Fishing at Bolsa Chica

Bolsa Chica State Beach is a surf fishing beach. California State Parks lists perch, California corbina, croaker, cabezon, shovelnose guitarfish and sand shark among the fish caught from the sand here, and in spring and summer people come at night for grunion, which may be caught only by hand. Across PCH in the wetlands, fishing is far more limited.

What You Can Catch

California State Parks calls Bolsa Chica "a great place for surf fishing" and names these fish:

• Perch
• California corbina
• Croaker
• Cabezon
• Shovelnose guitarfish
• Sand shark

State Parks also notes that wildlife and bird watching are popular along the beach, so expect company from shorebirds while you fish.

Grunion

At new and full moons during the grunion season, people fish for California grunion with their bare hands as the fish come ashore to spawn. State law allows it only by hand and with a fishing license. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) closes grunion fishing April through June and sets a 30-fish daily limit. Everything else is on the grunion run page.

Licenses and Rules

Fishing rules in California are set by CDFW, not by the park. The State Parks conservation-area page says a fishing license is required for any fishing, and for grunion CDFW says anyone 16 or older needs one; check CDFW's current ocean sport fishing regulations for size limits, bag limits and seasons on the other species before you go.

Park rules to know:

• The beach is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and car gates close at 9 p.m. (hours).
• Bonfires go only in the park's fire rings; no charcoal grills.
• Alcohol is prohibited without a Special Events permit.
• Drones are banned in the park.

Fishing in the Wetlands

The Bolsa Chica wetlands across PCH include two state marine conservation areas, and they have strict rules (California State Parks SMCA page):

• Bolsa Bay SMCA: all take of marine life is prohibited except recreational hook-and-line fishing for finfish from shore, and only in designated areas.
• Bolsa Chica Basin SMCA: no take of any marine life.
• In both, boating, swimming, wading and diving are prohibited, visitors must stay on trails and designated areas, and no one may enter between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The wetlands are part of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, run by CDFW. See the wetlands page.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: shore anglers who want sandy-beach species close to parking, and families trying grunion fishing by hand in the open season.

Maybe skip if: you want to fish from a boat or a pier. Bolsa Chica is a sand beach; State Parks lists no pier or boat launch here.