Welcome to Half Moon BaySportfishing
Join us for world class sportfishing and nature trips
July 7 Shop Update
WEATHER: We're getting to the time of year where we get some of the best conditions on our part of the ocean with low swells and light winds (but keep in mind that it can still be cold, overcast and gray around our neck of the woods, so dress appropriately). Take advantage of this time of year while the getting is good and jump onboard!
ROCKFISH: The 2024 rockfishing season is open through the end of the year. Rockfishing along the entire Northern California coastline is open inside the 20 fathom boundary (from shore to approximately 120 feet) for five months during May, June, July, August, September and November. The deep water fishery (outside the 50 fathom boundry) is open April, October and December. Pending any emergency actions, the seasons will be the same in 2025 and 2026.
STRIPED BASS: It's still happening! Stripers have been hitting along the coastline beaches since the beginning of May! White head/body hairraisers are still the top lure of choice, followed closely by SP Minnows, paddle-tail grubs with hoochies and the rest of the assorted striper lures. The stripers will be heading back into the Bay soon, so get out there while they're still around.
DUNGENESS CRAB: Both the recreational and commercial dungeness crab seasons are now closed. The recreational dungeness crab season will open again the first Saturday in November. We'll find out if we can use pots or have to use hoop nets when we get closer to opening day. Rock crab is open year-round, and folks do pretty darn well at times getting good numbers of rock crab around this harbor.
SALMON: No salmon fishing anywhere in California for 2024 as the season has been closed for the second year in a row. As long as all goes as planned, salmon fishing will hopefully open next year on Saturday, April 5, 2025 with a 24" minimum two fish limit off our coastline. We should find out whether this will happen or not by mid-February.
Welcome to Half Moon Bay Sportfishing and Tackle, located on the coast about 20 miles south of San Francisco, the only stop you have to make for the fishing adventure of a lifetime! We have the supplies you need for a fantastic day on the water onboard the charterboats that book through our shop as well as all the basic gear, bait, and tackle you need for a great trip on your own boat or from the shore. You can also purchase day and annual fishing licenses as well as commercial fishing and hunting licenses at our shop. Our staff has unsurpased knowledge of gear and techniques for salmon, rockfishing, surf fishing, Dungeness crab and other various species of ocean dwellers that live in our part of the ocean.
Got Bait?
We've always had a complete array of the best bait that's available for sale in our shop that is constantly rotated to be as fresh as possible. But now we've gone one step further...Half Moon Bay Sportfishing is one of the first bait and tackle shops in California to own its own frozen bait vending machine available outside our front door 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Even when the shop is closed or we're crazy busy getting our charterboat customers out first thing in the morning, you can purchase your frozen bait from the machine using either cash or credit cards and get on out to the water quickly and easily.
Charterboat Trips
Half Moon Bay Sportfishing and Tackle is proud to be the booking agent for the vessel Queen of Hearts, which has taken more people fishing out of Half Moon Bay than any other boat, hands down, since 1990. The Queen of Hearts is Coast Guard licensed and inspected, insured, well maintained, and has an impeccable safety record. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in March 2020 when the stay at home orders were established, we discontinued booking any other vessels other than the Queen of Hearts through our shop.
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