1. United States/
  2. Halibut fishing in the United States/
  3. California/
  4. Halibut fishing in California

Halibut fishing in California

California is known for world‑class halibut fishing in coastal waters, where anglers pursue large flatfish with impressive power and size.

Types of Halibut in California

Best baits and lures for Halibut in California

BiteGuide combines your real-time weather, water conditions, and target species to suggest lures and colors that'll work right now. Built on millions of real catches from the world's largest fishing community.

Fishbrain
BiteGuide App featureBiteGuide App feature

The right bait right now

Find out what lures to use, download the Fishbrain app!

Download the Bitetime appDownload the Bitetime app
Download the Bitetime app
Download the Bitetime app
Download the Bitetime appDownload the Bitetime app
Download the Bitetime app
Download the Bitetime appDownload the Bitetime app
Download the Bitetime app

Biggest Halibut catches

Explore your local leaderboard—see the top catches in the app.

Latest Halibut fishing reports in California

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

San Francisco Bay

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Agua Hedionda Lagoon

15 in · 1 lb

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Woods Lagoon

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Malibu Pier

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Queensway Bay

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

San Diego River

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Junipero Beach

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Ballona Creek

19 in · 4 lb

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Marin County Coast

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

California halibut

Mission Bay

length · weight

Fishbrain
More catches in the app...

Continue browsing catches and catch locations in the Fishbrain app

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

Regulations for Halibut in California

Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.

Fishing regulations in California can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.

Below you will see fishing regulations for catching California halibut as of July 16th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

California halibut

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

2

Min size

22"

Measurement

Total Length

Aggregate

20
Additional information

Bag limit increased to 5 California halibut in California waters south of a line extending due west magnetic from Point Sur, Monterey County.

Fillets must be a minimum of 16 and three-quarter inches in length and shall bear the entire skin intact. A fillet from a California halibut (flesh from one entire side of the fish with the entire skin intact) may not be cut in half fillets. However, a fillet may be cut lengthwise in a straight line along the midline of the fillet where the fillet was attached to the vertebra (backbone) of the fish only if the two pieces of a fillet remain joined along their midline for a length of at least two inches at one end of the fillet.

Synonyms

Paralichthys californicus

Regulations for

37°16′9″N 119°18′25.3″W
Regulations in the map
App Section
Download Fishbrain and fish smarter
Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. Get all the fishing intel you need to start catching more, and bigger, fish.

Free trial available

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

FAQ

🎣 What Halibut species can you catch in California?
Anglers in California commonly catch several Halibut species, including California halibut, according to reports from Fishbrain members.

These species can be found in many coastal waters, lakes throughout the area. If you are targeting a specific species, you can use the to filter catches by species and see where anglers are catching them and which baits they are using.
📍 Where are the best places to catch Halibut in California?
Halibut are caught in coastal waters, lakes throughout California. Popular fishing waters reported by Fishbrain members include San Francisco Bay, Castaic Lake, and Mission Bay.

The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Halibut have recently been caught.