Rockfish (SoCal hub)

What counts as a rockfish

Rockfish are dozens of species in the genus Sebastes. Off Los Angeles the common catches include vermilion, bocaccio, copper, gopher, blue, olive and starry rockfish, among others. CDFW manages them together with cabezon and greenlings as the RCG complex, and splits them into nearshore species (such as gopher, copper, kelp, black-and-yellow, grass and China rockfish) and shelf or slope species (such as vermilion, sunset, bocaccio and chilipepper). That split matters because seasons differ.

Where they live near LA

Nearshore rockfish live in kelp and on shallow rock reefs along Palos Verdes, Malibu and Catalina. Shelf species live deeper, on reefs, rock piles and banks in Santa Monica Bay, off Palos Verdes and in the San Pedro Channel, usually fished from sportfishing boats out of San Pedro, Long Beach, Redondo and Marina del Rey.

2026 seasons and depths

CDFW's 2026 Southern Management Area table for boat-based anglers: closed January through March; open at all depths April through June; open only shoreward of 50 fathoms July through September; and from October 1 through December 31, nearshore rockfish, cabezon and greenlings are closed while shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod may be taken only seaward of 50 fathoms. Shore-based anglers and divers are not bound by these seasons and depth limits.

In other words, as of this October 2026 review, boat anglers may keep shelf and slope rockfish only in water deeper than 50 fathoms, and may not keep nearshore rockfish.

Techniques

• Dropper loop or shrimp-fly rig with squid strips or cut bait on the bottom.
• Heavy jigs or leadhead swimbaits for deeper reefs.
• Gear for RCG and lingcod is limited to two hooks and one line when angling.
• Bring a descending device: boats fishing for or holding groundfish must have one aboard, and released rockfish should be returned to depth.

Eating and advisories

OEHHA's LA coastal advisories list rockfish at 1 serving a week for women 18–49 and children and 2 for women 50+ and men. At Catalina, OEHHA's statewide coastal advisory applies; it rates black-and-yellow, China, copper and gopher rockfish at 0 servings for women 18–49 and children and 1 for others, and black, blue, brown, kelp, olive, rosethorn and vermilion rockfish at 1 and 4 servings.

Bag limits

The RCG bag is 10 fish combined. Within it, no more than 1 copper rockfish, 2 vermilion and sunset rockfish combined, and 2 canary rockfish. There is no minimum size. Bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, quillback and yelloweye rockfish may not be retained.