There is no sure thing in fishing, but fishing for rock cod, or rockfish, also collectively known as groundfish in California waters might be as close as we can get to a sure thing. In California, rock cod and rockfish pertain to several species in a similar family, also considered groundfish due to their proximity to the bottom. This range of species provides great fishing action for experts and novices alike almost year round. Their accessibility and tenacious appetite make them thoughtful targets for anglers, and their flakey white meat makes for a great table fair.
Because they are so accessible, overfishing has come under scrutiny, and the California Department of Fish and Game has been tasked continually to manage this fishery we love. In 2023, we’ve seen significant changes to the restrictions and regulations in targeting Rockfish. This article looks to break down the details so we can get you back on the water as informed as possible for the 2023 Rockfish opener. Though we’ll look to provide you with all the necessary details, all anglers should still have a copy of their California Department of Fish and Game regulations to cross-reference. Lastly, the CDFG can make “in-season” changes to regulations which translates to a temporary closure at any time, so make sure to get on the CDFG email newsletter or stay current on their site.
THE SHORT OF IT! Groundfish Opening Dates
Below is a quick glance at Groundfish Openers in California:
| Management Area | Season Start Date |
|---|---|
| Northern California Groundfish Management Area | May 15, 2023 |
| Mendocino Groundfish Management Area | May 15, 2023 |
| San Francisco Groundfish Management Area | May 15, 2023 |
| Central California Groundfish Management Area | May 1, 2023 |
| Southern California Groundfish Management Area | April 1, 2023 |
Please take the time to read through this article as well as visit the California Department of Fish and Game website as there are stipulations associated with all opening dates.
Descending Device
As a first step, all anglers should have a descending device, such as the Diamond Fish Saver Release Device, and be well-versed in using it when fishing for groundfish. The descending device reduces mortality in released fish by releasing the fish at an optimal depth for the fish to equalize their air bladder and allow it to descend to a viable depth.
Closed Fisheries
As a starting point it’s important to identify which species are completely closed to fishing across the state regardless of season, depth and location. The below should only be caught as incidental and should be handled with care and released with a descending device.
Bronze Spotted Rockfish
Cowcod
Yelloweye Rockfish
Seasonal Groundfish Map
This table shows the open and closed seasons for Yelloweye Rockfish by management area and month along the California coast. The management areas are listed vertically on the left, and months are listed horizontally across the top from January to December. The table cells indicate whether fishing is "Closed", allowed at "All Depths", or only allowed at depths ">50 fm" (fathoms) during specific time periods.
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Northern Management Area: Closed January through April and in December. Open from May 15 to October 15 at all depths.
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Mendocino Management Area: Closed January through April. Open deeper than 50 fathoms in May and June. Open at all depths from July 16 to December 31.
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San Francisco Management Area: Closed January through April. Open deeper than 50 fathoms in May and June. Open at all depths from July 16 to December 31.
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Central Management Area: Closed January through April. Open at all depths from May 1 to September 30. Open deeper than 50 fathoms in October.
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Southern Management Area: Closed January through March. Open at all depths from April 1 to September 15. Open deeper than 50 fathoms in October.
"Closed" months are shaded in gray in the table. Months with depth restrictions or full opening are shown in white cells with corresponding text.
Regions
Within each region, CDFG has designated opening dates and locations for take of groundfish. The below tables outline this information please note special species requirements.
It’s important to note that the regulations for groundfish are not one size fits all of California. As per the CDFG, California is divided into five segments from North to South which all see different regulations. Each region will have different season openers and depth restrictions based on these five segmentations. The image below breaks down these regions.
Seasonal Groundfish Map showing the geographic boundaries of California’s marine management areas used in groundfish fisheries regulations. The coastline is divided into five labeled regions: Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, Central, and Southern.
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Northern: From the Oregon-California border (42° 00') south to Cape Mendocino (40° 10'). Cities shown include Crescent City and Eureka.
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Mendocino: From Cape Mendocino (40° 10') to Point Arena (38° 57'). Includes Fort Bragg and Mendocino County.
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San Francisco: From Point Arena (38° 57') to Pigeon Point (37° 11'). Includes San Francisco and counties like Marin, Sonoma, and San Mateo.
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Central: From Pigeon Point (37° 11') to Point Conception (34° 27'). Includes Monterey and Morro Bay, with counties such as Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara.
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Southern: From Point Conception (34° 27') to the U.S.–Mexico border. Includes Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Cowcod Conservation Areas, which are indicated offshore by striped zones. Counties include Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego.
The map also includes a compass rose and a distance scale in nautical miles (0–100).
Northern Groundfish Management Area
This table lists seasonal fishing regulations by month for various species in the California Groundfish fishery. Species are listed vertically on the left, and months are shown across the top from January to December. The table indicates whether fishing is closed, open with no depth limit, or open only during specific date ranges.
Species and Seasonal Regulations:
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RCG Complex (includes all species of Rockfishes, Cabezon, and Greenlings under §1.91, §28.55, §28.28, and §28.29):
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Jan 1 – May 14: Closed
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May 15 – Oct 15: May be taken at any depth
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Oct 16 – Dec 31: Closed
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Lingcod (§28.27):
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Jan 1 – May 14: Closed
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May 15 – Oct 15: May be taken at any depth
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Oct 16 – Dec 31: Closed
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Leopard Shark (§28.56), Pacific Sanddabs, and "Other Flatfish" (§28.48):
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Open year-round.
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No depth limit.
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“Other Flatfish” includes rock, sand, butter, curlfin, rex, and flathead soles.
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Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder (§28.47):
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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Other Federal Groundfish (§28.49):
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Includes soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish, and thornyheads
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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Mendocino Groundfish Management Area
This table shows seasonal regulations by species group for groundfish in a specific region of California (region not named in the image). Species are listed vertically, and months from January to December are listed across the top. The table uses text to indicate open/closed dates and any applicable depth restrictions.
Species and Regulations:
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Nearshore Rockfish (§1.91(a)(1) and §28.55): Includes black, black and yellow, blue, brown, calico, China, copper, gopher, grass, kelp, olive, and quillback rockfishes; also treefish.
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Jan 1 – Jul 15: Closed
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Jul 16 – Dec 31: May be taken at any depth
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Cabezon and Greenlings (§28.28 and §28.29):
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Jan 1 – Jul 15: Closed
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Jul 16 – Dec 31: May be taken at any depth
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All Other Rockfish – Shelf Rockfish (§1.91(a)(3)): Includes bocaccio, canary, chilipepper, dusky, flag, greenblotched, greenspotted, greenstriped, harlequin, honeycomb, Mexican, pink, redstripe, rosethorn, rosy, shortbelly, silvergray, speckled, squarespot, starry, stripetail, tiger, vermilion, widow, and yellowtail rockfishes.
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Jan 1 – May 14: Closed
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May 15 – Jul 15: Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, as defined by federal waypoints in 50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C.
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Jul 16 – Dec 31: May be taken at any depth
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Slope Rockfish (§1.91(a)(4)): Includes aurora, bank, blackgill, darkblotched, redbanded, roughye, sharpchin, shortraker, splitnose, yellowmouth rockfishes; and Pacific ocean perch.
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Same regulations as Shelf Rockfish
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Lingcod (§28.27):
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Same regulations as Shelf Rockfish
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California Scorpionfish (§28.54), Leopard Shark (§28.56), Pacific Sanddabs and “Other Flatfish” (§28.48), Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder (§28.47), and Other Federal Groundfish (§28.49):
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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“Other Flatfish” include rock, sand, butter, curlfin, rex, and flathead soles.
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“Other Federal Groundfish” include soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish, and thornyheads.
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San Francisco Groundfish Management Area
This table displays seasonal fishing regulations by species group for groundfish in a specific California region (exact region not labeled in image). Months are listed across the top, and species groups are listed on the left. The chart indicates seasonal closures, open dates, and depth-based restrictions.
Species and Regulations:
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Nearshore Rockfish (§1.91(a)(1) and §28.55): Includes black, black and yellow, blue, brown, calico, China, copper, gopher, grass, kelp, olive, and quillback rockfishes; treefish.
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Jan 1 – Jul 15: Closed
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Jul 16 – Dec 31: May be taken at any depth
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Cabezon and Greenlings (§28.28 and §28.29):
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Jan 1 – Jul 15: Closed
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Jul 16 – Dec 31: May be taken at any depth
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All Other Rockfish — Shelf Rockfish (§1.91(a)(3)): Includes bocaccio, canary, chilipepper, dusky, flag, greenblotched, greenspotted, greenstriped, harlequin, honeycomb, Mexican, pink, redstripe, rosethorn, rosy, shortbelly, silvergray, speckled, squarespot, starry, stripetail, tiger, vermilion, widow, and yellowtail rockfishes.
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Jan 1 – May 14: Closed
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May 15 – Jul 15: Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 ft) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, defined by federal waypoints in 50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C.
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Jul 16 – Dec 31: May be taken at any depth
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Slope Rockfish (§1.91(a)(4)): Includes aurora, bank, blackgill, darkblotched, redbanded, roughye, sharpchin, shortraker, splitnose, yellowmouth rockfishes; Pacific ocean perch.
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Same dates and restrictions as Shelf Rockfish
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Lingcod (§28.27):
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Same dates and restrictions as Shelf Rockfish
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California Scorpionfish (§28.54), Leopard Shark (§28.56), Pacific Sanddabs and “Other Flatfish” (§28.48), Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder (§28.47), and Other Federal Groundfish (§28.49):
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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“Other Flatfish” include rock, sand, butter, curlfin, rex, and flathead soles.
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“Other Federal Groundfish” include soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish, and thornyheads.
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Central California Groundfish Management Area
This table shows seasonal fishing regulations by species group for the Northern Groundfish Management Area in California. Species are listed on the left, and months from January to December run across the top. Restrictions are listed by date ranges, with some including depth limitations.
Species and Regulations:
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Nearshore Rockfish (§1.91(a)(1) and §28.55): Includes black, black and yellow, blue, brown, calico, China, copper, gopher, grass, kelp, olive, and quillback rockfishes; treefish.
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Jan 1 – Apr 30: Closed
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May 1 – Sep 30: May be taken at any depth
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Oct 1 – Dec 31: Closed
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Cabezon and Greenlings (§28.28 and §28.29):
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Same open/closed dates as Nearshore Rockfish
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All Other Rockfish — Shelf Rockfish (§1.91(a)(3)): Includes bocaccio, canary, chilipepper, dusky, flag, greenblotched, greenspotted, greenstriped, harlequin, honeycomb, Mexican, pink, redstripe, rosethorn, rosy, shortbelly, silvergray, speckled, squarespot, starry, stripetail, tiger, vermilion, widow, and yellowtail rockfishes.
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Jan 1 – Apr 30: Closed
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May 1 – Sep 30: May be taken at any depth
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Oct 1 – Dec 31: Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, which is defined by a series of federal waypoints (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C)
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Slope Rockfish (§1.91(a)(4)): Includes aurora, bank, blackgill, darkblotched, redbanded, roughye, sharpchin, shortraker, splitnose, yellowmouth rockfishes; and Pacific ocean perch.
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Same rules as Shelf Rockfish
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Lingcod (§28.27):
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Same rules as Shelf Rockfish
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California Scorpionfish (§28.54), Leopard Shark (§28.56), Pacific Sanddabs and “Other Flatfish” (§28.48), Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder (§28.47), and Other Federal Groundfish (§28.49):
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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“Other Flatfish” include rock, sand, butter, curlfin, rex, and flathead soles.
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“Other Federal Groundfish” include soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish, and thornyheads.
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Southern California Groundfish Management Area
This table presents seasonal fishing regulations by species group for the Northern Groundfish Management Area in California. Species are listed on the left; months are arranged across the top from January to December. The table uses red text to indicate closures, open dates, and depth restrictions.
Species and Regulations:
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Nearshore Rockfish (§1.91(a)(1) and §28.55): Includes black, black and yellow, blue, brown, calico, China, copper, gopher, grass, kelp, olive, and quillback rockfishes; treefish.
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Jan 1 – Mar 31: Closed
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Apr 1 – Sep 15: May be taken at any depth
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Sep 16 – Dec 31: Closed
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Cabezon and Greenlings (§28.28 and §28.29):
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Same as Nearshore Rockfish
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All Other Rockfish — Shelf Rockfish (§1.91(a)(3)): Includes bocaccio, canary, chilipepper, dusky, flag, greenblotched, greenspotted, greenstriped, harlequin, honeycomb, Mexican, pink, redstripe, rosethorn, rosy, shortbelly, silvergray, speckled, squarespot, starry, stripetail, tiger, vermilion, widow, and yellowtail rockfishes.
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Jan 1 – Mar 31: Closed
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Apr 1 – Sep 15: May be taken at any depth
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Sep 16 – Dec 31: Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, defined in federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C)
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Slope Rockfish (§1.91(a)(4)): Includes aurora, bank, blackgill, darkblotched, redbanded, roughye, sharpchin, shortraker, splitnose, yellowmouth rockfishes; and Pacific ocean perch.
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Same regulations as Shelf Rockfish
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Lingcod (§28.27):
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Same regulations as Shelf Rockfish
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California Scorpionfish (§28.54), Leopard Shark (§28.56), Pacific Sanddabs and “Other Flatfish” (§28.48), Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder (§28.47), and Other Federal Groundfish (§28.49):
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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“Other Flatfish” include rock, sand, butter, curlfin, rex, and flathead soles.
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“Other Federal Groundfish” include soupfin shark, Dover sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish, skates, ratfish, grenadiers, finescale codling, Pacific cod, Pacific whiting, sablefish, and thornyheads.
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Cowcod Conservation Groundfish Management Area
This table shows seasonal fishing regulations by species group for the Mendocino Groundfish Management Area in California. Species are listed vertically on the left, and months span January through December across the top. The table uses red text to indicate closures and depth-based limitations tied to federal conservation boundaries.
Species and Regulations:
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Nearshore Rockfish (§1.91(a)(1) and §28.55): Includes black, black and yellow, blue, brown, calico, China, copper, gopher, grass, kelp, olive, and quillback rockfishes; treefish.
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Jan 1 – Mar 31: Closed
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Apr 1 – Sep 15: May be taken at any depth
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Sep 16 – Dec 31: Closed
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Shelf Rockfish (§1.91(a)(3)): Includes bocaccio, canary, chilipepper, dusky, flag, greenblotched, greenspotted, greenstriped, harlequin, honeycomb, Mexican, pink, redstripe, rosethorn, rosy, shortbelly, silvergray, speckled, squarespot, starry, stripetail, tiger, vermilion, widow, and yellowtail rockfishes.
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Jan 1 – Mar 31: Closed
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Apr 1 – Sep 15: Take is authorized shoreward of the 40-fathom (240 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, as defined by federal waypoints in 50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C
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Sep 16 – Dec 31: Closed
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Cabezon and Greenlings (§28.28 and §28.29)
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Lingcod (§28.27):
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Follow same dates and rules as Shelf Rockfish
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California Scorpionfish (§28.54), Pacific Sanddabs and “Other Flatfish” (§28.48), and Petrale Sole and Starry Flounder (§28.47):
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Open year-round
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No depth limit
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“Other Flatfish” include rock, sand, butter, curlfin, rex, and flathead soles
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Targeting Groundfish
It seems that these days there are just about as many techniques to targeting groundfish as there are varied species. Everyone has their own favorite method and technique. Some are suited to target solely larger fish and some are just looking for constant action. Live bait, dead bait and artificials can all be deadly or the fish may just be keyed in on kind of presentation. The best recomendation when targeting Rock Cod is to keep expectations reasonable and bring a variety of presentations. Regardless of what you choose to use it will be more dependent on structure and quantity of fish on the structure.
Key Information
- Handling Rockfish
When handling rockfish be aware of thier spines. The dorsal spines on several species of rockfish have been associated with bacterial infections. This is currently being studied as there is little information on this.
- License
Make sure to purchase your 2023 - 2024 Saltwater Fishing License from a permitted tackle shop or directly from the California Department of Fish and Game. New for this year, when you purchase your license it will be valid for a full 365-day period rather than based on the calendar periond of the year.
- Information On This Article
The information for this article has been summarized using several tools and documents provided by the California Department of Fish and Game. Melton’s Tackle takes no responsibility in regard to any legalities or actions by anglers in connection to groundfish fishing. We recommend anglers use this article as a simplified guide and supplement their information with the links provided below from the California Department of Fish and Game.
Key Links
- 2023-2024 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations
- California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations Map
- California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
- California Cowcod Conservation Areas
- Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations
NOTE: Groundfish regulations for 2023 have been updated
- Sport Fishing Licenses and Report Cards
