CA · REGULATIONS · SEPTEMBER 2026

Cabezon CA legal size & bag limits.

Cabezon (also known as Cabby, Marbled Sculpin) in California. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the CDFW guide, 2026.

In California, Cabezon has no minimum legal size and the daily bag limit is 10 in combination (within the RCG complex aggregate — see notes). Season note: Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current California rules (including open dates, depth and area) before keeping fish.

What is the legal size & bag limit for Cabezon in CA?

Minimum size
No min
Daily bag
10 in combination (within the RCG complex aggregate — see notes)
Possession
10 in combination (within the RCG complex aggregate — see notes)
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Is there a closed season for Cabezon in CA?

Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current California rules (including open dates, depth and area) before keeping fish.

Why these rules exist

No minimum size limit per the current CDFW groundfish summary (the former 15-inch cabezon minimum has been removed). STATE and federal/offshore waters; managed within the Pacific groundfish RCG complex — open season, depth zones and area boundaries set annually and subject to in-season change. Confirm current dates + open depth/area.

Source & verification

These limits are pulled from the CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations. Last verified September 2026.

Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. California Department of Fish and Wildlife updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.

California requires a sport fishing licence for anyone aged 16 or older; an Ocean Enhancement Validation is also required to fish ocean waters south of Point Arguello. CDFW licences.

See related

Common questions

What is the minimum legal size for Cabezon in CA?
In California, there is no minimum legal size for Cabezon (also known as Cabby, Marbled Sculpin) — you can keep fish of any size, up to the daily bag limit of 10 in combination (within the RCG complex aggregate — see notes). Verified against the CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations (September 2026).
What is the bag limit for Cabezon in CA?
In California, the daily bag limit for Cabezon is 10 in combination (within the RCG complex aggregate — see notes). Verified against the CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations (September 2026).
Is there a closed season for Cabezon in CA?
Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current California rules (including open dates, depth and area) before keeping fish. Verified against the CDFW guide (September 2026).
Do you need a fishing licence to fish in California?
California requires a sport fishing licence for anyone aged 16 or older; an Ocean Enhancement Validation is also required to fish ocean waters south of Point Arguello.
Written by
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen, founder of Fishare, holding a yellowfin tuna boatside
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen

Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.

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