Northern California Fish Species Guide

Learn About California Coastal Fish

Northern California's rocky coastline is one of the most productive fishing environments on the Pacific Coast. From the Sonoma Coast to the Mendocino bluffs, these cold, nutrient-rich waters support an incredible diversity of fish, most famously the rockfish family (Sebastes), which includes over a dozen commonly targeted species. Add lingcod, cabezon, halibut, and the seasonal offshore runs of albacore and yellowfin tuna, and you've got some of the best mixed-bag fishing anywhere in the country.

I've fished these waters for years from my kayak, tangling with everything from shallow-water black rockfish to deep-dwelling large cabezon. This guide covers every species I regularly encounter, how to identify them, where they live, what they eat, how to catch them, and what the current California regulations say. As always, regulations change - verify at wildlife.ca.gov before every trip.