California halibut regulations · 2026

The numbers

The details

Size limit

Total length, measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail with the fish laid flat and the tail compressed to give the longest measurement. Sport minimum is 22 inches. Undersized fish must be returned to the water immediately, with as little handling as possible, in a manner that does not cause death or injury.

Daily bag limit

South of Point Sur (Monterey County): 5 California halibut per day. North of Point Sur: 3 California halibut per day. The bag is per angler, per day, regardless of how many lines or boats are involved. Possession limit equals the daily bag limit unless otherwise noted.

Season

Open year-round, statewide, in ocean waters. There is no closed season for sport take of California halibut.

Gear restrictions

Standard ocean sport gear permitted. No spearing of California halibut from a vessel with a powerhead. Bow and arrow fishing not permitted for halibut. See CDFW for gear-specific rules per region.

Licensing

California sport fishing license required for anglers 16 or older. Ocean enhancement stamp required when fishing for marine species south of Point Arguello. License options: annual, two-day, one-day, reduced-fee, free for low-income seniors and disabled veterans. Buy at wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing.

Boundary clarification

Point Sur is in Monterey County on the Big Sur coast. The 3-fish bag applies from the Oregon border south to Point Sur. The 5-fish bag applies from Point Sur south to the Mexico border. If you're fishing the Channel coast, Central Coast south of Big Sur, Santa Barbara, Ventura, LA, OC, or San Diego, you're south of Point Sur and the 5-fish bag applies.

What this page does not cover

• Pacific halibut. Different species, different regulations, different seasons, separate report card required. Pacific halibut is mostly a northern California fishery.
• Commercial halibut. This page is sport-fishing only.
• Special-area rules. Some Marine Protected Areas and state marine reserves prohibit take entirely. Check the area before fishing.
• Take by spear. Spearfishing for California halibut is allowed but has gear-specific rules; check CDFW Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations for the full text.

Sources

How regulations work in the GhostFingers Fish app

Every catch entry checks the logged species against the current CDFW regulation table for the user's latitude. Logging a California halibut under 22 inches flags an undersized warning. The daily bag counter ticks down with every keeper, region-aware. The closed-season hard gate does not apply to California halibut because the species is open year-round, but it does apply to many other species in the catalog. The regulation table updates every year automatically when CDFW publishes the new regulation booklet.