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.

Snapshot: Saltwater State Record Catches for 2017

Jeffrey Yuan and his state angling record calico surfperch – CDFW file photo

Daniel Silveira and his state diving record bocaccio – CDFW file photo

Yu Fukushima and his state diving record shortfin mako shark – CDFW file photo

In 2017, four saltwater anglers and three spear fishermen became new state record holders after hauling in some exceptional fish. 

Snapshot: New State Angling and Diving Records

Kevin Scully and his record-breaking bluefin tuna    CDFW file photo

Not one, not two, but three new ocean sport fishing records were logged into the books for tuna last year, along with a new record catch for surfperch!

On June 22, 2016 Kevin Scully speared a 269 lb. 11 oz. bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) off Mission Bay to smash that species’ state diving record. This new record beats Mr. Scully’s previous bluefin tuna record by 84 lb. (yes, he beat his own record, which he set earlier that same year!).

Then, on August 14, 2016 John Correia landed a 245 lb. 0 oz. bluefin tuna on rod and reel to capture the state angling record for that species. Mr. Correia’s fish, which he hooked at 43 Fathom Bank

Snapshot: New State Diving Record

New diving record holder Mark Mayeda

A new ocean diving record was set on June 11, 2015 when Mark Mayeda speared and landed a 178 lb. 1 oz. bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) at the 277 Spot off Southern California, smashing the previous state diving record for this species by 80 lb. 1 oz. The previous official state record, a 98 lb. bluefin tuna speared by Terry Maas while freediving in 1982, stood unbroken for 33 years. Congratulations go out to Mr. Mayeda, our latest state record holder, for his spectacular catch!

With the current warm water regime off the West Coast, more large, warm water pelagic species such as bluefin tuna have been seen not only off the California coastline, but up into Oregon, Washington, and some reports even indicate into Alaskan waters, according to

Snapshot: New State Angling and Diving Records

Roland Takayama and his state record Pismo clam (in hand)

Two new ocean sportfishing records were logged into the books towards the end of 2014. On October 12, 2014 Greg Veach landed a 7 lb. 4 oz. olive rockfish (Sebastes serranoides) near Morro Bay to smash that species’ state record by a hefty one pound, six ounces. The previous record, set by Haady Forbes, had been unbeaten for 23 years.