Saltwater · Southern
Perch - Shiner Perch
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 lim- it of 20 n sh speci ed 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 the shiner perch is elongate oval and compressed. The head is short and the mouth is small. The body is gray to greenish above with vertical lemon yellow cross bars in the shape of a "711" and eight horizontal sooty lines along the sides. During courtship and breeding the males are dark gray, almost black, in color and have a black spot on each side of the snout.