Recreational Groundfish Season Opens in All State Waters on April 19, 2024

Happy California angler with a nice lingcod
photo courtesy E. W. Roberts III

On March 26, 2024, the California Fish and Game Commission adopted proposed changes to the 2024 groundfish season. Those changes are now in effect. The following is an overview of changes in the 2024 groundfish sport fishing regulations:

Creature Feature: Wolf-Eel

The wolf-eel may be found north of Imperial Beach, Southern California, from the intertidal zone to a depth of at least 1,036 ft. They are more common north of Point Conception.

Creature Feature: Pacific Barracuda

The Pacific barracuda is usually found south of Point Conception but may range much farther north, especially during oceanic warm water events. It prefers the upper water layers, from the surface to a depth of 60 ft. 

New Groundfish Depth Limit to Take Effect Soon off Northern California

Lingcod, one of many groundfish species that may be taken in offshore ocean waters.
CDFW/MARE photo

Beginning just after midnight on Monday Aug. 21, 2023, boat-based groundfish anglers in northern California ocean waters will need to abide by a new “offshore-only” depth limit. The new recreational depth limit will apply in the Northern Groundfish Management Area (GMA), from the California-Oregon border to Cape Mendocino.

California Saltwater Angling and Diving Records Program

Larry Laumann holding a trophy-size California corbina that he speared while diving.
photo by L. Laumann

Have you ever caught or speared a fish so large, you thought it might be a State record? Larry Laumann thought just that when he speared this 6.3 pound trophy-size California corbina near San Diego on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately, he checked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Fishing and Diving Records web page after he had filleted the fish and without getting an official weight from a certified scale, disqualifying him from the new record. While Larry certainly has bragging rights, the old record for California corbina still stands at 5 pounds 15 ounces.

CDFW maintains a list of state fishing and diving records for various species. The next time you land “the big one”, check CDFW’s Fishing and Diving Records web page to see if your species is listed for either “Ocean Angling” or “Ocean Diving” under the “Fishing Type” category, depending on the method of fishing you used. Note that only the species listed can qualify for a record, other species are not accepted.