Skip to main content
California

Fishing

Fishing

Special Black Bass Regulations

Black Bass (T14 CCR §5.00)

It is unlawful to take or possess black bass except as provided in this section:

(Note: Some waters are closed to all fishing under Section 7.50.)

(a) General Statewide Restrictions:

(1) Lakes/Reservoirs and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta:

The following waters, except for those listed in subsection (b) Special Regulations (below), are open to fishing all year, with a 12-inch total length minimum size limit and a five-fish daily bag limit: All lakes and reservoirs in the State, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, (see Section 1.71 for definition of the Delta).

(2) Rivers/Streams and Private Ponds:

Rivers, streams, canals, and lakes or ponds entirely on private lands, which are not listed in subsection (b) Special Regulations (below), are open all year with no size limit and a five-fish daily bag limit.

(b) Districts and Counties with Special Black Bass Regulations

Counties and individual waters listed below are those having regulations different from the General Statewide Restrictions in subsection (a) (above).

Area or Body of WaterOpen SeasonSize (total length)
Bag Limit

(1) Colorado River District: All waters (Bag and size limits conform with Arizona regulations.)

All year.

13-inch minimum.

6

(2) Inyo Co.: all streams east of Highway 395 from the southern Inyo Co. line north to the junction of Highway 6 and east of Highway 6 to the Mono Co. line, except those listed by name in Section 7.50(b), Special Fishing Regulations.

All year.

12-inch minimum.

5

The remaining streams of Inyo Co., except those waters listed in Section 7.50(b), Special Fishing Regulations.

Last Saturday in Apr. through Nov. 15.

Closed to bass fishing from Nov. 16 through the Fri. preceding the last Sat. in Apr.

12-inch minimum.

5

All lakes, Big Pine Canal, Fish Spring Canal, and Millpond in Inyo Co.

All year

12-inch minimum.

5

(3) Mono Co.: all streams, except for Fish Slough (see subsection (b)(10)) and those waters listed by name in Section 7.50(b), Special Fishing Regulations.

Last Saturday in Apr. through Nov. 15.

Closed to bass fishing from Nov. 16 through the Fri. preceding the last Sat. in Apr.

No size limit.

5

(4) Plumas Co.: all waters.

All year.

No size limit.

5

(5) Barrett Lake (San Diego Co.). (Also see Section 2.08)

All year.

Catch and Release only.

0

(6) Casitas Lake (Ventura Co.).

All year.

12-inch minimum. No more than one over 22 inches.

5

(7) Castaic Lake (Los Angeles Co.).

All year.

12-inch minimum.

5

(8) Cuyamaca Lake (San Diego Co.).

All year.

No size limit for Largemouth Bass. Catch and Release only for Smallmouth Bass.

5

(9) Fish Slough (Mono Co.), except the fenced portions of Fish Slough within the BLM Spring, which are closed to all fishing all year. See Section 7.50(b)(49), Special Fishing Regulations.

All year.

No size limit.

5

(10) Hodges Lake (San Diego Co.).

All year.

15-inch minimum.

5

(11) Lett’s Lake (Colusa Co.).

All year.

No size limit.

5

(12) Plaskett Meadows lakes, upper and lower (Glenn Co.).

All year.

No size limit.

5

(13) Shaver Lake (Fresno Co.).

All year.

No size limit.

5

(14) Upper Otay Lake (San Diego Co.). (Also see Section 2.08)

All year.

Catch and Release Only.

0