Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
San Francisco Bay Fishing Report: Late Summer Bounty
Artificial Lure here with your San Francisco Bay fishing report for Friday, August 29, 2025. Kicked off right at sunrise, 6:34 AM, with sunset set for 7:44 PM. We've got patchy morning fog burning off to a clear, mild afternoon; expect highs in the upper 60s, light N/NW breezes, and stable pressure—prime conditions for late August Bay fishing.
This morning’s tide started with a *low at 5:47 AM*, incoming towards *high just before noon*. That midday push means solid water movement—fish get active as bait stirs in the flats and near structure.
Let’s talk catches: the Bay’s seen a steady run of California halibut, with pier anglers landing keeper-size fish up to 40 inches just yesterday. Local Instagram angler yookenai reported hooking up fast on squid strips off the pier; it’s been a hot bite on top of live anchovies and sardines, available at Oakland and South SF bait shops. California halibut action continues strong from Berkeley Flats to Crissy Field.
Striped bass numbers have ticked up, especially around Oyster Point and the mouth at the Golden Gate. Best results came on drifting live anchovies, shiner perch, and—if you’re casting—chartreuse paddletail swimbaits or classic Willow Leaf spinnerbaits, KenZaroo Pro Tackle’s version stands out for its vibration and flash.
Rockfish and lingcod are holding at deep structure. Fisherman's Landing counts show solid limits lately: boats reported over 1300 rockfish and 870 calico bass in Bay Area waters for midweek. If you’re bottom fishing off the Marin Headlands or Alcatraz, stick with shrimp flies tipped with squid or cut herring. Don’t ignore metal jigs bounced on the drop-offs—rockfish can’t resist.
Salmon talk is everywhere lately, even as ocean salmon closes; locals are still catching wild Chinook salmon at bay entrances. The bite’s best at first light when the tide swings in. Chrome spoons or rigged anchovy in a rolling harness do the trick. Up north, river flow bumps pushed fresh kings into coastal estuaries—Bay anglers might get a bonus hookup near deep channel rips.
Hot spots to hit this weekend:
- **Berkeley Flats**: Drifting for halibut and striped bass, best with live bait on the moving tide.
- **Crissy Field and Fort Point Pier**: Pier anglers finding fast action for halibut early, with stripers mixed in on rattle traps and swimbaits.
- **Alcatraz Rock Piles**: Deep drop for varied rockfish and lingcod on shrimp flies and jigs.
Lure tips: Bright paddletails work for bass, but bring Willow Leaf spinnerbaits for dirty water. For halibut, nothing beats a fresh anchovy on a 3-way rig, but frozen squid is a close second. Rockfish and lings—go big with metal jigs or double shrimp fly rigs, blue and chartreuse patterns shine in morning fog.
If you’re booking a trip, Amethyst Fishing Charters out of Berkeley has open boats; they supply solid tackle, and know the current patterns.
August in the Bay is magic—conditions are stable, fish are moving, and the big tides mean bigger catches. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s San Francisco fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe, and tell your buddies: “This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.”
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
Published on 2 days, 14 hours ago