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California
51 species
California
51 species
🌊
Saltwater Fish
Garibaldi
🐟
Freshwater Fish
Golden Trout
🦅
State Bird
California Quail
🌸
State Flower
California Poppy
🦌
State Mammal
California Grizzly Bear
Largemouth Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Mar, Apr, May, Jun
Secondary: Sep, Oct, Nov
🌡️ Temp: 60-85°F
🏞️ Habitat: lakes, reservoirs, rivers
Statewide; spring spawn peak
Smallmouth Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun
Secondary: Sep
🌡️ Temp: 55-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: rivers, lakes
Northern CA rivers & lakes
Spotted Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun
Secondary: Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 60-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: rivers, reservoirs
Central & Southern CA
Striped Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun
Secondary: Oct
🌡️ Temp: 55-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: rivers, delta, coastal
San Francisco Bay-Delta system
Bluegill
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug
🌡️ Temp: 65-85°F
🏞️ Habitat: ponds, lakes
Bedding cycles; statewide
Redear Sunfish
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May
🌡️ Temp: 68-82°F
🏞️ Habitat: lakes, ponds
Shellcracker; spring beds
Green Sunfish
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Year-round; common in ponds
Black Crappie
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Mar, Apr
🌡️ Temp: 55-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: lakes, reservoirs
Spring spawn focus
Channel Catfish
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
🌡️ Temp: 70-85°F
🏞️ Habitat: rivers, lakes
Summer peak; statewide
Flathead Catfish
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug
🌡️ Temp: 72-88°F
🏞️ Habitat: rivers
Large rivers; trophy potential
White Catfish
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Year-round; Delta common
Rainbow Trout
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 45-65°F
🏞️ Habitat: streams, lakes
Elevation-dependent; stocked + wild
Brown Trout
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 45-65°F
🏞️ Habitat: streams, lakes
Elevation-dependent; introduced
Brook Trout
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
🌡️ Temp: 40-60°F
🏞️ Habitat: high_mountain_streams
High elevation; introduced
Golden Trout
Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
🌡️ Temp: 40-58°F
🏞️ Habitat: high_mountain_streams
🛡️ State fish; protected; high Sierra only
Sacramento Perch
Non-GamePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Native CA species; rare
Hitch
Non-GamePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Native minnow; Central Valley
Pikeminnow
Non-GamePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Formerly "squawfish"; native predator
Tule Perch
Non-GamePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Native; California endemic
Common Carp
⚠️ InvasivePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Invasive; removal encouraged
Grass Carp
⚠️ InvasivePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Invasive; vegetation control
Goldfish
⚠️ InvasivePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Invasive; released pets
Northern Pike
⚠️ InvasivePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Invasive; limited waters; report sightings
Mississippi Silverside
⚠️ InvasivePeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Invasive; introduced baitfish
California Halibut
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 58-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: sandy_bottom, nearshore
Warm water prime; Southern CA strength
White Seabass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug
🌡️ Temp: 58-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: kelp, nearshore
Migration peak spring-summer
Kelp Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 60-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: kelp, structure
Kelp forest specialist; Southern CA
Calico Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 60-72°F
🏞️ Habitat: rocky_reefs, kelp
Kelp Bass relative; structure-oriented
Barred Sand Bass
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 58-72°F
🏞️ Habitat: sandy_bottom, nearshore
Sandy areas; Southern CA bays
Surfperch
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 50-65°F
🏞️ Habitat: surf, rocky_shores
Year-round; multiple species group
Yellowtail
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 62-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: offshore, kelp_edges
Summer migration; highly prized
Pacific Bonito
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 62-72°F
🏞️ Habitat: nearshore, offshore
Summer-fall schools
Albacore Tuna
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 58-68°F
🏞️ Habitat: offshore
Offshore summer migration
Bluefin Tuna
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
🌡️ Temp: 60-72°F
🏞️ Habitat: offshore
Trophy fishery; highly regulated
Rockfish
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 48-60°F
🏞️ Habitat: reefs, rocky_bottom
Multiple Sebastes species; depth-based; highly regulated
Lingcod
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 45-60°F
🏞️ Habitat: rocky_reefs, kelp
Rocky structure; excellent table fare
Cabezon
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 48-60°F
🏞️ Habitat: rocky_reefs, kelp
Year-round; rocky areas
California Sheephead
Regulated✓ Harvestable
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 55-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: rocky_reefs, kelp
Year-round; kelp forest icon
Garibaldi
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 55-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: rocky_reefs, kelp
🛡️ PROTECTED - State marine fish; no harvest; bright orange reef fish
Leopard Shark
Awareness OnlyPeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Year-round; common nearshore; docile
Soupfin Shark
Awareness OnlyPeak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
⚠️ Summer-fall presence
Thresher Shark
Awareness OnlyPeak: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
⚠️ Summer-fall; long tail
Bat Ray
Awareness OnlyPeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Year-round; common in bays
Skate
Awareness OnlyPeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
⚠️ Multiple species; year-round
Minnows (group)
Peak: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 50-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: streams, rivers, lakes
Essential forage base
Shiners (group)
Peak: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 50-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: streams, rivers, lakes
Popular live bait
Suckers (group)
Peak: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 50-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: streams, rivers
Spring spawning runs
Northern Anchovy
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 50-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: coastal, bays
Critical forage for predators
Pacific Sardine
RegulatedPeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 55-70°F
🏞️ Habitat: coastal, offshore
Schooling forage - population variable
Pacific Herring
RegulatedPeak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
🌡️ Temp: 45-65°F
🏞️ Habitat: bays, estuaries
Essential forage - spawning bays
Silversides (group)
Peak: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
🌡️ Temp: 55-75°F
🏞️ Habitat: bays, nearshore
Common baitfish
