Fishing Seasons in California: What to Catch Month by Month

California fishes year-round — 840 miles of coastline, thousands of lakes, and rivers from alpine headwaters to tidal estuaries mean something is always biting somewhere in the state. But the species, patterns, and regulations change dramatically by season and region. What’s peak in San Diego might be closed in Crescent City. The salmon season that defines Northern California barely exists in the south. And offshore, the bluefin tuna that have transformed Southern California fishing disappear entirely by winter. Knowing what to target, where, and when is the difference between a great trip and a wasted drive. Here’s how the California fishing calendar breaks down.

Spring (March – May)

Saltwater

Spring is when California’s saltwater fishing shifts into high gear. The halibut bite kicks off in March in Southern California and works north through April and May — Monterey Bay, Santa Barbara, and San Diego all produce their best flatfish action of the year as fish move shallow to spawn. White seabass start showing on the kelp beds off Southern California in April, with the bite peaking in May and June. Yellowtail arrive on the offshore islands and kelp paddies around the same time, marking the unofficial start of San Diego’s warm-water season.

In the Bay Area, striped bass begin their spring run through San Francisco Bay and into the Delta from March through May, creating some of the year’s best striper action at spots like the Vallejo Wall, Candlestick Point, and the Berkeley Flats. North Coast rockfish seasons typically open in spring, and lingcod season closes March 31 before reopening later in the year. The Dungeness crab season, which opened in November or December, usually winds down by spring.

Freshwater

Spring is the best season for bass fishing in California. The largemouth spawn runs from February through April depending on latitude and water temperature — Clear Lake and the Delta produce their biggest fish of the year as females move shallow to bed. The spotted bass spawn follows on the foothill reservoirs (New Bullards Bar, Shasta, Oroville). Trout season opens on the last Saturday in April for most streams and lakes in the Sierra and Northern California — opening day at Crowley Lake near Mammoth is a California tradition.

American shad make their spawning run up the Sacramento and Feather rivers from April through June, creating a fast-action light-tackle fishery that draws dedicated followers. And the wild trout streams of the Upper Sacramento, McCloud, and Hat Creek fish beautifully from April through the end of the season.

Summer (June – August)

Saltwater

Summer is peak offshore season in California. The bluefin tuna bite off San Diego and the offshore banks typically starts in June and runs through September, with the biggest fish (200+ lbs) usually showing in July and August. Yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi, and skipjack join the mix on the warmer-water years, and the San Diego long-range fleet runs multiday trips south toward the Coronado Islands and beyond. The white seabass bite continues through June on the Southern California kelp beds.

Rockfish seasons are open statewide during summer, and the near-shore party boat fishing from Monterey, Morro Bay, Fort Bragg, and Eureka produces excellent limits of vermilion, copper, blue, and lingcod (when the lingcod season reopens, typically in May or July depending on region). Halibut fishing remains strong through summer in the Central Coast and Bay Area.

Ocean salmon fishing — when open — typically runs from mid-spring through fall, but seasons have been severely restricted in recent years due to poor Sacramento River chinook runs. Always check CDFW regulations before planning a salmon trip.

Freshwater

Summer is trout season in the Sierra. The Eastern Sierra lakes and streams from Bridgeport south to Lone Pine fish at their best from June through September, with stocked rainbow trout, wild browns, and — for the adventurous — golden trout in the high country above 9,000 feet. Lake Tahoe produces kokanee salmon and lake trout through the summer months, with downrigger trolling being the primary technique in deep water.

Bass fishing gets tougher as water temperatures climb into the 80s and 90s on lower-elevation lakes. The bite shifts to early morning topwater and deep-water tactics on Clear Lake and the Delta. Catfish fishing peaks in summer — the warm water concentrates channel catfish and blue catfish in the Delta, Sacramento River, and Southern California reservoirs. Striped bass scatter through the Delta in summer and are harder to pattern than during the spring run.

Fall (September – November)

Saltwater

Fall is the most productive overall season for California saltwater fishing. Water temperatures peak in September, bringing the warmest-water species closest to shore. The bluefin tuna bite extends into October and sometimes November off San Diego. Albacore push close to shore during warm-water years, putting them within range of day boats from Monterey to San Diego. Yellowtail fishing peaks on the islands and kelp beds in September and October.

The fall rockfish and lingcod bite is excellent statewide, with the cooler water pushing fish shallower and more aggressive. Halibut fishing continues through fall in Central and Northern California. The North Coast steelhead runs begin in earnest by November, with the Smith River and Klamath-Trinity systems being the first to fire.

The Dungeness crab season typically opens in November or December (exact dates vary by year and region), marking the start of what many consider the best eating fishery on the coast. Spiny lobster season opens in early October in Southern California.

Freshwater

Fall is when California’s bass fisheries wake back up. As water temperatures drop from summer highs, largemouth and spotted bass become aggressive on Clear Lake, the Delta, and the foothill reservoirs. October and November are prime pre-winter feeding months, with fish loading up before the cooler season.

The fall salmon run on the Sacramento River (when open) brings chinook through the Delta and upriver through Sacramento to Redding. Steelhead fishing starts on the Smith River and Klamath by November, with the best action coinciding with the first significant rains. Trout season on most Sierra streams closes November 15, but some waters (particularly the Lower Owens River and sections of the Sacramento) fish year-round.

Winter (December – February)

Saltwater

Winter is the quietest season offshore, but the inshore and nearshore fishing remains productive. The Dungeness crab fishery is in full swing from December through March — the North Coast (Crescent City, Eureka, Bodega Bay) and the Bay Area (San Francisco, Half Moon Bay) are the crabbing epicenters. Rockfish fishing continues on calm-weather days, and the near-shore lingcod bite peaks from December through February.

In Southern California, the winter months produce good calico bass, sheephead, and whitefish on the kelp beds, and the barred surfperch fishing on sandy beaches peaks from December through March. The Channel Islands still fish on good-weather days, and the San Diego bays hold spotted bay bass and halibut year-round.

Freshwater

Winter is steelhead season — the premier fly fishing experience in California. The Smith River produces the biggest steelhead in the state (the state record is 27 lb 4 oz), with the peak run from December through February. The Klamath, Trinity, Eel, and Russian rivers all host winter steelhead runs, and the Central Valley steelhead season on the American, Feather, and Mokelumne rivers runs from early January into spring.

Sturgeon fishing in San Pablo Bay and the Delta was historically a winter highlight — the fish move into the brackish Delta waters from January through March to spawn. Under 2025 regulations, white sturgeon fishing is catch-and-release only, with a Sturgeon Report Card required. Bass fishing slows considerably in winter on most lakes, though the Delta’s milder water temperatures keep bass catchable year-round for anglers willing to slow down.

California Fishing Calendar

★★★ = Peak season    ★★☆ = Good fishing    ★☆☆ = Slow or limited

Key Fishing Seasons and Closures

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: California Department of Fish and Wildlife. CDFW Fishing Regulations.