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Surfperch, Silver

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Hyperprosopon ellipticum

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

5 / day | 5 possessed in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay
20 / day | 20 possessed all other areas, not including Shiner Surfperch. Not more than 10 surfperch may be of any one species. (28.59)

Season:

Open Yearly, except may not be taken or possessed by a person in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay between April 1 and July 31, inclusive.

Surfperch, Spotfin

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Hyperprosopon anale

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

5 / day | 5 possessed in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay
20 / day | 20 possessed all other areas, not including Shiner Surfperch. Not more than 10 surfperch may be of any one species. (28.59)

Season:

Open Yearly, except may not be taken or possessed by a person in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay between April 1 and July 31, inclusive.

Surfperch, Walleye

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Hyperprosopon argenteum

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

5 / day | 5 possessed in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay
20 / day | 20 possessed all other areas, not including Shiner Surfperch. Not more than 10 surfperch may be of any one species. (28.59)

Season:

Open Yearly, except may not be taken or possessed by a person in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay between April 1 and July 31, inclusive.

Surfperch, White

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Phanerodon furcatus

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

5 / day | 5 possessed in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay
20 / day | 20 possessed all other areas, not including Shiner Surfperch. Not more than 10 surfperch may be of any one species. (28.59)

Season:

Open Yearly, except may not be taken or possessed by a person in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay between April 1 and July 31, inclusive.

Thresher Shark

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Alopias

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

2 / day | 2 possessed

Season:

Open Yearly

Topsmelt

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Atherinops affinis

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

Unlimited

Season:

Open Yearly

Trout, General

Northern California, Central California, Southern California

No ratings yet

Salmonidae

Minimum Size:

Illegal to spearfish. (28.90)

Limit and Possession:

Illegal to spearfish. (28.90)

Season:

Closed

Tuna, Albacore

Northern California, Central California, Southern California

No ratings yet

Thunnus alalunga

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

25 / day | 25 possessed NORTH of Point Sur, Monterey County
10 / day | 10 possessed SOUTH of Point Sur, Monterey County

For both, this is in addition to the overall general daily bag limit of 20 finfish specified in subsection 27.60(a)

Season:

Open Yearly

Tuna, Bigeye

Southern California, Central California

No ratings yet

Thunnus obesus

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in addition to other finfish specified in subsection 27.60(a).

Season:

Open Yearly

Tuna, Pacific Bluefin

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Thunnus orientalis

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

2 / day | 2 possessed, in addition to the overall general daily bag limit of 20 finfish specified in subsection 27.60(a).

Season:

Open Yearly

Tuna, Skipjack

Southern California, Central California

No ratings yet

Katsuwonus pelamis

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

Unlimited

Season:

Open Yearly

Tuna, Yellowfin

Southern California, Central California

No ratings yet

Thunnus albacares

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in addition to other finfish specified in subsection 27.60(a).

Season:

Open Yearly

Flag_of_California.png

CA Spearfish Regulations

General Rules

28.90. DIVING, SPEARFISHING: Persons who are floating or swimming in the water may use spearfishing gear and skin or SCUBA diving equipment to take fin fish other than giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi, gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon, or broadbill [swordfish], except that:

(a) No person may possess or use a spear within 100 yards of the mouth of any stream in any ocean waters north of Ventura County.

(b) When spearfishing for or in possession of federal groundfish species or all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos as authorized pursuant to subsection 27.20(b)(1)(D), in an area or during a season closed to the take of these species, no fishing gear except spearfishing gear may be aboard the vessel or watercraft.

Disclaimer

I've done my best to reproduce the CA spearfishing laws accurately, but it is important to note that CA Fish and Wildlife often change their regulations without notice and can do so whenever they please. I am one person and cannot always keep up with the regulation. I hope you find this a useful source, but ultimately it is your responsibility to keep current with the laws.  

Fish Advisory

Fish can take in harmful chemicals from the water and the food they eat. Chemicals like mercury and PCBs can build up in their bodies over time. Risks include exposure to Mercury, which can harm the brain and nervous system and is especially harmful to fetuses, infants, and children, and PCBs, which can cause cancer and other harmful health effects. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) offers over 100 site-specific advisories for lakes, rivers, bays, reservoirs, and the coast. For water bodies without site-specific advice, look for the appropriate statewide advisory at: oehha.ca.gov/fish/advisories.

MPA

Marine Protected Areas protect the diversity of marine life, the habitats they depend on, and the integrity of the ecosystem. In general, you may not spearfish in these zones. You can see a map of the CA MPA at CDFW.

Reference

This information was aggregated from OEHHA, NOAA Fisheries, and CA Fish and Wildlife (booklet) for Spearfisherman. Images are referenced within the individual fish page. Boat and shore anglers refer to CA Fish and Wildlife website

© 2023 by Project-Spear.

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