Creel Quick answer: Lingcod is open in 5 of the 6 California regions where CDFW regulates it, with a 22" total length. The bag limit is not the same everywhere, so the table below has the number for each region. Read on September 7, 2026; seasons change in-season with days of notice.
How to identify Lingcod
Lingcod is neither a cod nor a ling: it is the largest member of the greenling family. They run dark gray, brown or greenish on the back with copper-coloured mottling or spotting along the upper back, and the body narrows sharply toward the tail. The giveaway is the head: a large head and mouth carrying 18 large, sharp teeth, which is where the nickname comes from.
Also called buckethead.
Size, range and where it lives
| Size | Up to 5 feet and 80 pounds, and they live more than 20 years. |
|---|---|
| Range | From Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska down to Baja California, most abundant off British Columbia and Washington. |
| Habitat | Juveniles settle on nearshore sandy bottoms near eelgrass or kelp beds. As they grow they move to rocky habitat and to seaweed, kelp and eelgrass beds where food is abundant. Immature fish sometimes migrate more than 60 miles, and females move seasonally to spawn while males stay near where they hatched. |
Lingcod by region
| Region | Status | Bag limit | Size limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern | Open | 2 fish per person | 22" total length |
| Mendocino | Open | 2 fish per person | 22" total length |
| San Francisco | Open | 2 fish per person | 22" total length |
| SF Bay | Open | 2 fish per person | 22" total length |
| Central | Open | 2 fish per person | 22" total length |
| Southern | Partial | 2 fish per person | 22" total length |
Season dates
- Jan 1 - Mar 31: Closed - unlawful to possess in all waters · April 1 - December 31: Open all depths
- Jan 1 - Mar 31: Closed - unlawful to possess in all waters · April 1 - June 30: Open All Depths · July 1 - Sep 30: 50 Fathom - Inshore Only Take is prohibited seaward of the 50 fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, which is a series of connected waypoints defined in Federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C) · Oct 1 - Dec 31: 50 Fathom - Offshore Only Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50 fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, which is a series of connected waypoints defined in Federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C)
What it costs to get it wrong
An undersize fish or one over the bag limit runs roughly $430 to $485 in total bail as an infraction, plus a further $71 to $82 for every individual fish over the line. Charged as a misdemeanor the base part is about $958 to $1,095, with the same per-fish amount on top. The range is real: two of the assessments are set county by county.
How California fishing fines are actually calculated →
This page is a snapshot taken on September 7, 2026. Creel re-reads every CDFW regional page daily and shows current status for your region, offline. Always confirm with CDFW before fishing.