California spiny lobster regulations · 2026

The numbers

The details

Size limit

3¼ inch minimum carapace length, measured in a straight line on the midline of the back from the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the carapace. Carry a lobster gauge; measure in the water or immediately on landing. Shorts go back immediately.

Daily bag limit

7 lobsters per day, per person. Possession limit on land follows CDFW rules; check the current booklet when stockpiling across multiple days.

Season

Opens early October and runs through mid March: the close falls on the first Wednesday after March 15. Outside the season, take is prohibited and the app's closed-season hard gate caps the lobster rating regardless of conditions.

Report card

A spiny lobster report card is required for every person taking or attempting to take lobster, in addition to the sport fishing license. Record before fishing; return or report per the card's instructions.

Take method

By hand or hoop net only. No spears, no hooks, no snares. Diving for lobster is hands-only.

Licensing

California sport fishing license required for anglers 16 or older. Ocean enhancement stamp required when fishing for marine species south of Point Arguello. Buy at wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing.

What this page does not cover

• Commercial trap regulations and trap-tag rules.
• Special-area rules. Some Marine Protected Areas and state marine reserves prohibit take entirely. Check the area before fishing.
• Commercial regulations. This page is sport-fishing only.

Sources

How regulations work in the GhostFingers Fish app

Lobster is the clearest example of the app's closed-season hard gate: from the close in mid March to the early-October opener, the lobster rating is capped regardless of how good the conditions read, and the catch logger flags any lobster entry dated outside the season. In season, the bag counter tracks the 7-per-day limit and the report-card reminder rides on the first log of each trip.