What is the bag limit for Ocean Salmon in California?

It depends on the region. Northern: no stated limit; Mendocino: no stated limit; San Francisco: 2 fish daily; SF Bay: 2 fish daily; Central: 2 fish daily; Southern: 2 fish daily. Read as of September 7, 2026.

What is the size limit for Ocean Salmon in California?

20-inch minimum. Measure before it goes in the bag: an undersize fish is roughly $430 to $485 in total bail plus $71 to $82 for the fish itself.

Is Ocean Salmon season open in California right now?

Open in 2 of 6 regions as of September 7, 2026. Seasons change in-season, so confirm before you go.

California Salmon Season: Ocean Dates, Limits and Status

Quick answer: Ocean Salmon is open in 2 of the 6 California regions where CDFW regulates it, with a 20-inch minimum. 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 Ocean Salmon

California's ocean salmon fishery is a Chinook fishery. A Chinook has a blue-green back, silver sides and a white belly, with black speckles on the upper half of the body and, the mark that settles it, on the tail fin as well.

Also called king salmon.

Size, range and where it lives

Size	The largest Pacific salmon. Up to 120 pounds, typically around 40, and about 3 feet long.
Range	The West Coast from the Gulf of Alaska to California, returning to rivers including the Sacramento and the wider Central Valley system.
Habitat	Ocean-going for most of its life and back to fresh water to spawn. Lifespan is up to 7 years, typically 3 to 4.

Identification sourced from NOAA Fisheries, Chinook Salmon. The regulation figures below come from CDFW and carry their own date.

Ocean Salmon by region

Region	Status	Bag limit	Size limit
Northern	Closed	—	—
Mendocino	Closed	—	—
San Francisco	Partial	2 fish daily	20-inch minimum
SF Bay	Partial	2 fish daily	20-inch minimum
Central	Open	2 fish daily	20-inch minimum
Southern	Open	2 fish daily	20-inch minimum

Season dates

Sep 1 – Oct 31, 2026 (or until quota)
Sep 1 – Sep 30, 2026 (or until quota)

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.