Fishing in California public spots, conditions & reports

The state report

Licenses and rules

• California CDFW — fishing & regulations

Rules for what people fish for here

• California halibut22" minimum · 5 a day22" total length minimum. 5/person/day south of Point Sur (Monterey County); 2/day north of it. Open year-round.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Barred surfperch10 a dayNo minimum size. 20/person/day in combination of all surfperch (shiner perch separate), with no more than 10 of any one species. Open year-round.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Kelp bass14" minimum · 5 a day14" total length (10" alternate length) minimum. 5/person/day in any combination of kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass, with no more than 4 barred sand bass. Fillets at least 7½" with a 1" patch of skin.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Chinook salmonno harvestCalifornia: salmon may be taken only on the river reaches and dates listed in the special regulations; every other inland water is closed to salmon. Klamath, Trinity and Central Valley seasons are set each spring and can close in-season, and a North Coast Salmon Report Card is required on the Klamath, Trinity and Smith.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Steelhead2 a dayCalifornia: a steelhead is any rainbow trout over 16" in anadromous water. Hatchery fish only (adipose fin clipped); wild (intact-fin) steelhead must be released. 2 hatchery trout or steelhead a day where open, 4 in possession. Seasons and gear are set reach by reach, and a Steelhead Report Card is required.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Rockfish10 a day10/person/day in combination (rockfish, cabezon, greenlings): no more than 1 copper, 2 canary, 2 vermilion/sunset (4 in the Northern area). No quillback, yelloweye, cowcod or bronzespotted at any time. Boats: closed Jan 1–Mar 31; south of Point Conception, all depths Apr–Jun, inside 50 fathoms Jul–Sep, then closures and depth limits through Dec. Shore anglers and spear divers are exempt from the season and depth rules.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Channel catfishno daily limitNo catfish limit in most of California. The Southern and Colorado River districts are 10 a day, and some listed county and park lakes are 5.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Largemouth bass12" minimum · 5 a dayLakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Smallmouth bass12" minimum · 5 a dayLakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Crappie25 a day25 sunfish and crappie a day combined, no size limit. Hodges and El Capitan have a 10" crappie minimum; Barrett and Upper Otay are catch and release.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Common carpno daily limitCalifornia sets no bag or size limit for common carp, since only species named in the regulations are limited. Grass carp are protected: none may be taken or possessed, so release any you hook at once.Open · California · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
• Spotted bay bass14" minimum · 5 a day14" total length (10" alternate length) minimum. 5/person/day in any combination of kelp bass, barred sand bass and spotted sand bass, with no more than 4 barred sand bass. Fillets at least 7½" with a 1" patch of skin.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Lingcod22" minimum · 2 a day22" total length minimum, 2/person/day; fillets at least 14" with all skin attached. Boat season follows the groundfish complex (closed Jan 1–Mar 31). Shore anglers and spear divers are exempt from the season and depth rules.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Rainbow trout5 a dayLakes, reservoirs and ponds: 5 trout a day, 10 in possession, open all year with no size limit.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Striped bass18" minimum · 2 a day18" minimum, 2 striped bass a day statewide; hybrids count as striped bass. The Colorado River and Southern districts and New Hogan, San Antonio and Santa Margarita lakes have no size limit and allow 10 a day.Open · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• White seabass28" minimum · 3 a day28" total length (20" alternate length) minimum, 3/person/day, but only 1/day south of Point Conception from Mar 15 to Jun 15.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Coho salmonno harvestCoho (silver) salmon may not be taken in any California water; an incidentally hooked coho must be released unharmed immediately.No targeting · California · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Redtail surfperch10.5" minimum · 10 a day10½" total length minimum. 20/day in combination of all surfperch (shiner perch separate), no more than 10 of any one species. Open year-round.Open · California · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source

Limits differ by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water.

About fishing in California

California's 36 public access points span the Pacific coast, rivers and streams, and reservoirs, across 19 counties. Across them, the species anglers most often target are California Halibut, Barred Surfperch, Kelp Bass, and Rockfish. Each is scored live on water temperature, tide or river flow, moon phase, barometric pressure, and weather. Always confirm current size, creel, and season limits with the California state fishery agency before keeping fish — we flag any species whose regulations we haven't yet verified.

36 public access points across 0 water bodies. Data from NOAA, NWS, USGS, and California CDFW.

Coastal regions

• San Diego CoastSan Diego County's Pacific beaches from Oceanside to Imperial Beach.
• Orange County CoastOrange County's surf from Seal Beach to San Clemente.
• Los Angeles CoastThe L.A. County shore — Santa Monica, the South Bay, and Malibu.
• California Central CoastThe Central Coast from Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay through San Luis Obispo County.