A shark-shaped ray that rides the sand. Surf anglers hook them constantly on high-lows. Harmless mouth, still a wild animal.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Sandy surf and shallow bays from Malibu through Long Beach, often on the same rig as corbina.
Very common in the LA surf. Most people unhook and slide them back. The 2026 ocean booklet has no guitarfish-specific limit, so the general finfish bag applies (20 combined, no more than 10 of one species). A sand-crab high-low in the trough is how most get caught by accident.
Shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus) are rays with a flattened, guitar-shaped front and a thick, shark-like tail. They are greyish-brown on top and pale below.
Shovelnose feed on crabs, clams and worms along sandy beaches and in bays. LA's surf from Malibu to Long Beach, plus piers such as Venice and Manhattan, are places they are caught.
Present year-round, often more common in warm months.
OEHHA's LA coastal advisories list shovelnose guitarfish at 1 serving a week for women 18–49 and children 1–17, and 2 for women 50+ and men.
The 2026 ocean regulations do not set a guitarfish-specific limit. As rays are finfish under Title 14, the general ocean bag applies: 20 finfish combined, no more than 10 of one species.
No species-specific rule appears in the 2026 ocean booklet.
CDFW 2026 ocean sport fishing regulations booklet (PDF) →
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 species-specific limit; the general ocean bag of 20 finfish with no more than 10 of one species applies.
OEHHA's LA coastal advice is 1 serving a week for women 18–49 and children, and 2 for others.
A ray with a flattened front and thick tail, often caught in the surf.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules, stocking and access change; confirm with the agency linked above before you go.
