top of page
0
3.1
6.2
9.3
12.4
15.5
18.6
21.7
24.8
27.9
31
34.1
37.2
40.3
43.4
46.5
49.6
52.7
55.8
58.9
62
65.1
68.2
71.3
74.4
77.5
80.6
83.7
86.8
89.9
93
96.1
99.2
102.3
105.4
108.5
111.6
114.7
117.8
120.9
124
127.1
130.2
133.3
136.4
139.5
142.6
145.7
148.8
151.9
155
158.1
161.2
164.3
167.4
170.5
173.6
176.7
179.8
182.9
186
189.1
192.2
195.3
198.4
201.5
204.6
207.7
210.8
213.9
217
220.1
223.2
226.3
229.4
232.5
235.6
238.7
241.8
244.9
248
251.1
254.2
257.3
260.4
263.5
266.6
269.7
272.8
275.9
279
282.1
285.2
288.3
291.4
294.5
297.6
300

0

to

300

Reset
Moon Snails

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Neverita lewisii

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

5 / day | 5 possessed

Season:

Open Yearly except may not be taken north of Golden Gate Bridge. (29.71)

Mussels

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Mytilus californianus

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 lbs (in the shell) of CA Sea Mussels and Bay Mussels in combination.

Season:

Open Yearly

Northern Quahogs

Northern California

No ratings yet

Mercenaria mercenaria

Minimum Size:

1.5" in greatest shell diameter

Limit and Possession:

50 in combination of Littleneck Clams, Soft-Shell Clams, Chiones, Northern Quahogs, and Cockles

Season:

Open Yearly

Ocean Salmon

Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Oncorhynchus

Minimum Size:

Illegal to spearfish. (28.90)

Limit and Possession:

Illegal to spearfish. (28.90)

Season:

Closed

Oceanic Whitefish

Southern California, Central California

No ratings yet

Caulolatilus princeps

Minimum Size:

Fillets must be 6.5" in length and entire skin intact. (26.65.b.10)

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in combination to other finfish with no more than 10 oceanic whitefish 28.58(b).

Season:

Open Yearly

Olive Rockfish

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Sebastes serranoides

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed , in any combination of species of Rockfish, Cabezon, and Greenling complex (RCG complex, as defined in Section 1.91), except as provided below.
(1) The limit on bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, and yelloweye rockfish is zero. These
species shall not be taken or possessed as part of the RCG limit.
(2) The limit on vermilion rockfish is four fish, within the RCG bag limit.
(3) The limit on quillback rockfish is one fish, within the RCG bag limit.
(4) The limit on copper rockfish is one fish, within the RCG bag limit.
(5) In the Cowcod Conservation Areas (see Section 27.50), the limit on slope rockfish, as
defined in subsection 1.91(a)(4), is zero. These species shall not be taken or possessed as
part of the RCG limit in the Cowcod Conservation Areas.

Season:

Open Yearly

Opal Eye

Northern California, Central California, Southern California

No ratings yet

Girella nigricans

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in combination with other species. (section 27.60a)

Season:

Open Yearly

Pacific Angel Shark

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Squatina californica

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in combination with other species. (section 27.60a)

Season:

Open Yearly

Pacific Barracuda

Central California, Southern California

No ratings yet

Sphyraena argentea

Minimum Size:

Total Length: 28" | Alternate Length: 17"

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in combination with other species. (section 27.60a)

Season:

Open Yearly

Pacific Bonito

Central California, Southern California

No ratings yet

Sarda lineolata

Minimum Size:

Fork Length: 24"or five pounds
Fish less than 24" fork length or weighing less than five pounds may be taken and possessed, but only up to five.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed if FL >= 24" or 5 lbs
5 / day | 5 possessed if FL < 24" or 5 lbs

Season:

Open Yearly

Pacific Chub Mackerel

Southern California, Central California, Northern California

No ratings yet

Scomber japonicus

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

Unlimited

Season:

Open Yearly

Pacific Cod

Northern California, Central California, Southern California

No ratings yet

Gadus macrocephalus

Minimum Size:

No minimum size.

Limit and Possession:

10 / day | 10 possessed
Limit 20 fish total in combination with other Federal Groundfish.

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.

bottom of page