NorCal & San Francisco chlorophyll chart
Satellite data from
The Northern California coast from Point Arena south past Bodega Bay, Point Reyes and the Gulf of the Farallones to San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and the northern part of Monterey Bay, out past Cordell Bank to well beyond the shelf.
Today’s read
| Station | Water | Observed |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco (46026) | 60.4°F | |
| San Francisco Bar, CA (46237) | 60.3°F | |
| Point Reyes, CA (46214) | 63.5°F | |
| Monterey (46042) | 65.5°F | |
| Pt Arena (46014) | 57.7°F |
On this chart: San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Bodega Bay, the Farallon Islands, Santa Cruz, Cordell Bank, Point Reyes, Moss Landing and Point Arena.
How to read today’s Northern California chart
Work the colour line. Green water is productive and blue water is clean; bait stacks on the seam between them, and gamefish hunt that seam. The contours above trace the productivity edges so the line is something you can put a waypoint on.
The highest-percentage water offshore is where a chlorophyll edge lines up with a temperature break. Check this against the Northern California SST chart and start where they overlap.
Pair it with temperature
Chlorophyll shows you the food. Temperature shows you whether the conditions suit the fish you are after. See today’s Northern California SST chart →
Frequently asked
How often does the Northern California chlorophyll chart update?
The image is regenerated twice a day from the latest satellite chlorophyll data in the Catalysst app, rendered on a log scale and clipped to the coastline. The date shown is the date of the satellite data, which moves forward about once a day.
What area does the Northern California chlorophyll chart cover?
From 36.7°N to 39.3°N and 125.0°W to 121.0°W. Ports and landmarks on it include San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Bodega Bay, the Farallon Islands, Santa Cruz, Cordell Bank, Point Reyes, Moss Landing and Point Arena.
Do you fish the green water or the blue water?
Neither — you fish the edge between them. Bait gets pushed against the clean-water line and predators hunt that seam. The highest-percentage water is where a chlorophyll edge stacks on top of a temperature break.
Why does chlorophyll matter if I already have SST?
Temperature tells you where conditions suit the predator; chlorophyll tells you where the food is. A break with no bait on it is just a line in the water.
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