Saltwater · Mendocino
Bass - Striped
Ocean regulations can change in-season. Confirm with the 2026 Ocean Sport Fishing Guide and CDFW before you fish.
Species group
BASS
Season
Open year around
Depth limit
No depth limit
Daily bag limit
2 fish per person
Minimum size
North of Pt. Conception: 18 inches total in length. South of Pt. Conception: no minimum size limit.
Gear restrictions
No striped bass may be taken while using a sinker weighing over four pounds, or while using any power-driven gurdy or winch.
Identification
The body of the striped bass is elongate and slightly compressed. The head is a narrow, cone-shape, and the mouth is large. The color is greenish above, silvery on the sides, and white below. There are six to nine horizontal blackish stripes on the side. In southern California, the much smaller salema occasionally is mistaken for young striped bass; the salema, however, has orange-brown stripes and larger eyes than those of striped bass.