Saltwater · Mendocino
Perch - Black Surfperch
Ocean regulations can change in-season. Confirm with the 2026 Ocean Sport Fishing Guide and CDFW before you fish.
Species group
PERCH
Season
Open all year, except surfperch may not be taken or possessed by a person in San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay between April 1 and July 31
Depth limit
No Depth Limit
Daily bag limit
(1) In San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay,the aggregate limit is 5 surfperch, not including shiner surfperch. For all other areas, the aggregate limit is 20 surf- perch, not including shiner surfperch. Not more than 10 surfperch may be of any one species.(2) the special limit for shiner surfperch is 20, which may be taken or possessed in addition to the overall daily bag limit of 20 fish specified in sub-section 27.60(a).
Minimum size
No Size Limit
Gear restrictions
may be taken only on hook-and-line or by hand. Any number of hooks and lines
Identification
The body of black surfperches is flattened laterally. They reach a maximum length of 38 cm (15 in). Despite their common name, they are not black in color. They are usually a uniform dark reddish brown to tan in color, but they often also possess large darker colored vertical bars across their body (unlike striped surfperches which have horizontal orange and blue stripes). Rarely, they may exhibit a paler silvery to greenish-white body coloration with fainter bars, thus resembling barred surfperches (Amphistichus argenteus). Black surfperches can still be distinguished, however, by the presence of a patch of enlarged scales between the pectoral and the pelvic fins. The thick lips are yellowish in color and may exhibit a darker