CA · REGULATIONS · SEPTEMBER 2026

California Halibut CA legal size & bag limits.

California Halibut (also known as Cali Halibut, California Flounder) in California. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the CDFW guide, 2026.

In California, the minimum legal size for California Halibut is 22 in and the daily bag limit is 5 (south of Point Sur, Monterey County); 2 (north of Point Sur). There is no closed season in CA.

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

Minimum size
22in
Daily bag
5 (south of Point Sur, Monterey County); 2 (north of Point Sur)
Possession
5 (south of Point Sur, Monterey County); 2 (north of Point Sur)
Legal size for California Halibut in CA: California Halibut must be at least 22 in to keep. There is no maximum size. 22 inTOO SMALLLEGAL — NO MAXIMUM
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Is there a closed season for California Halibut in CA?

No closed season

Why these rules exist

Daily bag is 5 fish south of Point Sur, Monterey County, and 3 fish north of Point Sur. STATE waters; state-managed flatfish (no federal recreational management). Applies coastwide with a north/south Point Sur, Monterey County bag-limit boundary; 22-inch total-length minimum statewide. Re-checked 2026-09: CDFW gives two fish north of Point Sur, not three. Corroborated on both the Northern and San Francisco Bay regional pages.

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 California Halibut in CA?
In California, the minimum legal size for California Halibut (also known as Cali Halibut, California Flounder) is 22 in. Verified against the CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations (September 2026).
What is the bag limit for California Halibut in CA?
In California, the daily bag limit for California Halibut is 5 (south of Point Sur, Monterey County); 2 (north of Point Sur). Verified against the CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations (September 2026).
Is there a closed season for California Halibut in CA?
No — there is no closed season for California Halibut in California. You can fish for it year-round, subject to the size and bag limits. 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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