California fish species · regulations, seasonality, tactics

Inshore saltwater

Sand-and-kelp species along the southern + central California coast. Most accessible from shore, pier, kayak, or inshore boat.

Flatfish · 22" sport min · 5/day south of Pt Sur

California halibut

Sand-bottom ambush predator. Spring + summer surf-zone bite. Drift live bait or slow-grind soft plastics on the bottom.

Bass · 14" min · 5/day combined

Calico bass (Kelp bass)

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Bass · 14" min · 5/day combined

Barred sand bass

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Croaker · 17" min · 1/day

California corbina

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Perch · No size limit · No bag limit

Barred surf perch

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Croaker · 10/day combined

Yellowfin + spotfin croaker

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Offshore + nearshore saltwater

Channel + island species. Boat, kayak, or spear. Some have closed seasons or strict bag limits.

Croaker · 28" min · 1/day Mar 15–Jun 15, 3/day rest of year

White seabass

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Jack · 24" fork min · 10/day

Yellowtail

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Tuna · Limits vary annually · Verify CDFW

Pacific bluefin tuna

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Rockfish · 10/day combined · Depth + season vary

Rockfish complex

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Greenling · 22" min · 2/day

Lingcod

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Lobster · 3¼" carapace min · 7/day · Season early Oct–mid Mar

California spiny lobster

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Freshwater

Sierra trout, Central Valley bass, Delta stripers, coastal steelhead. Regulations vary by water body. Fly is a first-class mode.

Salmonid · Limits vary by water · Fly-only stretches

Rainbow trout

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Salmonid · Steelhead report card required

Steelhead

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Bass · 12" min · 5/day combined

Largemouth + smallmouth bass

Coming with the V1 catalog.

Striper · 18" min · 2/day

Striped bass (Delta)

Coming with the V1 catalog.

What each species page contains

Identification: distinguishing marks, similar species to avoid confusion with
Current regulations: size limit, bag limit, season status, gear restrictions, special-water rules
Seasonality: months when fishable, peak windows, water-temperature preferences
Typical habitat: depth, bottom type, structure
Tactic notes: bait, lure, fly patterns that work, presentation
Where caught: spots in the GhostFingers Fish catalog that hold this species
Link to CDFW source for full regulation text

Regulations summarized from CDFW Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations + CDFW Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations. Always verify against the live CDFW source before keeping fish. Regulations change.

The full species library lands with the app.

Plus live season + bag overlay on every catch entry. Closed-species hard gate. No accidental tickets.