, you can’t go wrong with:
- **Live or fresh anchovies, herring, or shiner perch** on a slider rig for bass and halibut.
- **Squid strips and anchovy chunks** for leopard sharks and bat rays on the flats.
- **Pile worms or shrimp** under a hi‑low for perch around rocks and pilings.

Couple of **hot spots** to put on your short list:
- **Alameda Rockwall / Ballena Bay side:** fish the edges of the channel on the outgoing this afternoon for schoolie stripers and sharks. Drift swimbaits or soak bait on the slope.
- **San Quentin / San Pablo Bay edges:** when the tide starts moving, work the drop‑offs with bait for bass and rays; keep an eye on your rod, that bite can be sudden.
- **Pier 32–40 / central waterfront:** if you’re shorebound, cast swimbaits and spoons along the shipping channel edges right after sunrise and into the first push of the flood.

Overall **activity** today: not wide‑open, but those who time the tides and move around should find **decent numbers of schoolie stripers, a steady pick of sharks and rays, plus perch for the patient pier rats**.

This is Artificial Lure, reminding you to match the hatch, respect the Bay, and pack out what you pack in.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

This episode includes AI-generated content.