California Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many California charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Halibut96 charters · April to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Salmon76 charters · June to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Lingcod57 charters · April to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Bluefin Tuna55 charters · June to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Rockfish47 charters · April to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Mahi-Mahi43 charters · July to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Trout41 charters · April to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Albacore27 charters · July to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass24 charters · March to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Marlin21 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Yellowtail20 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Shark13 charters · May to July | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Yellowfin Tuna11 charters · July to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Sturgeon9 charters · November to March | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Steelhead5 charters · December to March | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
California fishing, month by month
- March
- Striped Bass, Sturgeon, Steelhead
- April
- Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish, Trout, Striped Bass
- May
- Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish, Trout, Striped Bass, Yellowtail, Shark
- June
- Halibut, Salmon, Lingcod, Bluefin Tuna, Rockfish, Trout, Yellowtail, Shark
- July
- Halibut, Salmon, Lingcod, Bluefin Tuna, Rockfish, Mahi-Mahi, Trout, Albacore, Yellowtail, Shark, Yellowfin Tuna
- August
- Halibut, Salmon, Lingcod, Bluefin Tuna, Rockfish, Mahi-Mahi, Trout, Albacore, Marlin, Yellowtail, Yellowfin Tuna
- September
- Lingcod, Bluefin Tuna, Rockfish, Mahi-Mahi, Trout, Albacore, Marlin, Yellowtail, Yellowfin Tuna
- October
- Lingcod, Bluefin Tuna, Rockfish, Mahi-Mahi, Trout, Albacore, Striped Bass, Marlin, Yellowtail, Yellowfin Tuna
- November
- Striped Bass, Sturgeon
Before you book
- Salmon: Ocean salmon seasons have been closed or cut back in recent years. Check CDFW before you book.
- Trout: Many Sierra waters open the last Saturday in April. Other waters have their own dates.
- Sturgeon: White sturgeon is catch and release only in California, Oct 1 to Jun 30, and a report card is required.
- Steelhead: A Steelhead Report Card is required, and it must be returned even if you caught nothing.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a California charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for California, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check California's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.