Dana Point spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

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◈Dana Point · United States
2.8
visibility: 4 m
visibility~4m

Dayisover

Today — sit it out.

Sources: NWS · NDBC · Open-Meteo · Copernicus — high confidence · data 14:25

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 14:25
Dana Point — solo, off the rocks
Day is over
That is it for today — the day's windows have closed.
Tomorrow, best window 15:00–18:00
Best window · next 3 days

Next 3 days — not divable: wave up to 1.1 m

↑ high tide 20:26 · slack water ~19:41–21:11 bite times: 10:20–12:20 · 16:35–17:35

Tell me when it's on

Just your email — nothing else needed.

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
07:02–18:06 · full moon
▼ 02:00▲ 08:00▼ 14:00▲ 20:00 · 1.7 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.54 m
Wave0.86 m
Wind5 km/h
Water23 °C
fish activity: moonset 05:26 · moderate · moon underfoot 11:20 · high · moonrise 17:05 · moderate · moon overhead 23:50 · high
Open the seafloor map with entry points →

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

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−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 →
Dana Point Headland ReefDana Point
dangerous
74 m from the boundary of Dana Point SMCA (restricted zone)
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—
Seabed depth of the selected area
≈8.6–12 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

Reef off the headland, 6–15 m, with yellowtail, white seabass and calico bass passing along the kelp edge. No reserve over the point, but giant sea bass is no-take statewide — do not shoot one.

Google Maps
Salt Creek KelpDana Point
dangerous
100 m from the boundary of Dana Point SMCA (restricted zone)
exposed head-on to the swell today

One morning glance — and you know.

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≈

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».

more: Dana Point Harbor (HDOnTap) ↗
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.
Oxnard (Channel Islands Harbor)
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    • All 367 spots → · Region: California · spearo.app — All countries

    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈0.7–6.6 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    A kilometre of kelp in 10–21 m with lobster, sheephead and calico bass. WARNING: the water off Salt Creek is inside Dana Point SMCA, a real area under 14 CCR 632(b)(136), and our zone layer now carries that boundary. Read the state rules before you load. Pin: shore access; water entry unverified.

    Google Maps
    San Juan RocksDana Point
    dangerous
    ⚠️ This point is inside the restricted zone “Dana Point SMCA”: fishing there is regulated (season, gear, permit), not banned outright. Read the zone's rules before you go.
    exposed head-on to the swell today
    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈1.9–11 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    San Juan Rocks: you go in from the shore, some 1.1 km from Dana Point. The pin sits at 33.459 N / 117.717 W on the chart. Maximum depth is around 6 m. Bottom type: kelp and sand. The marker is inside Dana Point SMCA, a restricted area; check what may be taken there before spearing.

    Google Maps
    San Onofre KelpDana Point
    dangerous
    exposed head-on to the swell today
    window
    —
    Seabed depth of the selected area
    ≈6.4–8.5 m (bathymetry NOAA CUDEM/CoNED, 3 m)

    Kelp bed on the Orange–San Diego county line, 9–18 m, boat access: yellowtail and white seabass in summer. The shore opposite is restricted military land, so plan both entry and exit by sea.

    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.

  • 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 · Dana Point

    Spearfishing in Dana Point: spots, seasons and rules

    Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

    Dana Point spearfishing has a different legal texture from a simple open-coast kelp bed. Salt Creek Kelp and Dana Point Headland Reef both carry Dana Point SMCA wording: finfish by spear is legal, while lobster rules need verification. San Onofre Kelp adds an Orange County to San Diego line option for yellowtail and white seabass. All three entries are yellow with medium solo severity, so the first decision is boundary clarity before swell or fish fever.

    TL;DR

    • Dana Point is a kelp and headland page, with Salt Creek Kelp, Dana Point Headland Reef and San Onofre Kelp listed.
    • Dana Point SMCA wording allows finfish by spear; verify lobster rules and do not treat every SMCA as open.
    • The poor swell sector is 180 to 290 degrees, with 250 degrees the main direction to watch.
    • California sport fishing license rules apply, and giant sea bass, garibaldi, salmon and red abalone remain off limits.

    Is Dana Point SMCA a no-take spearfishing zone?

    The city notes do not frame Dana Point SMCA as no-take. They say finfish by spear is legal there, while lobster rules need verification. That is narrower than a blanket green light, and California SMCAs vary by zone.

    SpotTypeDepthLevelAccessNotes
    Salt Creek KelpMile-long kelp forestKelp forest; no numeric depth is statedIntermediate kelp diveAccess detail is not specified; verify entry and boundaryThe note names lobster, sheephead and calico, while also saying Dana Point SMCA allows finfish by spear and lobster rules must be checked.
    Dana Point Headland ReefHeadland reef and kelp edgeHeadland reef; depth not statedIntermediate, boundary-awareAccess detail is not specified; verify the SMCA lineYellowtail, white seabass and calico are named off the headland. Dana Point SMCA wording allows finfish by spear.
    San Onofre KelpOC-SD line kelp bedKelp bed; no numeric depth is statedIntermediate boat or local-access planAccess detail is not specifiedSan Onofre Kelp is listed for yellowtail and white seabass on the Orange County to San Diego line.

    What conditions suit the Dana Point kelp?

    The coast aspect is 220 degrees, and the poor sector runs 180 to 290 degrees, with 250 degrees worst. This is an upwelling coast, so cold water and color changes can follow wind. Buoy 46222 is listed 59.3 km away, and the harbor camera helps with surface texture.

    Which fish are named for Dana Point?

    The statewide species mix includes white seabass, California halibut, yellowtail, sheephead, kelp or sand bass, rockfish and lingcod. Dana Point water emphasizes yellowtail, white seabass, calico, sheephead and lobster, though lobster is not a spear target.

    What California legal points matter most?

    A California sport fishing license is required, with no separate spearfishing permit listed. State Marine Reserves are no-take. State Marine Conservation Areas vary by zone, which is exactly why Dana Point SMCA wording must be checked rather than guessed.

    How should lobster be handled around Dana Point?

    California rules make lobster hand-take only, and Salt Creek also requires lobster-rule verification. Do not puncture lobster with a spear. If the plan is finfish, keep it to finfish and avoid turning an SMCA allowance into a broader take claim.

    FAQ

    Can you spearfish finfish in Dana Point SMCA?

    Dana Point SMCA wording allows finfish by spear, but SMCAs vary by zone and boundaries must be verified.

    Can you spear lobster at Dana Point?

    No. California rules make lobster hand-take only.

    What swell direction is worst for Dana Point?

    The poor sector is 180 to 290 degrees, with 250 degrees listed as the worst direction.

    What fish are listed around the headland?

    The headland entry names yellowtail, white seabass and calico.

    What California species are no-take?

    Giant sea bass, garibaldi, salmon and red abalone are no-take items in the California notes.

    Sources

    • CDFW ocean sport fishing
    • NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing

    Nearby towns

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