Cayucos spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

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◈Cayucos · United States
2.5
visibility: 1 m
visibility~1m

Dayisover

Today — sit it out.

Sources: NWS · NDBC · Open-Meteo · Copernicus — high confidence · data 21:19

Sources & confidence

Sources
NWS · NDBC · Open-Meteo · Copernicus
Method
spearo sea-state engine: consensus of up to 6 models + satellite clarity (ZSD) + buoy-bias checks
Freshness
Re-read every hour, per coast

Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine · How it works →

The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.

How we score the water

Our own model

Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.

01
Swell & wave memory
Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
02
Wind & gusts
Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
03
Tide phase
Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
04
Water temperature
Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
05
Currents & outflow
Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
06
Rain runoff & air clarity
Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
07
Coast shape & exposure
How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.

Safety gates

  • Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
  • An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
  • Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
  • Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
  • Night hours — where night spearfishing is banned by law the window is forced red; where it is legal (Australia outside NSW, New Zealand, South Africa) it is capped at yellow, never green.

It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.

A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.

Entry pointsNo-take zonesLive cams

Where to get in, where to hunt

Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground

This verdict — in your pocket. Open the app for the week's window.

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0 m

Surface

Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.

spearo.app
NWS no dataupdated 21:19
Cayucos — solo, off the rocks
Day is over
That is it for today — the day's windows have closed.
Tomorrow, best window 18:00–21:00
Before entering, check the camera and the surge
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
›
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.

Saturday · today2026-10-24
07:18–18:16 · full moon
▼ 02:00▲ 09:00▼ 15:00▲ 21:00 · 1.6 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.71 m
Wave1.34 m
Wind8 km/h
Water20 °C
fish activity: moonset 05:40 · moderate · moon underfoot 11:30 · high · moonrise 17:16 · moderate · moon overhead 00:00 · high
Open the seafloor map with entry points →
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spearo.app · a private marine instrument · Cayucos · a planner, not a safety guaranteePrivacy
Today
Notify me
Map
Best window · next 3 days
borderlinetomorrow · 18:00–21:00
you can see ~1 m ahead fish

transparency ~22 m · satellite, 2 days agosatellite estimate · may differ right at the shore

bite times: 10:30–12:30 · 16:46–17:46

Tell me when it's on

Just your email — nothing else needed.

Your best window — with you. Forecast in your pocket.

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point your camera
−10 m

The water column

Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.

What it is

A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.

spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.

Now live: 3016 spots across 406 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.

See all spots →
−20 m

The seabed

Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.

On the rock

The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.

The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.

Entry points

Where to get in
off the rocks.

Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.

Open the seafloor map →
Cayucos Pier / Studio Drive reefCayucos
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—
Seabed depth of the selected area
≥6.7 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

A rocky reef off Studio Drive just northwest of the pier, 3–8 m: rockfish and cabezon. South-facing and sheltered from the prevailing swell, it is the safest Cayucos entry on rough days.

Google Maps
Cayucos Point kelp beds (North Reef)Cayucos
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—
Seabed depth of the selected area
≥8.1 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

Thick kelp from the pier out to the point, one of the most productive stretches around, 3–9 m: lingcod, vermilion, sheephead and cabezon. The same rocks also appear under Morro Bay — near-identical coordinates.

Google Maps
Estero Bluffs reefCayucos
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

A rock reef and kelp at the base of the bluffs north of town, 3–8 m: solid rockfish and lingcod habitat. Approach on foot along the coastal trail; no shade and no water — carry what you need.

Google Maps

SOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.

One morning glance — and you know.

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play
Google Play — QR code
point your camera
≈

Surfacing

Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.

Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live

Look at the water
right now.

Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».

connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Cayucos Beach/Pier PTZ (805 Webcams)YouTube live — Cayucos Beach/Pier PTZ (805 Webcams). Embedded live stream; if the ID rotates it opens the source page. Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
Open the seafloor map →
Reference

What's in season,
what the law says.

In season now
  • white seabass
    Atractoscion nobilis · 3–30 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    Year-round, min 28″ TL (71 cm), 3/day — BUT only 1/day south of Pt. Conception between Mar 15 and Jun 15 (spawning aggregations). The single most-broken rule among SoCal divers. T14 CCR §28.35.
  • California halibut
    Paralichthys californicus · 3–30 m · legal
    Year-round, min 22″ TL (56 cm). The bag splits at Pt. Sur (Monterey Co.): 2/day to the north, 5/day to the south. T14 CCR §28.15.
  • California yellowtail
    Seriola dorsalis · 3–40 m · legal
    Year-round, min 24″ FL (61 cm), 10/day — of which no more than 5 may be under 24″ FL. T14 CCR §28.37.
  • California sheephead
    Bodianus pulcher · 3–25 m · legal
    Spear-critical: the Jan 1–end of Feb closure does NOT apply to divers — divers and shore anglers fish year-round (T14 CCR §28.26(a)(2)). During that closure no gear other than spearfishing gear may be aboard the vessel. Min 12″ TL (30 cm), 2/day.
  • kelp/sand bass
    Paralabrax spp. · 2–20 m · legal
    Year-round, min 14″ TL (36 cm). Bag 5/day for all three species combined, of which no more than 4 may be barred sand bass (sub-limit in force until Jun 1 2028). T14 CCR §28.30.
  • rockfish
    Sebastes spp. · 5–50 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    The headline fact for divers: GMA seasons and depth limits do NOT bind spearfishers — divers may take the RCG complex year-round at any depth (§27.20(b)(1)(D)). BUT zero limit on bronzespotted, cowcod, QUILLBACK and YELLOWEYE rockfish. Overall 10 RCG fish/day.
  • lingcod
    Ophiodon elongatus · 5–50 m · legal
    Open to divers year-round at any depth (§27.20(b)(1)(D)); the GMA seasons bind boat and shore. Min 22″ TL (56 cm), 2/day. Closed year-round inside the Groundfish Exclusion Areas. T14 CCR §28.27.
  • cabezon
    Scorpaenichthys marmoratus · 3–25 m · legal
    A primary California reef/kelp target from Point Loma to Crescent City. Divers year-round at any depth. No minimum size — the old 15″ floor is gone from the 2026 text. 10/day within the RCG complex. T14 CCR §28.28.
  • kelp and rock greenling
    Hexagrammos spp. · 2–20 m · legal
    A standard central/northern California shallow-reef target. Divers year-round at any depth, no minimum size, 10/day within the RCG complex. T14 CCR §28.29.
  • California scorpionfish (sculpin)
    Scorpaena guttata · 5–40 m · legal
    One of the few groundfish explicitly EXEMPT from season and depth restrictions (§27.20(b)(1)(B)): year-round, all GMAs, any depth. No minimum size, 5/day. The dorsal spines are venomous — handle by the lower jaw. T14 CCR §28.54.
  • California barracuda
    Sphyraena argentea · 1–25 m · legal
    A classic SoCal blue-water target. Year-round, min 28″ TL (71 cm), 10/day as part of the 20-fish general bag limit. T14 CCR §28.25.
  • Pacific bonito
    Sarda chiliensis · 0–30 m · legal
    The main SoCal pelagic within breath-hold range. Year-round, min 24″ FL (61 cm) or 5 lb, except five fish under that size may be taken. 10/day. T14 CCR §28.32.
  • ocean whitefish
    Caulolatilus princeps · 5–45 m · legal
    An everyday Channel Islands / SoCal reef fish. Year-round, no minimum size (fillets must be at least 6.5″ with skin intact). 10/day as part of the 20-fish general bag. T14 CCR §28.58.
  • striped bass (California)
    Morone saxatilis · 0–15 m · legal
    A cross-façade contrast: striped bass MAY be taken by spear in California — §27.85(d) names spearfishing under §1.76 as a legal method. Year-round, 2/day; min 18″ TL (46 cm) north of Pt. Conception, no minimum south of it. Snagging and gaffing are illegal.
  • opaleye
    Girella nigricans · 0–15 m · legal
    A primary shore-dive target in the SoCal kelp and surf zone. Year-round, no minimum size. There is NO species-specific bag — the statewide default applies: 20 finfish in combination, no more than 10 of any one species (§27.60(a)). Read it as the default, not a species entry.
  • halfmoon (Catalina blue perch)
    Medialuna californiensis · 2–20 m · legal
    The same standing as opaleye: an abundant kelp-edge target with no species entry in Title 14. Year-round, no size limit; the general default applies — 20 finfish combined, max 10 of any one species (§27.60(a)).
  • surfperch
    Embiotocidae · 0–12 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    Year-round EXCEPT in San Francisco and San Pablo bays, where take and possession are banned Apr 1–Jul 31. Minimum only for redtail surfperch, 10.5″ TL (27 cm); none for the others. 10/day inside the 20-fish general limit; 5 all species combined in those bays. T14 CCR §28.59.
  • leopard shark
    Triakis semifasciata · 1–25 m · legal
    Year-round, exempt from groundfish seasons and depth restrictions (§27.20(b)(1)(B)). Min 36″ TL (91 cm), 3/day. Spears, harpoons and bow-and-arrow are legal for all skates, rays and sharks except white shark (§28.95). T14 CCR §28.56.
Not a target — don't shoot
  • giant (black) sea bass🚫 no-take
    NEVER shoot: take or possession is prohibited at all times (§28.10). Spearfishers are named explicitly in the §28.90 exclusion list. The single most consequential misidentification risk for a diver in SoCal kelp — juveniles are easily confused with calico bass.
  • garibaldi🚫 no-take
    NEVER shoot: California's state marine fish, take or possession prohibited at all times (§28.05, §28.90, §28.95). Bright orange, curious and easy to approach — which is exactly why it gets shot by mistake.
Law
  • ✓California sport fishing licence (+Ocean Enhancement Validation south of Point Arguello). No separate spearfishing permit.
  • ✓No take: giant sea bass, garibaldi, salmon; abalone closed to 2036. network: no-take, by zone. Lobster hand-take only.
  • •The key spearfishing exemption (§27.20(b)(1)(D)): divers may take the whole RCG complex (rockfish–cabezon–greenling) YEAR-ROUND at ANY DEPTH — Groundfish Management Area seasons and depth limits do not bind them. The zero-limit species are the exception.
  • •The complete list of what a spearfisher may NOT take (§28.90): giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi, gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon and broadbill swordfish. Every other finfish is fair game, subject to its own season and .
  • •Lobster: divers take crustaceans BY HAND ONLY, may not possess a hooked device while diving, and may carry spearfishing gear only if it is not used to aid the take (§29.90, §29.80(g)). The season runs from 6 p.m. on the Friday before the first Wednesday in October.
  • ⛔ 🚫 Giant (black) sea bass and garibaldi — fully protected, no take. Red abalone — fishery CLOSED until Apr 1 2036. Salmon — no spear.
  • ⛔ 🚫 network: State Marine Reserve () — no-take; — varies (check the specific zone). Lobster — hand-take only. No spear within 100 yd of a stream mouth north of Ventura.

US spearfishing law is state-by-state. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and distances vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, the Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances.

Safety protocol
  • Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
  • Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
  • Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
  • Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
  • Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
  • Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
  • UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
  • Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Local guide · Cayucos

Spearfishing in Cayucos: spots, seasons and rules

Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

Spearfishing in Cayucos is a San Luis Obispo conditions call, not a beach-day add-on. The working marks are Cayucos Point kelp beds at 35.4465, -120.908, the Studio Drive reef at 35.4448, -120.904, and Estero Bluffs at 35.46, -120.931. All three carry yellow safety and medium solo severity. West and northwest swell are the main filter, especially around 290 degrees. There is no mapped river plume, so check swell, wind, tide, the Cayucos Beach/Pier PTZ camera and buoy station 46011 before committing.

TL;DR

  • Cayucos is a west-facing kelp and rock-reef dive, led by Cayucos Point, Studio Drive reef and Estero Bluffs.
  • The poor swell window is 220 to 320 degrees, with 290 degrees the direction to distrust most on this upwelling coast.
  • Targets named for the city include white seabass, halibut, yellowtail, sheephead, bass, rockfish and lingcod.
  • California rules require a sport fishing license; SMR water is no-take, and giant sea bass, garibaldi, salmon and red abalone are off limits.

How should Cayucos Point, Studio Drive and Estero Bluffs be used?

Cayucos is three separate anchors: point kelp, a south-facing Studio Drive reef, and bluff-base rock north of town. Access notes are sparse, so choose only the entry you can also leave cleanly. The coordinates are navigation references, not permission to enter.

SpotTypeDepthLevelAccessNotes
Cayucos Point kelp beds (North Reef)Kelp beds and reefKelp and rock structure; no site depth is statedIntermediate exposed-coast diveAccess detail is not specified; confirm the entry locallyThe note calls this thick kelp north of the pier to Cayucos Point, productive for lingcod, vermilion, sheephead and cabezon.
Cayucos Pier / Studio Drive reefRocky reef near Studio DriveReef shallows; no numeric depth is givenIntermediate when swell is smallNear the pier and Studio Drive; confirm legal distance and entryThis reef sits just northwest of the pier and is described as south-facing and more swell-sheltered, with rockfish and cabezon.
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    Estero Bluffs reefBluff-base rock reef and kelpRock and kelp habitat; depth not listedIntermediate with a solid exit planBluff-base access must be checked before gearing upNorth of town, Estero Bluffs is listed as rock reef and kelp habitat for rockfish and lingcod.

    When does Cayucos visibility come together?

    The coastline aspect is 270 degrees, and swell from 220 to 320 degrees is the poor sector. A 290 degree pulse hits hardest. Mixed Pacific tides matter, but no single tide stage is given. Use buoy 46011, 55.1 km away, and the actual foam line as filters.

    Which fish make the kelp worth diving?

    The species mix includes white seabass, Atractoscion nobilis; California halibut, Paralichthys californicus; yellowtail, Seriola dorsalis; sheephead, Bodianus pulcher; kelp or sand bass, Paralabrax spp.; rockfish, Sebastes spp.; and lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus. Cayucos Point and the pier-side reef add cabezon and vermilion.

    What California rules matter before loading a gun?

    A California sport fishing license is the core requirement, and no separate spearfishing permit is listed. Ocean Enhancement Validation is called out south of Point Arguello; Cayucos is north of that line. Treat State Marine Reserves as closed to take, and check every State Marine Conservation Area by zone.

    What must stay out of the bag in Cayucos?

    Giant black sea bass, garibaldi and salmon are no-take, while red abalone is closed until April 1, 2036. Lobster is hand-take only. North of Ventura, California rules also say no spear within 100 yards of a stream mouth.

    FAQ

    Do you need a license to spearfish in Cayucos?

    Yes. A California sport fishing license is listed, with no separate spearfishing permit for this area.

    Is Cayucos inside a no-take zone?

    No reserve polygon is shown for these three marks, but California SMRs are no-take and SMCAs vary by zone.

    What swell direction is worst for Cayucos?

    The bad sector is 220 to 320 degrees, with 290 degrees listed as the worst direction.

    Can you spear lobster or abalone in Cayucos?

    No. Lobster is hand-take only, and red abalone is closed until April 1, 2036.

    What fish are listed for Cayucos?

    White seabass, halibut, yellowtail, sheephead, bass, rockfish and lingcod are listed, with cabezon and vermilion around Cayucos Point and Studio Drive.

    Sources

    • CDFW ocean sport fishing
    • NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing

    Nearby towns

    • Spearfishing in Goleta
    • Pacific Grove: forecast and spots
    • Dive spots near Malibu
    • Spearfishing in Half Moon Bay
    • Dive spots near Avalon (Catalina Island)
    Data partners
    dive centres that send us real visibility readings
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    buoy Diablo Canyon, CA (076): 20.6° · wave 1.5 m/11 s · 42 min ago