A silver-blue chub that looks like a perch and fights like a small jack. Very common on Catalina and the Palos Verdes kelp.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Kelp and rocky reefs from Palos Verdes to Catalina, often mixed with opaleye.
General 20/10 bag, no size minimum. Mussels, peas, and small plastics along the kelp. They school, so a limit of ten can come fast. Same MPA caution as opaleye on the peninsula.
Halfmoon (Medialuna californiensis), often called Catalina blue perch, are oval, bluish-grey fish with a crescent-shaped tail. They belong to the sea chub family with opaleye, not to the surfperch family, despite the nickname.
Halfmoon live in kelp beds and rocky reefs. Around Los Angeles they are most common at Catalina Island, especially from the Avalon area and Cabrillo Mole, and along the Palos Verdes and Point Fermin rocks.
Present year-round.
Halfmoon are not named in OEHHA's two LA coastal advisories. At Catalina, which has no site-specific advice, OEHHA's statewide coastal advisory applies; halfmoon are not listed there either, so follow OEHHA's general advice on smaller fish and skinless fillets.
Halfmoon fall under the general ocean bag: 20 finfish, no more than 10 of one species. They do not count in the surfperch bag. At Catalina, Lover's Cove SMCA allows recreational hook-and-line only from the Cabrillo Mole, and Casino Point SMCA is no-take.
Halfmoon feed on algae and small invertebrates around kelp and rocks, and they often school with opaleye. Chumming with bits of bread or squid can bring them close to piers and boats.
Light tackle with a small hook and split shot or a small float works best. Halfmoon fight well for their size, especially on light line.
Halfmoon are edible; many anglers fillet and fry them. Eat skinless fillets as OEHHA generally recommends.
Not a surfperch — does not count in the perch family bag.
CDFW ocean sport fishing — general finfish bag →
Independent-site disclaimer: this summary is for orientation only and can change in-season. Confirm with CDFW before you keep a fish. Fish in LA is not affiliated with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
No. Despite the nickname Catalina blue perch, halfmoon are sea chubs.
Catalina Island, including the Avalon area and Cabrillo Mole, and the Palos Verdes rocks outside MPAs.
No. They fall under the general 20-finfish bag.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules, stocking and access change; confirm with the agency linked above before you go.
