Spearfishing Monterey Bay: Cold Water, Big Lingcod, and World-Class Visibility

If you've only ever dived Southern California, Monterey Bay is going to feel like a different planet. The water is colder — significantly colder — but what you get in return is some of the most spectacular underwater scenery and productive spearfishing on the West Coast. I'm talking 40-60 feet of visibility on a good day, massive lingcod sitting on the reef like they own the place, and kelp forests so thick they block out the sun. Monterey is a world-class destination that most California divers overlook because they don't want to deal with the cold. Their loss.

The Water: Cold, Clear, and Worth Every Degree

Monterey Bay water temperatures range from about 48°F in winter to 58°F in late summer. That's 10-15 degrees colder than what you'd find in Southern California during the same time period. The upwelling from the Monterey Submarine Canyon — one of the deepest underwater canyons on the Pacific coast — brings nutrient-rich, cold water to the surface year-round. This is what fuels the incredible marine ecosystem here.

The payoff is visibility. While Southern California divers are often dealing with 10-20 foot visibility on an average day, Monterey regularly delivers 30-60 feet, and I've seen days pushing 80+ feet. The bay is also protected from southern swell by the Monterey Peninsula, so when Southern California is getting hammered by a south swell and the water is blown out, Monterey can be absolutely glass-calm with pristine visibility.

Key Dive Spots

Breakwater (San Carlos Beach) — This is the go-to entry point for Monterey diving and the best spot for anyone new to the area. Easy entry off the beach, protected from swell by the breakwater wall, and excellent structure holding lingcod, cabezon, and rockfish within swimming distance. The kelp beds just outside the breakwater are loaded with life. If you can only dive one spot in Monterey, start here.

Wharf #2 Area — The area around Municipal Wharf #2 offers sandy bottom mixed with rocky reef, and it's a surprisingly good spot for halibut. The pilings also attract fish. Easy entry and usually calm conditions.

Carmel Bay — South of the peninsula, Carmel Bay offers incredible granite reef structure and some of the best visibility in all of California. The kelp forests here are dense and the lingcod can be enormous. Access points include Carmel River Beach and various spots along Scenic Road. Note that Point Lobos State Marine Reserve is immediately adjacent — it's a no-take zone, so know your boundaries.

Monastery Beach — I need to be honest about this spot: Monastery Beach is dangerous. The beach drops off steeply, creating powerful shore break that has killed experienced swimmers and divers. The entry and exit can be brutal. That said, the diving just offshore is world-class — the canyon edge drops close to shore and the marine life density is incredible. Only dive here if you are an advanced ocean swimmer and have experience with heavy surf entries. Check conditions carefully and don't hesitate to call it off.

Marine Protected Areas: Know Before You Go

The Monterey Peninsula has one of the densest networks of marine protected areas in California, and they wrap around the entire coastline. If you don't know the boundaries, you can easily end up spearfishing in a no-take zone without realizing it. Study the maps before you go — ignorance is not a defense, and the fines are steep.

Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area covers the water from the Monterey Harbor breakwater northwest along Cannery Row to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This is an SMCA, not a full reserve, but spearfishing is still prohibited — only hook-and-line fishing for finfish is allowed. This is critical to understand because the Breakwater is the most popular entry point in Monterey. You can enter the water there, but once you swim northwest past the breakwater wall toward Cannery Row, you are inside the Ricketts SMCA and cannot spearfish.

Lovers Point–Julia Platt State Marine Reserve extends from the western edge of the Aquarium to Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. This is a full no-take reserve — no fishing, no harvesting, no collecting of any kind. You can dive and snorkel here, but you cannot take anything.

Continuing west, Pacific Grove Marine Gardens SMCA runs from Lovers Point to Point Pinos with limited take restrictions, and then Asilomar State Marine Reserve picks up from Point Pinos to Point Joe — another full no-take zone. That means the entire Pacific Grove coastline from the Aquarium all the way to Point Joe is either restricted or completely closed to spearfishing.

South of the peninsula, Point Lobos State Marine Reserve is a full no-take zone immediately adjacent to Carmel Bay. If you are diving Carmel, you need to know exactly where the reserve boundary is — it is very easy to drift into protected water. The practical takeaway: Monterey Bay has fantastic spearfishing, but your legal hunting ground is narrower than it looks on a map. The Breakwater area heading south and east, Wharf #2, and Carmel Bay outside the Point Lobos boundary are your primary legal zones. Always check the current CDFW MPA maps and carry them on your phone before you dive.

Target Species

Lingcod are the star of Monterey Bay spearfishing. These prehistoric-looking predators are far more common here than in Southern California, and they grow big — 20-30 pound fish are realistic, and specimens over 40 pounds are taken every year. They sit on rocky reefs, often in the open, and they're ambush predators that don't spook easily. The season runs from early to mid-July through mid-October for most recreational take (always check current CDFW regulations for exact dates and size limits).

Cabezon are another excellent target — these bottom dwellers hide in rocky crevices and can reach 10+ pounds. They're excellent eating. Rockfish (legal species only — see regulations) are abundant throughout the bay. You'll also find calico bass around the kelp edges and the occasional halibut on sandy patches adjacent to the reef.

Gear Up for the Cold

A 7mm wetsuit is the minimum for Monterey. Many divers prefer a 7mm two-piece (farmer john plus hooded jacket) for the extra torso insulation. An open-cell suit in 7mm Yamamoto neoprene is ideal if your budget allows it. A hood is mandatory — you will lose an enormous amount of heat through your head in 50-degree water. Gloves (3-5mm) are also essential; your hands will go numb fast without them. Good quality 5mm booties complete the package.

Expect to add 2-4 extra pounds of lead compared to what you'd wear in Southern California — the thicker neoprene adds buoyancy. Dial in your weighting at the surface before you start hunting.

The Monterey Submarine Canyon: Why the Marine Life Is So Dense

The Monterey Submarine Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon and starts just offshore. This geological feature creates a constant upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that feeds an incredibly productive food chain — from plankton to baitfish to the predators we're hunting. It's the reason Monterey Bay is a National Marine Sanctuary and why the diving here is on a completely different level. The canyon also attracts pelagic species closer to shore than you'd expect, and whale sightings from your dive spot are not uncommon.

If you're a California diver who hasn't made the trip up to Monterey, put it on your calendar. The cold is manageable with the right gear, and what you'll find underwater will change your perspective on what California spearfishing can be.

Check current visibility, water temperature, and fish activity predictions at your dive spot using the SpearFactor Fish & Dive Conditions Tool.

Photo credits: Monterey Bay coastline by Antony-22 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons). Lingcod by Will Sides (CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist/Wikimedia Commons). Monterey Bay scenic by Fastily (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons).