Saltwater · Northern
Smelt - Surf
Ocean regulations can change in-season. Confirm with the 2026 Ocean Sport Fishing Guide and CDFW before you fish.
Species group
SMELT
Season
Open all year
Depth limit
None
Daily bag limit
25 pounds in combination(Night Smelt, Day Fish, Whitebait Smelt).
Minimum size
None
Gear restrictions
may be taken only on hook-and-line or by hand. Any number of hooks and lines
Identification
asurf smelt, is a marine smelt with a range from Prince William Sound, Alaska to Long Beach, California, although its population declines south of San Francisco. The surf smelt grows to be about 10 inches in southern waters, and 8.75 inches in northern waters near Canada. On average, surf smelt weighs​ about 10 to the pound. Spawning occurs in the nighttime, which is why it is sometimes called the night smelt, peaking in the months from May to October. With a maximum age of three to four years, some females will spawn at the age of one, and all will spawn at the age of two. Females lay from 1,500 to 30,000 sticky eggs in the surf zone per spawn, which they may do three to five or more times in a season. H. pretiosus feed on polychaete worms, larval fish and jellyfish, but they primarily feed on small crustaceans. They can be important parts of salmon and halibut diets, and are the most economically important fish among California smelts.