Saltwater · Mendocino
Rockfish - Puget Sound
Ocean regulations can change in-season. Confirm with the 2026 Ocean Sport Fishing Guide and CDFW before you fish.
Species group
ROCKFISH
Season
Open: Apr 1–Dec 31 Closed: Jan 1–Mar 31
Season notes
Boat-based anglers. Shore anglers and spear divers are largely exempt from groundfish season/depth limits (except no-retention species). Regulations can change in-season — verify with CDFW.
Depth limit
Open at all depths during the open season (Apr 1–Dec 31). Jan 1–Mar 31: Closed — unlawful to possess in all waters (boat-based). Descending device required when taking/possessing federal groundfish from a boat. Always confirm current CDFW Groundfish Management Area rules before fishing.
Daily bag limit
10 fish in combination per person within the RCG complex (rockfish, cabezon, greenling), subject to species sub-bags (e.g. copper, vermilion/sunset, canary).
Minimum size
No minimum size limit. Fillets must have the entire skin attached.
Gear restrictions
Method of take: When angling, gear is restricted to not more than two hooks and one line. A hook is a single hook, or a double or treble hook with multiple points connected to a common shank. Descending device required aboard when taking/possessing federal groundfish.
Identification
The Puget Sound rockfish is one of the smallest rockfish species and has a very slim body. Underwater it is brown, pinkish red or copper with dark blotches fading to whitish ventrally. It usually has a dark brown stripe running along the flanks below the lateral line. A pale green bar may extend from the eye with green flecking above the lateral line. These colors all fade after capture. The mouth is red, fins are light in color, and the anal fin is rounded. The abdomen appears dark from developing embryos in ripe females and the internal lining of the body cavity is dark.