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Vodič · SAD

Podvodni ribolov u SAD-u

SAD nisu jedno odredište nego pet: hladni atlantski sjeveroistok, topli jugoistok i Florida Keys, mutni ali izdašni Meksički zaljev, hladni Pacifik algi i Kalifornijske struje, te daleka Aljaska i tropski Havaji. Ne postoji jedinstveni savezni zakon o podvodnom ribolovu — svaka obalna država određuje svoju dozvolu, vrste i zone, a razlike su ogromne. Ovaj vodič slaže bitno i povezuje se s četiri regionalna vodiča i s dnevnom prognozom «idemo / na granici / ne danas» za svaki grad.

Tri pravila vrijede gotovo uz cijelu obalu. Prvo: treba ti rekreacijska ribolovna dozvola države u kojoj roniš — jeftina ili besplatna u većini, ali obavezna. Drugo: državne vode idu do 3 nautičke milje na Atlantiku i do 9 u zaljevu Floride i Teksasu; dalje počinju savezne vode, sa svojim pravilima. I treće: jastog se NIKAD ne harpunira ni u jednoj državi — vadi se rukom. Odatle nadalje sve se mijenja po državi i po obali.

Open the flagship — Key Largo →

Dozvola, vode i legalna oprema

Prije nego uđeš u vodu, tri odluke su na razini države:

No-take zone: kako ih čitati

SAD su mozaik kratica zaštićenih područja. spearo.app ih označava fail-closed — u sumnji, «zaštićeno». Ono bitno za prepoznati:

Vrste po obali i sigurnost

Plijen se potpuno mijenja od obale do obale. Na atlantskom sjeveroistoku vladaju tautog, crni brancin i fluke; na jugoistoku sheepshead, pagari i kirnje. Zaljev daje red snapper (u sezoni), sheepshead i cobiju. Pacifik daje white seabass, kalifornijski halibut, yellowtail i lingcod. Aljaska, halibut i lingcod; Havaji, ulua, uhu i invazivni roi.

Where to dive, by region

Maine

Maine — cold Gulf of Maine, macro tides; tautog/cod/flounder, no striped bass or lobster by spear.

  • Kittery — Kittery sits at the mouth of the Piscataqua River — Whaleback Light ledges and the clear Isles of Shoals hold cod, pollock and tautog.
  • York — York's southern-Maine rocky reefs — the Nubble Light channel and Bald Head Cliff drop straight into cold, clear water for cod and pollock.
  • Portland — Casco Bay island ledges off Portland — Two Lights, Portland Head and Ram Island Ledge hold cod, pollock and tautog.
  • Boothbay Harbor — Boothbay Harbor's mid-coast ledges and offshore islands — Cuckolds Light and Damariscove hold tautog, cod and lobster.
  • Bar Harbor — Mount Desert's granite coast at Bar Harbor — Egg Rock ledges and Otter Cliffs drop into clear, cold water with lobster and pollock.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire — a tiny cold coast; striped bass appears legal (no ban), no lobster by spear.

  • Portsmouth — Portsmouth fronts the Piscataqua and the Isles of Shoals — clear-water ledges for cunner, pollock and tautog.
  • Rye — Rye's rocky ledges and Isles of Shoals access — the Odiorne Point and Pulpit Rock boulders hold tautog and cunner.
  • Hampton — Hampton fishes the Hampton River inlet jetties and the Great Boars Head ledges off Hampton Beach — tautog and striped bass on the rock.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts — Cape Cod and the islands; tautog/black sea bass/fluke, no striped bass (M.G.L. 130 §100B).

  • Gloucester — Cape Ann's granite reefs off Gloucester — Norman's Woe and the Poling wreck hold tautog, cod and pollock.
  • Rockport (MA) — The tip of Cape Ann at Rockport — Halibut Point, Thacher and Straitsmouth Island ledges for cod, tautog and lobster.
  • Marblehead — Marblehead's rocky reefs — Halfway Rock pinnacle and the Children's Island ledges hold tautog, cod and lobster.
  • Woods Hole — Woods Hole's current-swept passage ledges in Vineyard Sound — slack-tide tautog and black sea bass in sheltered island water.
  • Falmouth — Falmouth's Vineyard Sound reefs — the Nobska Point ledges and the Port Hunter wreck hold tautog, black sea bass and fluke.
  • Edgartown (Martha's Vineyard) — Martha's Vineyard reefs off Edgartown — the Wasque Point rip and Cape Poge ledges hold tautog, black sea bass and fluke.
  • Nantucket — Nantucket's harbor-mouth ledges and jetty — Brant Point and Jetties Beach hold flounder and tautog.
  • Nahant — Nahant dives Egg Rock and the East Point / Castle Rock ledges off Nahant Bay — tautog, cunner and black sea bass on granite.
  • Scituate — Scituate works the harbour breakwater and the wave-swept Minots Ledge — tautog, cod and pollock on the rock.
  • Plymouth — Plymouth dives Gurnet Point and the Bug Light riprap at the bay entrance — tautog, black sea bass and cod in sheltered water.
  • Provincetown — Provincetown fishes the Long Point and Wood End breakwaters at the harbour mouth — tautog, black sea bass and cunner on granite.
  • Chatham — Chatham's outer-Cape bars off the light and Harding Beach Point hold black sea bass, fluke and cod over scattered hard bottom.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island — rocky shores; tautog/black sea bass, striped bass IS spearable (explicit carve-out).

  • Newport (RI) — Newport's Ocean Drive rocky cliffs — Castle Hill, Brenton Reef and King's Beach hold tautog, scup and striped bass.
  • Point Judith — Point Judith's breakwater and Whale Rock — three miles of tautog and scup structure at the West Passage mouth.
  • New Shoreham (Block Island) — Block Island's clear offshore reefs — the Lightburne wreck, Old Harbor breakwater and North Light rocks for tautog, scup and striped bass.
  • Jamestown — Jamestown offers Fort Wetherill's boulder cove and the Beavertail ledges on Conanicut Island — Rhode Island's best shore diving for tautog, scup and striped bass.
  • Narragansett — Narragansett fishes Black Point and Whale Rock off Ocean Road — tautog, scup and striped bass on rocky ledges.
  • Westerly — Westerly dives Watch Hill Reef and Napatree Point Ledge — boulder reefs off Watch Hill for tautog, scup and striped bass.

Connecticut

Connecticut — Marine District only; tautog/scup/black sea bass, no striped bass by spear.

  • Stonington — Stonington's Fishers Island Sound reefs — Noyes Rock, Latimer Reef and Napatree Point ledges for tautog and scup.
  • Groton — Groton's "Race" and Avery Point — high-current Long Island Sound reefs holding trophy tautog and scup.
  • Branford — Branford's Thimble Islands — granite reefs and Falkner Island for tautog, scup and sea bass in sheltered Sound water.
  • Niantic — Niantic works Bartlett Reef and the Black Point ledges in Niantic Bay — tautog, scup and black sea bass in the current.
  • Old Saybrook — Old Saybrook dives the Saybrook Breakwater jetty and Cornfield Point at the Connecticut River mouth — tautog, scup and black sea bass.

New York

New York — free registry, striped bass legal; submerged, ≥100 yards from beaches, muscle-power guns only.

  • Montauk — Montauk Point's rocky tip — Turtle Cove, Shagwong Reef and Camp Hero ledges for striped bass, tautog and black sea bass.
  • Orient Point — Orient Point's Plum Gut and the Race — swift-current Long Island Sound reefs holding trophy tautog.
  • Hampton Bays (Shinnecock Inlet) — Shinnecock Inlet off Hampton Bays — the NYSDEC artificial reef and twin jetties for blackfish, sea bass and fluke.
  • Fire Island Inlet — Fire Island Inlet's south-shore reef and jetties — barges, dredges and rock for striped bass, tautog and sea bass.
  • Long Beach (NY) — Long Beach's nearshore NY artificial reefs — Atlantic Beach and Hempstead reefs plus the Jones Inlet jetty for tautog, sea bass and striped bass.
  • Freeport — Freeport runs out through Jones Inlet to Hempstead Reef and the Point Lookout jetty — tautog, sea bass and striped bass.
  • City Island (Bronx) — City Island's western Long Island Sound reefs — Execution Rocks and Stepping Stones for tautog and scup in protected water.
  • Jones Beach — Jones Beach fishes the offshore Hempstead Reef and the Jones Inlet east jetty — tautog, black sea bass and striped bass.
  • Port Jefferson — Port Jefferson dives the Mount Sinai artificial reef and Old Field Point in Long Island Sound — tautog, black sea bass and scup.
  • Northport — Northport works Smithtown Reef and the Eatons Neck ledges in Long Island Sound — current-swept tautog, scup and black sea bass.

New Jersey

New Jersey — free registry, striped bass legal; fully submerged only, NJSP inlet zones.

  • Sandy Hook — Sandy Hook's jetties and nearshore reef — the oldest NJ reef plus "The Rip" for tautog, sheepshead and striped bass.
  • Manasquan Inlet — Manasquan Inlet's jetty and Sea Girt Reef — zone-restricted jetty diving plus offshore rubble for tautog and sea bass.
  • Point Pleasant Beach — Point Pleasant Beach's jetty and Axel Carlson Reef — a wreck-diving hub for tautog, black sea bass and sheepshead.
  • Barnegat Light — Barnegat Inlet's north jetty and offshore reef — tautog, fluke and striped bass, with NJSP diving-zone rules.
  • Atlantic City — Atlantic City's nearshore reef and Absecon Inlet jetties — tautog, black sea bass and sheepshead.
  • Cape May — Cape May's southern-tip reef and Coast Guard Jetty — tautog, black sea bass and striped bass.
  • Long Branch — Long Branch fishes the famous Shrewsbury Rocks and the Seven Presidents groins — tautog, black sea bass and striped bass on hard structure.
  • Asbury Park — Asbury Park dives the 8th Avenue jetty and the offshore Sea Girt Reef — tautog, black sea bass and striped bass.
  • Belmar — Belmar works the Shark River Inlet jetties and the Sea Girt Reef — tautog, striped bass and fluke.
  • Beach Haven — Beach Haven runs to the Garden State South and Little Egg reefs off LBI's south end — tautog, black sea bass and sheepshead.
  • Ocean City — Ocean City fishes the Ocean City and Great Egg reefs off Corson's and Great Egg inlets — tautog, black sea bass and sheepshead.
  • Wildwood — Wildwood dives the Wildwood Reef and the Hereford Inlet jetty — tautog, sheepshead, black sea bass and striped bass.

Delaware

Delaware — hook-and-line parity, striped bass legal; reef sites hook-or-spear only.

  • Indian River Inlet — Indian River Inlet's jetty and the DNREC reef sites just off the mouth hold tautog, sheepshead and flounder in strong tidal current.
  • Lewes — Lewes shelters behind Cape Henlopen on Delaware Bay, with the Roosevelt Inlet jetties and a nearby bay reef site for flounder, tautog and black drum.
  • Cape Henlopen — Cape Henlopen dives the Delaware Breakwater inner wall and the Harbor of Refuge outer wall — tautog, sheepshead, black sea bass and striped bass on granite.
  • Rehoboth Beach — Rehoboth runs to Delaware Reef Sites 9 and 10 offshore — tautog, sheepshead and black sea bass on reefs that explicitly allow spear.

Maryland

Maryland — spear/spear-gun legal but no striped bass; 100-yard rule around people/flags/vessels.

  • Ocean City — Ocean City's inlet jetty plus its offshore wrecks and reefs — Isle of Wight and the African Queen — hold tautog, sheepshead and sea bass.
  • Annapolis — Annapolis dives the Chesapeake Bay Bridge 'spider' pilings and nearby DNR reefs, where sheepshead graze the barnacles at slack tide.
  • Point Lookout — Point Lookout guards the Potomac–Chesapeake confluence — riprap, a DNR reef and the WWII U-1105 wreck (a protected preserve) for sheepshead and tautog.
  • Solomons — Solomons dives the Cedar Point and Little Cove Point DNR reefs at the Patuxent mouth in the mid-Chesapeake — sheepshead and black drum on low-relief structure.

Virginia

Virginia — the most spear-friendly Chesapeake state; striped bass legal, CBBT pilings legendary, no sharks.

  • Virginia Beach — Virginia Beach fishes the CBBT pilings and offshore reefs off the oceanfront — sheepshead, tautog and sea bass, with cobia in summer.
  • Cape Charles — Cape Charles works the Eastern-Shore CBBT islands and bayside VMRC reefs — Cherrystone and The Cell — for sheepshead and tautog.
  • Kiptopeke — Kiptopeke's nine scuttled WWII concrete ships form a breakwater reef right off the state-park beach, backed by the shallow Cabbage Patch reef.
  • Wachapreague — Wachapreague runs out its barrier-island inlet to the kite-shaped Wachapreague Reef and the deeper Parramore Liberty-ship reef for sea bass and flounder.
  • Norfolk — Norfolk fishes the East Ocean View and Newport News Middle Ground reefs in Hampton Roads — tautog, sheepshead and black sea bass.
  • Chincoteague — Chincoteague runs to Blackfish Bank Reef and Winter Quarter Shoal off the barrier-island coast — black sea bass, tautog and flounder.
  • Hampton — Hampton fishes the Bluefish Rock and Back River reefs in the lower Chesapeake — tautog, sheepshead, black sea bass and summer cobia.

Sjeverna Karolina

North Carolina — Gulf Stream wrecks; sheepshead/cobia/black sea bass, no striped bass/red drum/sharks.

  • Nags Head — Nags Head has the shallow, shore-swimmable USS Huron preserve and the boxcar-and-barge AR-140 just off the beach.
  • Oregon Inlet — Oregon Inlet runs to the twin Liberty-ship AR-160 and the vessel-plus-aircraft AR-145 for amberjack, sheepshead and sea bass.
  • Buxton — Buxton sits on Cape Point at Diamond Shoals — the deep Empire Gem and the hull of the British Splendour are the closest Graveyard wrecks, for amberjack and sea bass.
  • Hatteras — Hatteras runs the 'Torpedo Junction' wrecks Dixie Arrow and Proteus — grouper and amberjack over famous Graveyard-of-the-Atlantic structure.
  • Morehead City — Morehead City is a wreck hub — the shark-thick U-352 U-boat, the Atlas tanker and the Aeolus reef — for amberjack, grouper and sea bass.
  • Atlantic Beach — Atlantic Beach dives the upside-down Papoose, the Indra reef and the shallow AR-315 Liberty ship for amberjack, sheepshead and sea bass.
  • Wrightsville Beach — Wrightsville Beach works the AR-370 Liberty-ship reef and the natural Ten Mile Rock live-bottom for hogfish, sheepshead and triggerfish.
  • Wilmington — Wilmington runs the Cape Fear approaches — the AR-378 reef and the deeper AR-382 dredge wreck off Kure Beach — for sheepshead and sea bass.
  • Kill Devil Hills — Kill Devil Hills has the shallow Triangle Wrecks off Avalon Pier and the AR-130 nearshore reef — sheepshead, flounder and black sea bass.
  • Ocracoke — Ocracoke runs to the deep AR-250 and AR-255 offshore reefs from the inlet — black sea bass, gag grouper and amberjack on a remote, boat-only stretch.
  • Beaufort — Beaufort fishes the Fort Macon jetty, the AR-315 nearshore reef and the iconic U-352 U-boat wreck — sheepshead, black sea bass, amberjack and grouper.
  • Emerald Isle — Emerald Isle runs the Onslow Bay AR-342 and J.
  • Swansboro — Swansboro fishes the close AR-342 and the Rotary Club AR-345 reefs off Bogue Inlet — sheepshead, black sea bass, amberjack and grouper.
  • Southport — Southport works the Oak Island AR-425 and AR-420 reefs and the far Frying Pan Tower reef — sheepshead, black sea bass, amberjack and grouper.

Južna Karolina

South Carolina — non-gamefish only (§50-5-1700); gamefish hook-and-line only, bang-sticks/powerheads banned.

  • Charleston — Charleston fishes the 'Charleston 60' complex plus the Capers and nearshore reefs — sheepshead, black sea bass, amberjack and grouper over built structure.
  • Murrells Inlet — Murrells Inlet runs to the close-in Paradise Reef and the deeper Ten Mile Reef — sheepshead, black sea bass and amberjack.
  • Folly Beach — Folly Beach works the Kiawah and N. Edisto nearshore reefs southwest of town — grouper, amberjack, sheepshead and black sea bass. South Carolina makes…
  • Hilton Head Island — Hilton Head dives the Hilton Head Reef and the Port Royal Sound structure — Fish America and the Gordon Wreck — for sheepshead, sea bass and grouper.
  • Myrtle Beach — Myrtle Beach runs to the Paradise and Ten Mile reefs on the Grand Strand — sheepshead, black sea bass, spadefish and amberjack.
  • Georgetown — Georgetown fishes the CCA-North Inlet and Georgetown Nearshore reefs off Winyah Bay — sheepshead, black sea bass and flounder.

Georgia

Georgia — speargun status ambiguous in state water; real hunting on federal SMZ reefs, Gray's Reef banned.

  • Tybee Island — Tybee's federal reefs — SAV, KC and the close-in BSF — sit 4–9 nm out with cages, culvert and barges for sheepshead, sea bass and grouper.
  • Brunswick — Brunswick runs to the federal F and A reefs east of Jekyll and Cumberland — rubble, reef balls and landing craft for grouper, amberjack and sheepshead.
  • St. Simons Island — St. Simons shares the F Reef field and the ALT Reef off Little St Simons — federal SMZ structure for sheepshead, grouper and sea bass. In Georgia,…
  • Jekyll Island — Jekyll Island runs to the federal F Reef and A Reef offshore — grouper, amberjack, sheepshead and black sea bass on built structure.

Florida

Florida — the most developed US regime: snappers/groupers/hogfish/sheepshead, lionfish encouraged; Upper Keys ban, 100-yard rule, powerheads banned.

  • St. Augustine — St. Augustine's offshore concrete reefs — North Nine Mile, Rinker and Andy King — hold snapper and hogfish nine miles off the inlet. Florida's Atlantic…
  • Port Canaveral — Port Canaveral runs 15–35 km to the Anglers, FSFA and Cargo Pier reefs for snapper and cobia; the nearshore here is bare sand.
  • Vero Beach — Vero Beach has shallow nearshore worm-rock — Mitigation Rocks and Bethel Shoal — and the Wabasso patch reef for hogfish and snapper.
  • Fort Pierce — Fort Pierce fishes the high-relief Civic Center and Fish America reefs and the deep Muliphen wreck for mutton, hogfish and snapper.
  • Jupiter — Jupiter is famous for its natural drift ledges plus the Zion Train wreck and the Andrew Harris nearshore rock reef — mutton, hogfish and amberjack.
  • Palm Beach — Palm Beach drifts the 'Corridor of Ships' — Ana Cecilia, Thozina and the Princess Anne — for hogfish and mutton on the Gulf-Stream edge.
  • Boynton Beach — Boynton Beach drifts wrecks and reefs beside the Gulf Stream — the iconic Castor, Becks Reef and the deep Miller Lite reef — for hogfish and mutton.
  • Pompano Beach — Pompano's Shipwreck Park — the 324-ft Lady Luck, the clear-water Okinawa and the deep Rodeo-Lowrance — holds snapper and hogfish.
  • Fort Lauderdale — Fort Lauderdale's three reef lines and wrecks — Jay Scutti, Robert Edmister and Rebel — hold hogfish, mutton and lobster at easy depths.
  • Miami — Miami's wrecks off Government Cut — Rio Miami, Ophelia Brian and Tacoma — sit north of Biscayne NP for mutton, hogfish and lobster.
  • Key Largo — Key Largo is the reef capital of the Keys — the Spiegel Grove, Duane and Bibb are three of the most famous wrecks in the world.
  • Islamorada — Islamorada's Eagle wreck and its neighbours are iconic Upper-Keys dives on the reef-and-wreck line.
  • Marathon — Marathon, south of Long Key, opens up again — the huntable Thunderbolt wreck, the Seven Mile Bridge reef and the shallow Adelaide Baker — for hogfish and grouper.
  • Big Pine Key — Big Pine Key fishes the intact Adolphus Busch wreck and the American Shoal reef line for hogfish, grouper and snapper, outside the Looe Key SPAs.
  • Key West — Key West's world-famous Vandenberg, the shallow Joe's Tug and the Cayman Salvage Master give huntable wrecks outside the sanctuary preservation zones.
  • Fernandina Beach — Amelia Island's north-Florida coast: nearshore is sand, so the fishery is county artificial reefs and a snapper tug 18-24 km offshore holding snapper and grouper.
  • Jacksonville Beach — Duval County launches out of Mayport to ledges and wrecks 16-19 km offshore - barges and module reefs in 11-21 m holding snapper and grouper.
  • Ponce Inlet — Volusia County holds the closest reefs of the north-Florida set (~6 km): shallow concrete reefs off Flagler Avenue in 8-18 m, easy freedive on calm days.
  • Cocoa Beach — Cocoa Beach nearshore is sand; the structure is Brevard Reef ~15 km out and a deeper module cluster ~31 km offshore in 22-24 m, distinct from Port Canaveral's spots.
  • Sebastian Inlet — Sebastian Inlet State Park - the jetty and inlet - is no-spear, so the picks are module reefs ~9 km offshore in 14-17 m holding snapper.
  • Stuart — A strong Martin County coast: the Texas Reef rock pile has ~10 m of relief, plus barge wrecks and grouper reefs off the St.
  • Boca Raton — Boca Raton's shallow rock ledges (Boca Step, ~4.
  • Naples — Southwest Florida's ledge-and-wreck coast: Doctor's Pass and Gordon Pass reefs and offshore limestone ledges hold hogfish, grouper and cobia in warm, usually clear Gulf water.
  • Venice (FL) — Venice sits on Florida's shark-tooth coast with mid-shelf artificial reefs (M-15, M-9) holding hogfish and grouper.
  • Sarasota — Sarasota's offshore reefs (Gary Service M-1, Bob Johnson) rise from a shallow limestone shelf with hogfish and big grouper.
  • Clearwater — Clearwater's wrecks (USCGC Blackthorn) and rock ledges off Pinellas hold hogfish and grouper in clear, warm Gulf water.
  • Tarpon Springs — Sponge-diving heritage town with shallow nearshore reefs and offshore rock ledges for grouper and hogfish.
  • Steinhatchee — Big Bend hard-bottom and scallop country: shallow limestone flats and reefs for grouper in tannic, tea-stained Gulf water that grades low on visibility.
  • Apalachicola — Offshore Gulf reefs and old-bridge rubble (St George Island) for grouper and snapper; the bay and aquatic preserve are no-spear, so hunt the open Gulf.
  • Port St. Joe — Landing-ship wreck and MBARA tower reefs off Cape San Blas for grouper and snapper; St Joseph Bay is a no-spear preserve, so dive the open Gulf.
  • Panama City Beach — The Gulf's wreck-diving capital: the Black Bart, USS Strength and dozens of reefs hold snapper, grouper and amberjack in clear panhandle water.
  • Destin — Destin's clear emerald water and steel wrecks (Miss Louise, Liberty ships) hold snapper, grouper and amberjack.
  • Pensacola — Huge wreck fields including the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, plus shallow barges, hold snapper, grouper and amberjack in clear panhandle water.
  • Marco Island — Collier County's shallow, often turbid Gulf: 2-3 mile artificial reefs in 6-7 m with hogfish and grouper, distinct from Naples' passes.
  • Fort Myers Beach — Shallow, turbid southwest-Florida Gulf: bridge-rubble and concrete reefs 8-9 km offshore in 7-8 m holding sheepshead and hogfish.
  • Boca Grande — Gasparilla Island at Boca Grande Pass: concrete reefs with ~4 m of relief and a shallow boulder mitigation reef hold grouper and hogfish.
  • Crystal River — Nature Coast Big Bend: tannic, grassy water and low-relief limestone mean the fishery is offshore module reefs 27 km and more out (one ~46 km) holding grouper and cobia.
  • Cedar Key — Big Bend Cedar Key: tannic, grassy water over low-relief hard bottom; the reefs are Levy module fields ~13 km out and a cleaner concrete reef ~17 km west.

Alabama

Alabama — the largest US artificial-reef program (>1,100 sq mi, Shipp zone); nongame only, .gpx coords public.

  • Orange Beach — Gateway to Alabama's reef zone — the largest artificial-reef program in the US, with 1,000+ sq mi of public reefs and rigs holding snapper, grouper and amberjack.
  • Gulf Shores — Alabama's nearshore eco-reefs sit just 5-12 km out in the largest US artificial-reef program - shallow, clear and easy freedive for snapper and triggerfish.
  • Dauphin Island — Offshore Liberty-ship wrecks and reefs south of the island hold big snapper and cobia, part of Alabama's vast public reef program.
  • Fort Morgan — Baldwin County at the turbid mouth of Mobile Bay: the nearest public reefs are 18-20 km offshore - hurricane bridge rubble and limestone pyramids in 18-22 m holding snapper, distinct from Dauphin Island and Gulf Shores.

Mississippi

Mississippi — spear/gig allowed for finfish; barrier islands, 1-mile ban around the national-seashore islands.

  • Biloxi — Behind the barrier islands the Mississippi Sound runs turbid, but the FH reefs south of Ship and Horn islands clear up for snapper.
  • Gulfport — Offshore FH reefs south of the barrier islands give the cleanest Mississippi water for snapper; the inshore Sound and Cat Island reefs are turbid and sheltered.
  • Pascagoula — Jackson County fish havens: the nearest reef is ~14 km out in the turbid western Sound, but the deeper havens south of the barrier islands (17-21 m) are cleaner and hold snapper, distinct from Biloxi and Gulfport.
  • Bay St. Louis — The weakest Mississippi stop: turbid western Mississippi Sound with only shallow inshore reefs (1-2 m) - limestone and old railroad-bridge rubble - plus a cleaner reef off Cat Island ~27 km out (partly federal; verify local).

Louisiana

Louisiana — home of rig-diving (rigs-to-reef); standard spear legal, flounder by barbless spear/gig only.

  • Grand Isle — Louisiana's only inhabited barrier island: reefed platforms and delta reefs offshore hold cobia, snapper and sheepshead, while Barataria Bay is sheltered but silty.
  • Venice (LA) — The end of the road at the Mississippi's Birdfoot delta - famous rig and delta-reef diving for cobia, amberjack and snapper, but nearshore water is brown with river plume.
  • Port Fourchon — Rig-diving gateway: reefed platforms just offshore hold snapper and cobia, while Timbalier Bay is sheltered and silty.
  • Cocodrie — A Terrebonne bayou town on Lake Pelto - sheltered limestone reefs for drum and sheepshead in very turbid, plume-fed water.
  • Empire — A spot-poor delta town at the Mississippi's edge: inshore is turbid estuary, so the real fishery is far-offshore standing and reefed rigs (~60 km around the delta) holding snapper and cobia, plus Breton Sound rubble ~16 km NE.
  • Cameron — Southwest Louisiana at the turbid Calcasieu and Sabine outflow: inshore Lake Calcasieu rubble reefs (2-4 m) are brackish and murky, while the West Cameron 45 reef ~31 km offshore is the clear-water pick.

Teksas

Texas — spear for NONGAME only (sheepshead/flounder); gamefish (red drum/seatrout) pole-and-line only, rigs-to-reef.

  • Galveston — Granite jetties and offshore reefs off Galveston hold sheepshead, flounder and snapper.
  • Surfside Beach — Freeport's jetties and offshore Liberty-ship reefs give sheepshead, flounder and snapper.
  • Port O'Connor — A Matagorda Bay town with limited spearable structure - the ship-channel jetties are the shallow option; offshore reefs are deep.
  • Rockport (TX) — A bay-locked town that borrows Port Aransas's Gulf structure ~21 km south; the nearest clear water and jetties are there.
  • Port Aransas — Mustang Island's iconic granite jetty is the Texas freedive backbone, with offshore Liberty-ship reefs deeper out.
  • Corpus Christi — Packery Channel jetties to bedrock plus reefed offshore platforms hold sheepshead and snapper.
  • South Padre Island — Brazos Santiago Pass jetties give the clearest water on the Texas coast, with the Texas Clipper wreck offshore.
  • Port Isabel — At the Brazos Santiago Pass, granite jetties and the offshore Texas Clipper wreck hold sheepshead and snapper in the clearest Texas water.
  • Matagorda — A weak Matagorda Bay town at the Colorado River mouth: the granite river-mouth jetties in 2-7 m are the only practical freedive structure, with the nearest offshore reef ~26 km out in ~18 m.
  • Port Mansfield — A Laguna Madre town whose granite East Cut jetties through Padre Island (~26 km E) offer the clearest local water and the freedive backbone; TPWD's offshore reefs here are all reefed rigs and a Liberty ship on 69-71 m bottoms - deep scuba only.

Kalifornija

California — kelp and the California Current; white seabass/CA halibut/yellowtail/CA sheephead, no giant sea bass or garibaldi; MPA network (SMR closed).

  • San Diego (Point Loma) — Point Loma kelp — white seabass, yellowtail and lobster over shore- and boat-access reef, well north of the Cabrillo SMR.
  • La Jolla — Famous La Jolla kelp beds — WSB, yellowtail, halibut and lobster; the Cove itself is the no-take Matlahuayl SMR.
  • Encinitas — Reef fingers and offshore kelp — calico bass, halibut and lobster around Swami's and Beacon's.
  • Oceanside — Outfall-pipe reef and harbor jetty structure — lobster, calico, sheephead and halibut.
  • Dana Point — Mile-long Salt Creek kelp and headland reef — lobster, sheephead, calico, yellowtail and WSB.
  • Laguna Beach — Rocky coves and kelp — but nearly the whole coastline is MPA; huntable water starts south of Table Rock.
  • Newport Beach — Little Corona and Crystal Cove reef/kelp — halibut and bass; conditional SMCA rules apply, verify before you take.
  • Long Beach (San Pedro) — White Point boulder reef and the mile-long LA breakwater — calico, sheephead, halibut and lobster.
  • Palos Verdes — Kelp forests and rocky reef below the PV cliffs — WSB, halibut and lobster between the Point Vicente no-take zones.
  • Redondo Beach — Redondo submarine-canyon rim and the artificial reef — halibut, bass, sheephead and lobster.
  • Malibu — Rocky points and kelp around Point Dume — calico, WSB and halibut; the point itself is the no-take Dume SMR.
  • Avalon (Catalina Island) — Clear Catalina kelp and reef — but the Avalon MPA cluster covers the classic sites; nearest huntable water is toward Two Harbors.
  • Two Harbors (Catalina Island) — Ship Rock and Eagle Reef pinnacles off the Isthmus — yellowtail and WSB passes in clear island water.
  • Ventura — Pitas Point boulder reef and the harbor jetty, with Channel Islands access — WSB, halibut and bass.
  • Santa Barbara — South-facing kelp reefs sheltered by Point Conception — WSB, halibut and lobster off Naples and Mesa Lane.
  • Morro Bay — Cold kelp and rocky reef around Morro Rock and Montaña de Oro — lingcod, rockfish, cabezon and halibut.
  • San Simeon — Rugged kelp-fringed point reefs with minimal crowds — lingcod, vermilion rockfish and visiting WSB.
  • Monterey — Monterey Bay kelp forest — lingcod, rockfish and cabezon; most of the waterfront is MPA, hunt the harbor-entrance side.
  • Carmel — Kelp and rocky reefs of Carmel Bay — lingcod and rockfish; Point Lobos and Carmel Bay carry no-take/conditional rules.
  • Santa Cruz — North Monterey Bay kelp and reef — lingcod, rockfish and halibut; Natural Bridges is a no-take SMR strip.
  • Half Moon Bay — Pillar Point jetties and reef — rockfish, lingcod and halibut, hemmed by the Montara SMR and Pillar Point SMCA.
  • Fort Bragg — Cold rocky reefs and bull-kelp around Noyo — big lingcod, rockfish and cabezon.
  • Mendocino — Rocky coves and bull-kelp — big lingcod and rockfish; Van Damme and Point Cabrillo bracket the huntable water.
  • Pacific Beach (Mission Bay) — Wreck Alley ships and the Mission Bay jetty rocks — calico and sand bass, sheephead, rockfish and lingcod, all safely south of the La Jolla SMRs.
  • Carlsbad — Terramar Point rocky reef and kelp fringe — calico and sand bass, rockfish, summer yellowtail and lobster on a mostly sandy coast.
  • San Clemente — Wheeler North artificial kelp reef and the San Onofre kelp beds — sheephead, calico and sand bass, white seabass, yellowtail and lobster, outside every MPA.
  • Huntington Beach — Two offshore artificial reefs — Bolsa Chica and the A1-A4 quarry rock — on a long sand beach; calico and sand bass, sheephead, sculpin, lingcod and lobster.
  • Oxnard (Channel Islands Harbor) — Mainland harbor jetties on a sand coast, or run the boat to Anacapa's open south-side reef — calico bass, sheephead, lobster and halibut.
  • Goleta — Goleta Pier pipeline reef and the Ellwood and Naples kelp reefs — kelp bass, sheephead, white seabass and lobster; the Campus Point SMCA is full no-take.
  • Cayucos — Productive open-coast kelp and rocky reefs off Cayucos Point and Estero Bluffs — lingcod, vermilion and other rockfish, sheephead and cabezon.
  • Pacific Grove — Monterey Peninsula kelp reefs — finfish by spear only inside the PG Marine Gardens SMCA; lingcod, cabezon and rockfish.
  • Bodega Bay — Boulder-and-bull-kelp reefs on the outer Sonoma coast north of the harbor — lingcod, cabezon and rockfish; clear of the Bodega Head and Russian River MPAs.
  • Trinidad — Sheltered rocky-reef bay behind Trinidad Head — prolific rockfish, lingcod, cabezon and greenling, the easiest shore entry on the North Coast.
  • Crescent City — Far North Coast rocky points and a harbor breakwater — the region's biggest lingcod and jumbo rockfish; the Whaler Island jetty fishes when the outer coast is blown out.

Oregon

Oregon — lingcod/rockfish/cabezon; the new Ocean Endorsement (2026) is required, no salmon/steelhead by spear.

  • Brookings — South-coast rocky reefs with Oregon's best viz — rockfish, lingcod and greenling off Chetco Point and Rainbow Rock.
  • Port Orford — Protected rocky coves and headland reef — lingcod and rockfish; Redfish Rocks is a no-take marine reserve.
  • Charleston (Coos Bay) — Sunset Bay dives when the outer coast is rough, plus the Simpson Reef complex off Cape Arago — rockfish and lingcod.
  • Newport — Yaquina Bay jetty fingers and offshore stacks — perch, lingcod and rockfish over rocky reef.
  • Depoe Bay — Current-scoured rocky reefs — rockfish and lingcod; Otter Rock is a no-take marine reserve.

Washington

Washington — lingcod/rockfish/halibut allowed; salmon and sturgeon spear-PROHIBITED, no yelloweye retention.

  • Neah Bay — Cape Flattery's clear current-swept rocky reefs — dense rockfish, lingcod and cabezon in Marine Area 4.
  • La Push — Outer-coast rock and pillar reefs at the Quillayute mouth — lingcod and rockfish; respect the Quillayute Needles NWR.
  • Port Angeles — Strait of Juan de Fuca reefs and Ediz Hook — lingcod and cabezon; Tongue Point is a no-take marine sanctuary.
  • Anacortes — Rosario-Strait rocky points around Fidalgo Head — lingcod (season) and cabezon.
  • Friday Harbor (San Juan Island) — San Juan Island rock and kelp off Lime Kiln — lingcod and cabezon; Marine Area 7 bans rockfish retention.
  • Edmonds — Puget Sound structure — resident giant lingcod and GPO; the Underwater Park is a no-take reserve, hunt the jetty and Possession Bar.
  • Port Townsend — Strait of Juan de Fuca shore dives off Fort Worden and Point Wilson — lingcod and kelp greenling on slack water; MA9 rockfish are release-only.
  • Tacoma (The Narrows) — Puget Sound Narrows walls — Day Island and Fox Island — for wolf-eel, lingcod and cabezon; slack-water only in extreme current.
  • Westport — Grays Harbor south jetty and the sheltered Half Moon Bay cove — lingcod, black rockfish, cabezon and greenling; coastal rockfish retention is allowed here.

Aljaska

Alaska — spear is legal gear; halibut/lingcod/rockfish, but cold, Cook Inlet hyper-tides and low viz make it expert-level.

  • Kodiak — Cold clear kelp and rocky coast — black rockfish, kelp greenling and lingcod on the pinnacles.
  • Homer — Kachemak Bay rocky points and kelp — lingcod and rockfish; inner bay is glacial-turbid, cross to the clearer far side.
  • Seward — Resurrection Bay boulder walls and rock faces — rockfish and octopus; lingcod is closed year-round in the bay.
  • Sitka — Sitka Sound rock and kelp — lingcod and black/yellowtail rockfish; SE Alaska lingcod closes Dec 1.
  • Ketchikan — Rocky walls and current-swept reefs — lingcod, rockfish, greenling and wolf eels; dive Clover Pass at slack.
  • Juneau — Channel rock-and-kelp walls off Douglas Island and Auke Bay — rockfish and greenling in big-tide water.
  • Valdez — Prince William Sound fjord — Allison Point from the road or the Valdez Narrows by boat; rockfish, lingcod and halibut in cold, glacial-silt water.

Havaji

Hawaii — no licence for residents; ulua/uhu/palu, removing invasive roi/ta'ape encouraged; MLCDs are no-take, scuba-spear banned in West Hawai'i.

  • Honolulu — South-shore reefs off Kaka'ako and Maunalua Bay — uku, goatfish and papio; stay clear of the Waikiki MLCD.
  • Haleiwa (North Shore) — North Shore reef points and flats — ulua, uku and goatfish; diveable only in the summer flat spell.
  • Waianae — The clearest leeward Oahu water — Makaha caverns and NW-tip reefs for ulua, uku and kumu.
  • Hawaii Kai — SE Oahu walls and outer reef — China Walls ledges, eagle rays, uku and omilu; Hanauma Bay is a no-take MLCD.
  • Lahaina — West Maui reefs at Olowalu and Mala Wharf — uku, omilu and goatfish; Honolua Bay is a no-take MLCD.
  • Kihei — South Maui lava ledges and caves at Makena and Wailea — uku, goatfish and omilu; Molokini is a no-take MLCD.
  • Kailua-Kona — Kona's clear reefs and lava drop-offs — uku, ono and pelagics; West Hawai'i FMA: freedive spear OK, SCUBA spear banned.
  • Captain Cook (Kealakekua Bay) — Deep clear Kona reefs at Ke'ei and Two Step — uku and reef fish; the namesake Kealakekua Bay is a no-take MLCD.
  • Hilo — East Hawai'i lava reefs and arches at Richardson's and Leleiwi — kole, uhu, uku and papio; dive calm days only.
  • Poipu — South Kauai reefs and coral bommies — uku, papio and goatfish off Mahā'ulepu and Koloa Landing.
  • Kaneohe — Windward Oahu's barrier reef — the outer slope off Kapapa has the best viz; uku, ulua, papio, kumu and roi.
  • Kahului — North-central Maui fringing reefs — Waihee, Kanaha and Paukukalo; uku, uhu, kumu, weke and roi.
  • Hana — Remote East Maui — sheltered Hana Bay plus the 'Alau and Waianapanapa lava reefs on calm days; uhu, kumu, weke, ulua and roi.
  • Lihue (Nawiliwili) — Southeast Kauai reefs around Nawiliwili — Ninini Point, Nukolii and remote Mahaulepu; uhu, weke, ta'ape, papio and uku, all outside the harbor FMAs.
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Frequently asked questions

Rules current as of 2026 — spearfishing law is STATE-by-state in the US. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and beach/pier buffers all vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, FL Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances before you go.

Je li podvodni ribolov legalan u SAD-u?

Da, u slanoj vodi gotovo svake obalne države, uz rekreacijsku dozvolu te države. No pravila o vrstama, opremi i zonama jako se razlikuju: Teksas dopušta harpuniranje samo «nongame» ribe, Georgia je nejasna u državnim vodama, i ima mnogo no-take zona. Pogledaj regionalni vodič svoje obale.

Koja dozvola mi treba?

Rekreacijsku dozvolu za slanu vodu države u kojoj roniš. Ne postoji zasebna dozvola «za podvodni ribolov». Florida stoji $17 (rezident) / $47 (nerezident); New York i New Jersey imaju besplatan registar; Havaji su besplatni za rezidente i traže NRMFL za nerezidente. Nosi je u vodi.

Smijem li harpunirati jastoga?

Ne, ni na jednoj obali SAD-a. Jastog (bodljikavi ili američki) vadi se SAMO rukom, uz posebnu ronilačku dozvolu u više država. Harpuniranje ili nošenje probodenog jastoga je prekršaj. Pravilo vrijedi uz cijelu obalu: bez iznimke.

Smijem li loviti s bocom?

Ovisi o državi. Florida i Kalifornija dopuštaju za ribu; Alabama traži da budeš «potpuno uronjen» (boca OK). No Havaji zabranjuju lov S bocom u West Hawai'i i u MLCD-ima, a mnoge rezerve zatvaraju svaku metodu. Prvo provjeri državu i zonu.

Gdje i kada je najbolja vidljivost?

Florida Keys i Havaji daju 15–40 m gotovo cijele godine. Sjeverna Karolina (olupine Golfske struje) i južna Kalifornija briljiraju ljeti–ujesen. Sjeveroistok i sjeverni Pacifik su hladni i promjenjivi: kratki prozori za mirna dana. Odaberi dan s prognozom svakog grada.