SoCal Species × Month Calendar (2026)
Published · Researched 2026-09-20
Derived from each species profile's "Best season / months in SoCal" section, which is grounded in dated 2026 social reports where available (see profiles for evidence) and otherwise general fishing knowledge. Rockfish season cells carry the UNVERIFIED regulatory caveat noted in rockfish.md.
Legend: peak · good · slow · off
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefin tuna | off | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | off | off |
| Yellowfin tuna | off | off | off | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | good | off | off |
| Albacore | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | off | off | off |
| Yellowtail | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow | slow | off |
| White seabass | off | off | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | good | slow | off | off | off |
| Calico bass | slow | slow | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow |
| Barred sand bass | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow | slow |
| Rockfish (boat)* | off | off | slow | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | good |
| California halibut | slow | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow | slow |
| Leopard shark | off | off | off | slow | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | slow | off |
| Barred surfperch | slow | slow | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow |
| Corbina | off | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | off | off |
| Yellowfin croaker | slow | slow | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow |
| Pacific mackerel | good | good | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good |
| Bonito | off | off | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | off |
| Largemouth bass | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | good | peak | peak | peak | good |
| Rainbow trout | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | slow | slow | slow | good | peak | peak | peak |
| Channel catfish | off | off | off | good | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | good | off | off |
*Rockfish boat-based season/depth rules are UNVERIFIED for the current Southern Groundfish Management Area (see rockfish.md); shore/diver take is year-round. Rockfish cells above combine the suggested regulatory schedule with the social "fishing seasonality" (peak Apr–Oct). Do not fish the calendar without checking the live CDFW Southern Region groundfish rules.