CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Richmond, CA Daily Water Report — October 4, 2026

Richmond gets a clear green light for low-wave water time, with boating the standout at 8.5/10 and diving close behind at 8.6/10. The caveat is simple: good scores are not a substitute for judgment around moving water, changing tide, and your own route or launch conditions. The water is notably subdued, holding near 0.3 m through the day and bottoming around 0.26 m near 1 PM. A modest south wind, generally under 8 knots with gusts near 10 knots late, keeps the surface from getting too fussy. That supports a strong boating day and a workable kayaking day at 7.1/10, especially for people who prefer their paddling without an argument from the chop. The forecast ocean current is about 0.39 m/s toward 230 degrees, however, so plan for drift rather than treating the flat-looking surface as stationary. For anglers, the 7/10 fishing outlook is best aligned with the morning solunar major period from 7:09 to 9:09 AM, overlapping the 8:43 AM high tide, and again from 7:09 to 9:09 PM after the 6:58 PM high. Pressure is rising near 1014 hPa, rain is not indicated, and winds remain manageable. Chlorophyll is reported high at 4.63 mg/m³, but that is not a fish report; it is simply one of the available ocean indicators. Divers have the day’s best combination of low waves, light wind, and warm marine SST near 18.8 C, though atmospheric visibility of 17.8 km does not describe underwater visibility. The 8.6/10 diving estimate edges yesterday’s 8.5 and continues a consistently favorable recent run. Water temperature is also well above the supplied average, with an SST anomaly of +3.1 C. Tides deserve attention: the early low is just 0.02 m at 1:13 AM, followed by a 1.51 m morning high, then a 1.02 m afternoon low and a 1.80 m evening high. Shoreline explorers and wildlife watchers may find the 1:25 PM low useful, though the wildlife score is only 7.1/10. The next several days stay dry and lightly windy, with waves near 0.3 m through Tuesday before gradually building later in the week. Best bet: launch early, work the morning high-tide window, and enjoy the rare luxury of water that is behaving itself.