Cabezon (also known as Cabby, Marbled Sculpin) in Washington. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the WDFW guide, 2026.
In Washington, the minimum legal size for Cabezon varies by area — check the official source for the area you are fishing and the daily bag limit is 1 (Marine Areas 1–11 and 13); 0 (Marine Area 12). Season note: Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current Washington rules (including open dates, depth and area) before keeping fish.
There is no single Washington minimum legal size for Cabezon — it varies by area. Coastal Marine Areas 1–4 have no minimum size, while Puget Sound (Marine Areas 5–13) carries an 18-inch minimum. Check the WDFW sport fishing rules for the area you are fishing before you keep a fish.
Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current Washington rules (including open dates, depth and area) before keeping fish.
Coastal = no min, 1/day. Puget Sound = 18-in minimum, 1/day, release-only Dec 1-Apr 30 in MA 5-11 & 13. STATE waters. Coastal MA 1-4: cabezon retention follows the annually-set bottomfish season (2026: March 14 - Oct 17), no minimum size, 1/day. Puget Sound MA 5-13: 18-inch minimum size, 1/day, with a Dec 1 - Apr 30 release-only period in MA 5-11 and 13. Confirm current open dates/area. Re-checked 2026-09 against WAC 220-314-020: no minimum size in Marine Areas 1–4, but an 18 in minimum in Marine Areas 5–11 and 13, which the stored null minSize did not carry — treat minSize null as "coastal only". Marine Area 12 is closed. All cabezon must be released in Marine Areas 5–11 and 13 from December 1 through April 30.
These limits are pulled from the WDFW sport fishing rules. Last verified September 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
This species has no single Washington minimum legal size — it is set per area. Confirm the minimum for the exact area you are fishing before keeping a fish.
Washington requires a fishing licence for anyone aged 15 or older, plus a (free) Catch Record Card for halibut and certain species. WDFW licences.
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