What you'll find here
CDFW public pier / mole next to the ferry landing.
License & access
Cabrillo Mole, Catalina Island is a CDFW public-pier listing.
License and MPA rules
Cabrillo Mole is a CDFW public pier (no license, two rods or lines). It sits inside Lover's Cove SMCA, where recreational hook-and-line fishing is allowed only from the Cabrillo Mole.
What you can catch
Calico bass, halfmoon, mackerel, yellowtail, bonito and sheephead.
Tips
- Live bait for calico.
- Casting lures for bonito and yellowtail in warm water.
- Respect ferry operations.
Seasons and limits for the fish here
- Kelp Bass (Calico Bass): Year-round, best late spring–fall. Limits: 14 inches total length (10 inches alternate length); 5 kelp/barred/spotted sand bass in combination; no more than 4 barred sand bass. Tip: Cast to the kelp edge, sink, then hop the bait up.
- Halfmoon (Catalina Blue Perch): Year-round around kelp and rocks. Limits: No species-specific minimum; General ocean finfish 20/10. Tip: Fish the kelp canopy and the first 15 feet.
- Pacific Mackerel: Year-round on piers. Limits: No minimum; No bag limit (Pacific and jack mackerel are listed as no-limit species under T14 CCR §27.60(b)). Tip: Jig a Sabiki near pilings and bait receivers.
- Yellowtail: Year-round; best summer–fall. Limits: 24 inches fork length, except up to 5 fish under 24" fork may be possessed; 10 fish. Tip: Drop iron, crank it back on a fast yo-yo.
- Pacific Bonito: Summer–fall schools. Limits: 24 inches fork length or 5 pounds, except 5 smaller fish may be taken; 10 fish. Tip: Troll feathers at 4–6 knots around bait.
- California Sheephead: Shore/dive year-round; boats Mar–Dec 2026. Limits: 12 inches total length; 2 fish. Tip: Drop to the rocks, not into the sand.
Limits summarize CDFW rules as of October 2026; each species page links the official source.
Eating your catch
For fish caught here, OEHHA's statewide advisory for coastal locations without site-specific advice lists servings per week (women 18–49 and children 1–17, then women 50+ and men) as: kelp (calico) bass 1 and 2. Halfmoon, Pacific chub mackerel, yellowtail, bonito, sheephead are not named in this advisory. OEHHA also recommends eating skinless fillets and trimming fat.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fish from the Cabrillo Mole?
Yes. It is a public pier and the only hook-and-line exception in Lover's Cove SMCA.
Do you need a license on the Cabrillo Mole?
No.
What fish are caught at Cabrillo Mole?
Calico bass, halfmoon, mackerel, yellowtail, bonito and sheephead.
Fish species at Cabrillo Mole, Catalina Island
Map
Regulations reminder
Size limits, bag limits, seasons, and MPA rules are set by CDFW and can change in-season. Public-pier license exceptions (CCR 1.88) apply only on qualifying structures — not on the beach next to them. This is an independent site and is not affiliated with CDFW.
Nearby waters
- Avalon Pier, Catalina Island — about under 1 mi away (straight line)
- Catalina / San Pedro Channel (boats) — about 6 mi away (straight line)
- Cabrillo Beach / Point Fermin, San Pedro — about 25 mi away (straight line)
- Cabrillo Beach Fishing Pier — about 25 mi away (straight line)
- 22nd St. Landing, San Pedro — about 26 mi away (straight line)
- Palos Verdes Kelp Beds — about 28 mi away (straight line)
- Machado Lake (Ken Malloy Harbor Park) (freshwater) — about 30 mi away
- El Dorado Park Lakes, Long Beach (freshwater) — about 35 mi away
Sources & official links
- CDFW — Beach fishing and public piers in Southern California
- CDFW — Marine Protected Areas maps and regulations
- OEHHA — Statewide advisory for coastal locations without site-specific advice
Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules, stocking and access change; confirm with the agency linked above before you go.