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California fishing

What's biting in California in November: lingcod, rockfish, steelhead and striped bass at their peak, with surfperch, striped marlin and yellowfin tuna around too, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. It follows California fishing across 4 waters, with 50 fish-by-water guides for 32 fish.

Updated

What's biting in California in November

From the season calendar, best first
Peak
Lingcod
Southern California · Central California Coast · Northern California Coast
Peak
Rockfish
Southern California · Central California Coast · Northern California Coast
Peak
Steelhead
Northern California Coast · California freshwater
Peak
Striped bass
Central California Coast · California freshwater
Peak
White sturgeon
Central California Coast · California freshwater
Peak
Black crappie
California freshwater
Peak
Blue catfish
California freshwater
Spawning
Brown trout
California freshwater
Spawning
Chinook (king) salmon
California freshwater
Peak
Lake trout
California freshwater
Peak
Largemouth bass
California freshwater
Peak
Smallmouth bass
California freshwater
Peak
Spotted bass
California freshwater
Arriving
Surfperch
Southern California · Central California Coast · Northern California Coast
Leaving
Striped marlin
Southern California

Where to fish in California

4 waters
San Diego to Point Conception

Southern California

November: Fall rockfish and lingcod; surf perch return to the troughs

Fished from San Diego, Dana Point, Long Beach, Marina del Rey, Oxnard, Santa Barbara.

1,494 charted public spots — 695 beach / shore access, 252 seawall / riprap, 227 wreck. Open the map in the app to see them.

AlbacoreBarred sand bassBluefin tunaCalifornia corbinaCalifornia halibutKelp (calico) bassLingcodMahi-mahiPacific barracudaPacific bonitoPacific yellowtailRockfishStriped marlinSurfperchWhite seabassYellowfin tuna
Southern California, month by month
Point Conception to San Francisco Bay

Central California Coast

November: Pre-spawn lingcod; sturgeon return with the rain; perch in the surf

Fished from Morro Bay, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, Berkeley.

1,236 charted public spots — 507 beach / shore access, 199 seawall / riprap, 175 wreck. Open the map in the app to see them.

AlbacoreCabezonCalifornia halibutChinook (king) salmonLingcodPacific bonitoPacific yellowtailRockfishStriped bassSurfperchWhite seabassWhite sturgeon
Central California Coast, month by month
Bodega Bay to the Oregon line

Northern California Coast

November: First winter steelhead; pre-spawn lings

Fished from Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Shelter Cove, Eureka, Trinidad, Crescent City.

678 charted public spots — 351 beach / shore access, 136 boat ramp, 89 jetty / groin. Open the map in the app to see them.

AlbacoreCabezonChinook (king) salmonLingcodPacific halibutRockfishSteelheadSurfperch
Northern California Coast, month by month
The Delta to the Sierra

California freshwater

November: Fall bass and the first steelhead

Fished from Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, Clear Lake, Lake Oroville, Bullards Bar, Lake Shasta, Eastern Sierra, Castaic Lake.

American shadBlack crappieBlue catfishChinook (king) salmonKokanee salmonLargemouth bassRainbow troutRedear sunfishSmallmouth bassSpotted bassSteelheadStriped bassWhite catfishWhite sturgeon
California freshwater, month by month

Rules and licence

Size and bag limits and seasons in California are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and change — read the current rule before you keep a fish.

Salt-water rulesFresh-water rulesBuy a licence

Statewide rules today

CDFW, where no local rule applies
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 25 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 14" TL minimum · 4 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 10 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 25 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 2 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 2 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 25 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · 10" TL maximum · 10 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · No limit
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 10 per person
Inland salmon seasons are set river by river (Section 7.40); coho may never be kept (Statewide, fresh water)
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 2 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 14" TL minimum · 5 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 10 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 28" TL minimum · 10 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 24" FL minimum · 10 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · 24" FL minimum · 10 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · 5 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 2 per person
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · No limit
catch and release only (Statewide, salt water)
Only hatchery (adipose-clipped) steelhead may be kept, and only where open; seasons and limits are set by district and by named river (Sections 7.00 and 7.40) (Statewide, fresh water)
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 1 per person
(Statewide, salt water) Check CDFW — this rule may have changed.
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 2 per person
open (Statewide, fresh water) · no minimum size · No limit
open (Statewide, salt water) · 28" TL minimum · 3 per person
(Statewide, salt water) Check CDFW — this rule may have changed.
catch and release only (Statewide, fresh water)
open (Statewide, salt water) · no minimum size · 10 per person
As of 8 November 2026. Source CDFW, checked 5 November 2026 · For education only — rules change. Always confirm with CDFW before you keep a fish.

From the blog

All posts
California Fishing Regulations: How CDFW's Rules Work (2026)How California fishing regulations work: CDFW's ocean and freshwater booklets, groundfish areas, salmon zones, report cards, piers and inland districts.Best Time to Fish San Diego: Kelp, Piers and Offshore by MonthThe best time to fish San Diego is June to September for yellowtail, bluefin and calicos, but winter has surf perch and spring has seabass. Month by month.Best Time to Fish Monterey Bay: A Month-by-Month GuideThe best time to fish Monterey Bay is May to September: kings, halibut, rockfish and lingcod, with winter surf perch. What's biting each month and where to go.
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