Malibu Pier / Malibu Surf Fishing Guide: Species & Rules

What you'll find here

Public pier plus adjacent surf. Point Dume MPAs sit just west — do not fish the no-take reserve.

License & access

Malibu Pier is a CDFW public pier (no license on deck). Surf and rock fishing next to the pier requires a license. Point Dume SMR is no-take.

Current status (October 2026)

California State Parks reports that the end of Malibu Pier has been closed since January 2025. Repair work was scheduled to begin in mid-October 2026 and run to about the end of January 2027, with no reopening date announced. Fishing is allowed in the open, designated areas of the pier. Check the State Parks page before you go, because the open section may change while work is underway.

License rules

Malibu Pier is a CDFW public pier: no fishing license is required on the pier itself, but you are limited to two rods or lines. Fishing the surf on either side of the pier, or landing a fish on the beach, requires a license. Malibu Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area lies just west of the pier at the lagoon mouth; check CDFW's MPA map before fishing that stretch.

What you can catch

The pier and surrounding surf hold corbina, barred surfperch, yellowfin croaker and halibut on the sand, with calico bass and opaleye around the pilings. Grunion spawn on Malibu beaches in season, under CDFW's grunion rules (open July 1–March 31, hand take only, 30-fish limit).

Tips

With the end closed, focus on the shallower sections: perch and croakers in the troughs, calico around the pilings.
Bring sand crabs or mussels for surf species.
Parking along PCH fills on summer weekends; arrive early.

Seasons and limits for the fish here

California Corbina: Summer, calm surf. Limits: No species-specific minimum; General ocean finfish: 20 in combination, no more than 10 of one species. Tip: Sight-fish the wash on a calm, low-swell day.
Barred Surfperch: Year-round; CDFW lists Sep–May peak. Limits: No minimum for barred surfperch; 20 surfperch in combination, no more than 10 of any one species; shiner perch 20 separate. Tip: Fish the trough on an incoming tide.
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.
California Halibut: Year-round. Limits: 22 inches total length; 5 fish south of Point Sur (Monterey County); LA County is in this zone. Tip: Drift the sand-to-kelp transition, bouncing just off bottom.
Yellowfin Croaker: Summer nights, June–September. Limits: No species-specific minimum; General ocean finfish 20/10. Tip: Fish night incoming tides in the first trough.
Opaleye: Year-round on rocks and kelp. Limits: No species-specific minimum; General ocean finfish 20/10. Tip: Fish the white water on a rising tide.
California Grunion: Open Jul 1, 2026–Mar 31, 2027. Limits: No minimum; 30 fish. Tip: Go on a predicted run, after high tide at night.

Limits summarize CDFW rules as of October 2026; each species page links the official source.

Eating your catch

For fish caught here, OEHHA's Ventura Harbor to Santa Monica Pier advisory lists servings per week (women 18–49 and children 1–17, then women 50+ and men) as: corbina 2 and 2; surfperch 2 and 2; kelp (calico) bass 1 and 1; California halibut 1 and 2; yellowfin croaker 2 and 2; opaleye 2 and 2. Grunion is not named in this advisory. OEHHA also recommends eating skinless fillets and trimming fat.

Frequently asked questions

Is Malibu Pier open for fishing?

Partly. The end has been closed since January 2025, with repairs from mid-October 2026 to about the end of January 2027. Fishing is allowed in open designated areas.

Do you need a license to fish Malibu Pier?

Not on the pier, which is a CDFW public pier. The surf next to the pier requires a license.

Are there MPAs near Malibu Pier?

Yes. Malibu Lagoon SMCA is just west of the pier, and the Point Dume MPAs are farther west.

Fish species at Malibu Pier / Malibu Surf

Map

View larger 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.

wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing →

Nearby waters

Point Dume (Malibu MPAs) — about 8 mi away (straight line)
Santa Monica Pier — about 11 mi away (straight line)
Venice Pier — about 12 mi away (straight line)
Marina del Rey Harbor — about 14 mi away (straight line)
Marina del Rey Jetties — about 14 mi away (straight line)
Dockweiler State Beach — about 16 mi away (straight line)
Lake Balboa (freshwater) — about 15 mi away
Kenneth Hahn Regional Park Lake (freshwater) — about 18 mi away

Sources & official links

Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules, stocking and access change; confirm with the agency linked above before you go.

Malibu Pier / Malibu Surf