CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Richmond, CA Daily Water Report — October 5, 2026

Richmond gets a clear green light for most scored water plans today, with boating the standout at 8.6/10 and diving matching it at 8.6/10. This is a notably gentle marine day: waves hold near 0.3 m, the swell is only 0.22 m at 6.6 seconds, and southerly winds generally run 2.6–8 knots. That is a tidy setup for boaters, paddlers, and divers, though “tidy” is not the same thing as consequence-free—there is still a measured ocean current near 0.28 m/s toward 239 degrees, and the evening gusts build to about 10 knots late. The best all-around daylight window is from the morning high tide at 9:31 AM into the early afternoon, when the water remains relatively full and the breeze should still be manageable. Anglers have a particularly useful overlap from 8:06–10:06 AM, a solunar major period that lands around the rising-to-high-tide phase. Fishing rates 7.3/10, helped by stable pressure near 1013 hPa, light wind, and favorable tide timing. A second major solunar period runs 8:06–10:06 PM, shortly after the 8:18 PM high, but it arrives after sunset at 6:49 PM; treat it as a low-light or night option only with the appropriate preparation. Kayaking earns 7.4/10 and sailing 8.1/10. The light southerly flow and nearly flat wave field favor controlled outings, although sailors looking for a hard-working breeze may find the wind more polite than powerful. The afternoon low of 0.86 m at 2:40 PM is also worth respecting for shoreline access and launch planning; low water changes the geometry even when the surface looks friendly. Air temperatures rise from the mid-teens into the mid-20s C under almost cloudless, dry skies. Marine SST is 18.9 C, unusually warm at +3.3 C versus average, but water exposure still deserves its own clothing plan. The reported 16.3 km atmospheric visibility is encouraging for navigation, not a promise of underwater visibility. Compared with the recent reconstructed record, boating improves slightly from yesterday, sailing edges up, and fishing remains at the stronger end of the past week. The next few days stay mostly calm and dry through Thursday before waves build Friday into the weekend. Best bet: launch after sunrise, work the morning high-tide window, and be back with plenty of daylight before the late breeze gets ideas.