Malibu spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

• white seabassmin 71 cm
  Atractoscion nobilis · 3–30 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
  Year-round, min 28″ TL (71 cm), 3/day — BUT only 1/day south of Pt. Conception between Mar 15 and Jun 15 (spawning aggregations). The single most-broken rule among SoCal divers. T14 CCR §28.35.
• California halibutmin 56 cm
  Paralichthys californicus · 3–30 m · legal
  Year-round, min 22″ TL (56 cm). The bag splits at Pt. Sur (Monterey Co.): 2/day to the north, 5/day to the south. T14 CCR §28.15.
• California yellowtailmin 61 cm
  Seriola dorsalis · 3–40 m · legal
  Year-round, min 24″ FL (61 cm), 10/day — of which no more than 5 may be under 24″ FL. T14 CCR §28.37.
• California sheepheadmin 30 cm
  Bodianus pulcher · 3–25 m · legal
  Spear-critical: the Jan 1–end of Feb closure does NOT apply to divers — divers and shore anglers fish year-round (T14 CCR §28.26(a)(2)). During that closure no gear other than spearfishing gear may be aboard the vessel. Min 12″ TL (30 cm), 2/day.
• kelp/sand bassmin 36 cm
  Paralabrax spp. · 2–20 m · legal
  Year-round, min 14″ TL (36 cm). Bag 5/day for all three species combined, of which no more than 4 may be barred sand bass (sub-limit in force until Jun 1 2028). T14 CCR §28.30.
• rockfish
  Sebastes spp. · 5–50 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
  The headline fact for divers: GMA seasons and depth limits do NOT bind spearfishers — divers may take the RCG complex year-round at any depth (§27.20(b)(1)(D)). BUT zero limit on bronzespotted, cowcod, QUILLBACK and YELLOWEYE rockfish. Overall 10 RCG fish/day.
• lingcodmin 56 cm
  Ophiodon elongatus · 5–50 m · legal
  Open to divers year-round at any depth (§27.20(b)(1)(D)); the GMA seasons bind boat and shore. Min 22″ TL (56 cm), 2/day. Closed year-round inside the Groundfish Exclusion Areas. T14 CCR §28.27.
• cabezon
  Scorpaenichthys marmoratus · 3–25 m · legal
  A primary California reef/kelp target from Point Loma to Crescent City. Divers year-round at any depth. No minimum size — the old 15″ floor is gone from the 2026 text. 10/day within the RCG complex. T14 CCR §28.28.
• kelp and rock greenling
  Hexagrammos spp. · 2–20 m · legal
  A standard central/northern California shallow-reef target. Divers year-round at any depth, no minimum size, 10/day within the RCG complex. T14 CCR §28.29.
• California scorpionfish (sculpin)
  Scorpaena guttata · 5–40 m · legal
  One of the few groundfish explicitly EXEMPT from season and depth restrictions (§27.20(b)(1)(B)): year-round, all GMAs, any depth. No minimum size, 5/day. The dorsal spines are venomous — handle by the lower jaw. T14 CCR §28.54.
• California barracudamin 71 cm
  Sphyraena argentea · 1–25 m · legal
  A classic SoCal blue-water target. Year-round, min 28″ TL (71 cm), 10/day as part of the 20-fish general bag limit. T14 CCR §28.25.
• Pacific bonitomin 61 cm
  Sarda chiliensis · 0–30 m · legal
  The main SoCal pelagic within breath-hold range. Year-round, min 24″ FL (61 cm) or 5 lb, except five fish under that size may be taken. 10/day. T14 CCR §28.32.
• ocean whitefish
  Caulolatilus princeps · 5–45 m · legal
  An everyday Channel Islands / SoCal reef fish. Year-round, no minimum size (fillets must be at least 6.5″ with skin intact). 10/day as part of the 20-fish general bag. T14 CCR §28.58.
• striped bass (California)
  Morone saxatilis · 0–15 m · legal
  A cross-façade contrast: striped bass MAY be taken by spear in California — §27.85(d) names spearfishing under §1.76 as a legal method. Year-round, 2/day; min 18″ TL (46 cm) north of Pt. Conception, no minimum south of it. Snagging and gaffing are illegal.
• opaleye
  Girella nigricans · 0–15 m · legal
  A primary shore-dive target in the SoCal kelp and surf zone. Year-round, no minimum size. There is NO species-specific bag — the statewide default applies: 20 finfish in combination, no more than 10 of any one species (§27.60(a)). Read it as the default, not a species entry.
• halfmoon (Catalina blue perch)
  Medialuna californiensis · 2–20 m · legal
  The same standing as opaleye: an abundant kelp-edge target with no species entry in Title 14. Year-round, no size limit; the general default applies — 20 finfish combined, max 10 of any one species (§27.60(a)).
• surfperch
  Embiotocidae · 0–12 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
  Year-round EXCEPT in San Francisco and San Pablo bays, where take and possession are banned Apr 1–Jul 31. Minimum only for redtail surfperch, 10.5″ TL (27 cm); none for the others. 10/day inside the 20-fish general limit; 5 all species combined in those bays. T14 CCR §28.59.
• leopard sharkmin 91 cm
  Triakis semifasciata · 1–25 m · legal
  Year-round, exempt from groundfish seasons and depth restrictions (§27.20(b)(1)(B)). Min 36″ TL (91 cm), 3/day. Spears, harpoons and bow-and-arrow are legal for all skates, rays and sharks except white shark (§28.95). T14 CCR §28.56.

• ✓California sport fishing licence (+Ocean Enhancement Validation south of Point Arguello). No separate spearfishing permit.
• ✓No take: giant sea bass, garibaldi, salmon; abalone closed to 2036. MPA network: SMR no-take, SMCA by zone. Lobster hand-take only.
• •The key spearfishing exemption (§27.20(b)(1)(D)): divers may take the whole RCG complex (rockfish–cabezon–greenling) YEAR-ROUND at ANY DEPTH — Groundfish Management Area seasons and depth limits do not bind them. The zero-limit species are the exception.
• •The complete list of what a spearfisher may NOT take (§28.90): giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi, gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon and broadbill swordfish. Every other finfish is fair game, subject to its own season and bag limit.
• •Lobster: divers take crustaceans BY HAND ONLY, may not possess a hooked device while diving, and may carry spearfishing gear only if it is not used to aid the take (§29.90, §29.80(g)). The season runs from 6 p.m. on the Friday before the first Wednesday in October.

• ⛔ 🚫 Giant (black) sea bass and garibaldi — fully protected, no take. Red abalone — fishery CLOSED until Apr 1 2036. Salmon — no spear.
• ⛔ 🚫 MPA network: State Marine Reserve (SMR) — no-take; SMCA — varies (check the specific zone). Lobster — hand-take only. No spear within 100 yd of a stream mouth north of Ventura.

US spearfishing law is state-by-state. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and distances vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, the Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances.

• Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
• Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
• Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
• Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
• Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
• Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
• UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
• Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.